 Credit: Wendy Carrig Hayley McKay is back with a bang after capturing audiences with her previous singles, "Unspoken" and "Bottom Of My Heart", as well as her engaging live performances. Her new album, Chance to Change, due April 27th, features haunting ballads, gentle acoustic numbers and folk-inspired tracks, like Following The Sun that showcase different elements of McKay's voice, allowing it to truly shine. In advance of the release, McKay kindly took the time to answer her Essential 8 where she spoke about songwriting, the importance of keeping an open mind, Ed Sheeran, and more. When/Where do you do your best writing? I need to have time - it's all about being in the zone. But on train journeys is good - but it's really when I have the time to focus. I love collaborating so I can also be inspired by the person I'm writing with. What's your best advice to a musician just starting out? Keep an open mind; go for every opportunity as you never know who you'll meet and where it will lead. And always be nice! Do you have any touring tips? Keep everything in balance and, when you visit new places, always take the time to look around - I think travel is one of the perks of being a musician so you need to see more than just the venue you're playing and the inside of your hotel room. Eat regularly and drink plenty of water - not just JD and Coke! What has been your biggest success? To be honest there's been a few; opening the Toad Hall stage at Glastonbury has to be one; supporting Tom Jones is definitely another; and winning a national talent competition was another too. It paid for me to go to BIMM and kick started my musical career. What's your favourite music venue and why?
It has to be The Forum Music Centre in Darlington. It's run by my mum and, quite literally, it's my second home. And I just love performing there - the sound is really amazing! Who would love to collaborate with? Oh - that's a tough one because there are so many great writers out there. But right now I'd go for Ed Sheeran. Favourite (or first) concert you attended? That would have to be Dolly Parton - one of my all time favourite artists and a great songwriter too. I went to see her perform at the Metro Arena in Newcastle and was blown away. Song (of yours) you wish you would have released as a single and why? At the moment it's a song called Summer Heartbeats. It's a song that forms part of my summer festival set and it always gets a great response from the audience - it's such a happy song. And you never know I might just release it down the line. Website/Facebook/Twitter/Purchase
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