Hayley McKay Releases New Single ‘Breathe’

We’re excited to announce that our Country Release Friday pick with MAM Roots this week is Hayley McKay with her brand new single ‘Breathe’. The new track is available now to buy or stream on all major platforms. Tune into @mam_roots IGTV from 2pm today to watch the official music video.

About ‘Breathe’ Hayley revealed,

“The song was written earlier on this year in May during lockdown, and I co wrote it via zoom with Newcastle based Hattie Murdoch who also produced the track. I wanted to write a song that was uplifting and happy, and reflected the way I felt at the time. Suddenly the pace of life had slowed down and it was a time to reflect on things and make use of the smaller things in life that we can all sometimes take a bit for granted like going out and appreciating nature and the outdoors. I felt like I needed to just take a breath, go with the times, and try not to stress about the situation but instead make use of this time we all had on our hands. Luckily the weather was lush and the River Tees runs through the bottom of the garden so I really made use of the walks along the river and spent my time outside and working on loads of new songs! – Which I’m currently recording to release next year.”

Make sure to follow @Britishcma and @mam_roots on Instagram for updates on Country Release Friday.

About

Hayley McKay is an accomplished and insightful songwriter with an incredible vocal range with a distinctive all-round style, which can effortlessly leap from earthy and soulful raw emotion to soaring and ethereal angelic tones likened to Eva Cassidy, Joni Mitchel, LeAnn Rimes and Kate Bush. Over the last few years she’s been co-writing songs with award winning songwriters such as Nashville’s twice Grammy-nominated songwriter Jan Buckingham (Whitney Houston), Bill DiLuigi, Claire Hamill (Eva Cassidy, Wishbone Ash), Andy Vitoli, Phil Caffrey and producer/writer Hattie Murdoch with many news songs to be released over 2021. Breathe comes after great international response from previous single ‘Thinking About Last Night’ (April 3 rd ) after gaining international support from Ireland, UK and was recently voted in the top 10 Valley FM Indie charts in Australia and in the top 3 best new singles in Ireland. It has also gathered support on BBC Introducing. McKay was also artist of the week on various international radio stations in the US and the UK with features in Country Line TV, BMCA and ISSA (International Songwriters Association).

With a forever growing online fanbase with over 6,000 followers across her socials, she has also had long running national TV, Radio and media support from the BBC with features in the Telegraph, Crack Magazine and ‘Track of the Week’ on many occasions on local BBC Radio Tees along with several podcasts and sessions such as Bob Harris’s Under the Apple Tree in home studio. She has also performed on TV shows including RTE, The today Show-Ireland’s biggest daytime TV show, STV Scottish TV including many of her music videos being played on Keep it Country TV.

In 2011 Hayley entered a national talent competition and winning a nice cash prize, which helped towards the costs of her studying at BIMM (Brighton) and Access to Music in London amongst her peer Jess Glynne. Since then, with a huge love of performing she has played up and down the country playing numerous shows, Tours and major festivals including Glastonbury, Cornbury, Latitude, The Sage Americana Festival, Hardwick Live and only last year, the iconic music venue The Sage Summertyne Americana Festival. McKay has also supported major acts Tom Jones, Albert Lee, Scouting for Girls, Martha Reeves and Hazel O’Connor and was due to have a big 2020 with confirmed performances at C2C: Country-to-Country at the O2 Arena in London, The British Country Festival and the famous Glastonbury. All now re-scheduled for 2021.

A big supporter of charities, Hayley is a Prince’s Trust ambassador and has featured at many charity events and has recently been raising money for Save Our Venues campaign with Music Venues Trust through online gigs, one of which was hosted by Paul Sexton (BBC2).

“The up and coming apple of the British music industry’s eye” Elmore Magazine, USA

Connect

Website: www.hayleymckay.co.uk

Facebook: @hayleymckaymusic

Instagram: @hayleymckaymusic

Twitter: @mckay_hayley

Are you an artist who’d like to be featured? Submit a preview link of your upcoming release to Brandon at brandon@modernagemusic.co.uk and submissions@britishcma.co.uk