Today we’d like to introduce you to Hayley Mckay.
Hi Hayley, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I’ve always sang since I can remember. My first professional stage performance was when I was 9yrs old and I was selected to play a young Marylin Monroe at Her Majesty’s theatre in London’s west end.
My Mum was a well respected hair stylist in London at the time and I remember her doing my hair and making my dress. It was an amazing experience and my family from the north of England all got the train down south to watch me.
I got a guitar in my early teens and my Grandad and Uncle paid for my guitar lessons which I’m forever grateful for.
I always liked writing stories as a child and I started to write songs in my early teens. I then started entering singing and musical theatre competitions. After college I took a year out to try and save up money through gigging. My aunty rang me up one day and said there was a local talent competition and I should apply. I ended up winning it nationally in the UK! For the finals I sang a poem which I turned into a song which I found in the attic of my Grandma’s house. It was a poem that my great grandma had written about her husband leaving for world war 2 and the poem was a love / hope poem that he would come back home soon. I also sang my own version of Jolene by Dolly Parton who is a hero of mine.
I won the prize of £5000 and I decided to use this to help fund me through my studies at university. I did one year studying music at Brighton Institute of modern music which was a great creative time in my life.
I then went to London to do an artist development course at Access to Music where Ed Sheeran actually studied although he had just left when I started- though I did see some of his coursework which was cool!
During my time studying in London I worked as a singing waitresss. I much preferred the singing part! I was also gigging and travelling back and forth up north to my hometown in Durham.
I was in an electro pop duo at the time with my talented friend Chris Shaw. We were called Silent Houses and we did some great shows.
Since my early teenage years I became a massive fan of country music. Country music definitely struck a chord with me. I think it has a lot of similarities to soul/gospel through heartfelt melodies and storytelling.
In Newcastle Upon Tyne, the north east of England it has a strong history of folk/rock singers including Sting, Mark Knopkler and Lindisfarne. I was invited to perform at a huge event called Sunday For Sammy which raises funds for young upcoming performers. It was one of the greatest nights of my life – I was performing my rendition of Over the rainbow with a harpist and a choir infront of thousands of people at Newcastle City Hall. I joined some legends on stage including Mark Knopkler from Dire Straits and one of my favourite folk bands Lindisfarne. Apparently Mark Knopfler said I had a “lovely voice” as he heard me perform!
I received a grant through the foundation which kickstarted my recording career where at the age of 18yrs old I recorded my first EP.
Throughout the years I have always followed my passion and it has led me to some amazing experiences. I have supported artists including Tom Jones, Martha Reeves and Charlie Worsham. I have also performed at some of the biggest festivals in the UK including Country to Country festival at London 02 arena, Glastonbury and many others.
In recent years I have won awards for my music including ; Entertainer of the year at The Hot Country TV Awards in Ireland and one of my songs, Wild West was voted as single of the year at the ISSA Awards in Atlanta USA. I’m so lucky I got to travel to Ireland and America to perform at the award shows.
When I was in my 20’s I went to Nashville for the first time and I absolutely loved it. I co wrote with some great songwriters and did some singer songwriter rounds. I couldn’t wait to go back…
In the past 5 years I have been to the States twice again with music. In 2024 my partner and fellow musician David Neil Crabtree traveled around the southern states for 3 months. We ended up doing 41 shows including a performance at Lyndon B Johnson’s former ranch in Texas during a solar eclipse. Dave and I wrote so many songs during our trip in the USA inspired by the places and the people which we met. It inspired us to start a duo together called “North Riding”.
Last year we had national radio play on the biggest radio station in the UK with Bob Harris naming us “Horizon Artist” after he had seen us perform at a big charity event which he had hosted.
We are planning to return to Nashville and Austin next March/April to do some co writes and hopefully some shows.
My influences are wide-ranging: country, folk, soul and pop, with artists such as Dolly Parton, Bruce Springsteen, Kate Bush and Eva Cassidy inspiring me.
I’m hugely grateful to my parents Allison and Stuart who have always and continue to support my music career. Also my brother Jack who is always sending me new music to listen to.
I have a 7 month year old baby called Jacob who is incredible! Music has become ever more powerful than ever before and songs get me even more now. I’m just bursting with so much love for him!!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
over the years there have been a lot of empty promises from people in the “industry” and you have to just do as much as you can yourself until you get the right team behind you. it’s hard sometimes knowing who to trust but also keeping yourself open for opportunities.
Some festivals in the UK and are quite clicky and hard to get onto. A lot of the time you need an agent or need to know someone. I think there could be more opportunities for grassroots artists and more investment into grassroots venues rather than the big arena’s in the cities.
Finances can be hard too sometimes in this industry – it’s costly being a musician having to pay for recording, marketing etc.
I think it would be great if there were more sponsorship opportunities for musicians and if people could tip musicians in this country I think that would help musicians! That extra £50 can pay for fuel or food for the band.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m a singer songwriter doing my own solo music as Hayley Mckay and I’m also in a duo called North Riding with my partner. We have a 7 piece band and are releasing an album in 2027. We are also travelling to Nashville & Texas in March/April for co writes and some shows.
Music is therapeutic and I have been teaching vocals to students in schools, privately and at my local music venue called The Forum Music Studios in Darlington. It is fantastic and is my second home.
A few years ago I set up a wellbeing group for adults called Music Mind. It has been the most rewarding thing I have ever done! Each week we sing, have a band jam and socialise. There are so many amazing success stories. One of the guys who is 84yrs old called Harry, lost his wife a few years ago. He walked through the forum doors on a cold November night and sat down with a cup of coffee. My Mum who runs the Forum invited him into the group and turns out he used to play the drums when he was younger. He hadn’t played the drums in over 20 yrs and now he is playing again and is out most nights watching live music in Darlington. One of the ladies in her 40’s has had a rough year with personal things in her life and she is currently walking 188 miles across the roof of England to raise money for Music Mind. So far she has raised £800 which is great!
There are so many positive ripple effects from the group forming friendships through the power of music.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
People say I have a big smile and that all helps! I’d say I’m caring and kind and I’m just super passionate about what I do! I think people see that I genuinely put all my effort into every performance and I care about what I do.
I like to help others and seeing the happy faces in the audience is so rewarding.
I’m also determined to make this a lifelong career and I have invested most of my life into it!
I also like to collaborate with other creatives.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.hayleymckay.co.uk
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hayleymckaymusic/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hayleymckaymusic/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@HayleyMcKay
- Other: https://www.youtube.com/@NorthRidingMusic
