SKYLYNE: Seeing you live, it seemed like you used the stage to connect individually with everyone in your audience. How do you make playing to a crowded room feel personal?
MACKENZIE: I love to engage and connect with as many audience members as I can. My music is very lyric forward, which I think makes it easier for people, especially those who have never seen me before, to listen and relate to the songs. My version of the highest compliment is when people come up to me and ask something like “what’s the song where you say xyz”, so I always try to bring people in with the storytelling.
SKYLYNE: That definitely came across when I saw you perform. Describe the moments right before you take the stage. Are you nervous? Excited? What goes through your head?
MACKENZIE: It’s a combination of both! My nervousness fluctuates based on the size of the show or whether or not I’m playing new music, but I mostly feel excitement. I love being on stage and performing with my band. They’ve been with me for over 5 years now.
SKYLYNE: In your new song “So Damn Pretty” I absolutely love the line “I am terrified of everyone, especially the people who are always having fun”. Can you expand on where that lyric came from?
MACKENZIE: Living in NYC can definitely be overwhelming. There are so many incredible musicians and artists here and it’s easy to compare yourself to them, especially when they make it look easy. Being in such a creative city is mostly inspiring, but there are times where it has left me feeling behind where I “should” be.
SKYLYNE: Here’s your spotlight - tell us what you have going on and what’s coming up.
MACKENZIE: My upcoming EP, In The After, comes out on October 20th! The pre-save link is below. It’s the third and final installment of a trilogy I’ve been working on since 2019. The release show is on October 28th at The Bowery Electric. The ticket link is also below!