Daily Inspiration: Meet Austin Mackay

Today we’d like to introduce you to Austin Mackay

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Since before I can remember, I’d always wanted to play music for a living. I first picked up the guitar at around 5 years old after being gifted one from a family friend. Soon after this, my Dad received an overseas job offer and my family made the move from Australia to China for two-and-a-half years. There wasn’t all that much to do where we were living, so when I wasn’t being homeschooled, I was teaching myself to play the guitar.

Upon moving back to Australia, I realised that if I really wanted to make a career out of music, I needed to learn to sing and write songs. I took to playing gigs at the ripe age of 13, and throughout my high school years I played small pubs and venues around my hometown. The pandemic hit during my first year out of high school, and like so many I was forced out of being able to play live shows. The borders in Australia were quite strict, so I bought a van and built myself a home on wheels. I travelled up the east coast to a little surf town called Byron Bay and began busking on the streets, playing my original music to anyone that’d stop and listen. I gained some online traction and started picking up support shows all across the country. Over the past four years, I have been lucky enough to make a career out of writing and recording music, and touring it around Australia and New Zealand.

Coming up in a scene that was heavily indie/folk music, I always loved the idea of sounding that little bit different to everyone else. Although I grew up on the coast, I have always been influenced by country and rock music. I felt a natural shift in my writing style and found myself listening to and writing more and more country-style songs than ever before. I have always had Nashville in my sights, but as a self-funded and independent musician, it took me a little while to get the funds together to make the trip happen (it is quite literally the opposite side of the world). In September of this year I finally crossed the ditch into the USA to co-write songs with some incredible Nashville-based writers, producers and artists, and was lucky enough to score some writer’s rounds where I shared my songs and stories alongside some truly talented people.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Like any artists, the road is not always easy. There’s the times where things seem to be falling into place, and you feel on top of the world, and then there’s the times where you feel like the world is on top of you. One of my biggest struggles has been learning to navigate the anxiety that comes with the external pressures of the industry. As an artist, your success really is based on what others think of you and your product, and a lot of the time that is out of our control. As much as we’d love to just make music for ourselves, we ultimately need to appeal to a broader audience. In a world of ever-changing social media trends and attention grabbers, it’s quite easy to come unstuck and lose your way. My biggest lesson is that you’re really not going to be able to win over everyone, no matter how hard you try. Learning to be completely authentic is the best thing that I have done for my career, because I’ve been able to attract the audience and listeners that are truly there for the music whether I am trending or not.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Hailing from Newcastle NSW, Austin Mackay is known for his unique approach to songwriting that seamlessly blends heartfelt folk melodies with vibrant country & rock influences. Inspired by Chris Stapleton, John Mayer and KALEO, Austin has spent years crafting his distinctive blend of country/folk music, merging his knack for compelling storytelling and dynamic live performances.

Emerging as a prominent new talent in Australian country music, Austin has recently supported notable acts such as: Morgan Evans, Brad Cox, The Dreggs, and Thirsty Merc, and has performed at a number of renowned Australian festivals including: Byron Bay Bluesfest, Springtime Festival and Howlin’ Country.

With a natural ability for captivating audiences, Austin’s engaging stage presence and poignant lyrics have resonated deeply with working-class fans across the country. Over the past three years he has honed his craft as a seasoned performer, dedicating much of his early 20’s to the road, playing sold-out shows across Australia and New Zealand.

Austin’s music resonates across various platforms, with his discography amassing over 2.5 million streams on Spotify alone. Over the past year, he has released a number of singles— “Real Life,” “Rivers,” “Hearts On Fire,” and “Break The Chain”—each showcasing different sonic strengths. His forthcoming EP release, further highlights the evolving sound that is Austin Mackay.

How do you think about happiness?
There’s a lot of things that make me happy, it’s hard to narrow it down. I think balance is what really does it for me. Getting to go out on the road and travel, see new places, meet new people and share my music is so incredible, but then getting to come home, spend quality time with my family and childhood friends, surf, and be the same person I was growing up is just as important. I find that wherever I am or whatever I am doing, as long as i’m keeping that underlying feeling of contentment, I am happy.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://austinmackaymusic.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/austinmackaymusic
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/austinmackaymusic
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIUoqS0yUt-mn1higK7yBAQ
• Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/austin-mackay-390586013