I have listened to a music video of Rebecca Mac and was blown away by the pureness of her voice and the beautiful music and lyrics really impressed me. Here is Rebecca’s Biography and an interview.
Biography
Location
Born and raised in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu Natal, Rebecca grew tired of the town and decided to relocate west to study. She is now situated in the mother city of Cape Town, South Africa.
Where it all started
From the age of 3, Rebecca has been telling the world that she is going to be a singer. Throughout the years that has been her one defining goal in life, to have a successful music career. In her adolescence, she would compose songs and lyrics with the assistance of the family piano or her Casio keyboard. Her love for music grew and saw her grasping at any opportunity to perform. Then in 2017, she found herself sharing the stage with the likes of Kurt Darren and Bobby Van Jaarsveld at the Ashburton Music Festival.
However, it wasn’t till 2018 that Rebecca would acquire her own home studio setup that she began recording covers and posting them to YouTube. This quickly transitioned into her using her set up to write and record original compositions, as it was never her dream to get famous singing other people’s songs, and the rest was history. Today the 23-year-old singer-songwriter works closely with her boyfriend and brother who are her sound engineer and videographer/photographer respectively.
Genre
When asked about genre Rebecca will respond with dismay as she hates being put in any sort of category and therefore does not prescribe to any one genre. She feels it is restrictive to limit one’s creative freedom by setting such boundaries as a genre. However, as it stands, she does consider her sonic characteristics to be in the realm of pop music but do not be surprised if one day you wake up and she has released a punk rock single.
What the future looks like
Having just finished a 3-year acting course, her focus is now back on music. Rebecca has about eight songs that were made during 2022, that she is wanting to share with the world this year.
Moreover, Rebecca’s focus has also shifted to growing a community around herself as she views her music as a means for people to connect and relate to each other. Having done a lot of recording in recent years, the singer also hopes to become more active in the live music scene buzzing around Cape Town. All in all, one thing is certain, with an ever-growing fire in her heart, Rebecca’s future in the music industry looks brighter than ever.
Olka Bolka did an interview with Rebecca to find out more about this amazing and talented woman.
Briefly tell our readers who you are.
Hi, I am Rebecca Mac. A 23-year-old singer-songwriter. I write music that’s inspired by the human experience in the hopes that others understand that they’re not alone in their experiences or feelings. I have always felt compelled to entertain and bring a smile to people’s faces. I have always feared monotony and I thus try to push beyond the boundaries set by society as I feel there is so much more to life than the status quo that has been placed on society.
How did you get started in the music industry?
I pretty much just jumped at every opportunity I was given. I always knew I wanted to be a singer, so I guess my start in the music industry began as a little girl asking my parents if I could sing for everyone at the family braai.
What do you enjoy most about what you do?
When someone tells me how my music and message impacted their lives.
The freedom to express me in whichever way I want and set my own work hours. Being an independent artist, I don’t really have to answer to anyone. Unlike some signed artists there isn’t a big executive at the top of the record label who needs to give me the go-ahead on my latest song. It’s just me and my small team who also happens to be my family.
What do you do besides music?
I am also a trained Actress; I spent the past 3 years studying acting at a tertiary level. I spent a large amount of my youth doing Cecchetti ballet however a torn trap muscle injury just before my Advanced 1 ballet exam put my ballet endeavors to a halt. I never really got back into ballet after my injury healed, due to the months without training. However, I am still avidly interested in ballet and do eventually plan on completing all the ballet levels. I love cooking and eating. I live to eat not eat to live. I spend a lot of time experimenting and expanding my food palette, especially having started my transition from vegetarianism to veganism, which has been an intriguing process.
Tell me about your new single.
My new single Back and Forth was actually written at the beginning of 2022. I was feeling rather melancholic on the day I wrote it, so I picked up my ukulele and started playing a tune. I recalled the stories that had been shared with me, and soon words attached themselves to the chords. Before I knew it, I had a complete song. Heartbreak sucks in all aspects of life and feeling like you’re not good enough always hurts. My new single ‘Back and Forth’ tells the story of a girl who is caught in a love triangle. Her partner kept alternating between her and another woman; however, they were completely unaware of each other’s existence until after the fact. It is the ultimate story of betrayal and deceit as she realized that the special moments, they shared were not exclusive nor unique to just her.
I had also watched a movie that featured a cheating partner earlier that day which probably inspired the thought pattern that followed. Although I hope that this song isn’t relatable, I know that for many people it will be. Unfortunately, there always have, been, and always will be selfish people in this world that mishandle unknowing victims’ hearts. I can only hope that through releasing this song, these victims will know that they are not alone, it wasn’t their fault, they’re more than enough, and that they’ll walk out of their toxic relationships.
Do you write your own songs?
Yes, all of my songs are entirely written by myself. My writing process also includes me playing the ukulele or piano to accompany my voice. The full and final instrumentation of my songs is created by my boyfriend and sound engineer Dean Jones. He will record my lyrics and chord progressions and then build a full instrumental around my voice. However, I still have a lot of creative input in that regard. He does a wonderful job of listening to what I envision and bringing that to life.
Is there a song that stands out to you that you recorded?
4Ever. I wrote the song about my family: My Mom, Dad, Brother, and of course me. It is possibly the most vulnerable and personal I have ever gotten with my music. But writing and releasing that song showed me that I can be vulnerable in my music without fear of judgment or critique.
What is your favorite music genre?
I enjoy listening to old-school punk rock given that my favorite band of all time is Green Day. However, I also really love and appreciate classical music. It all really depends on my mood, to be honest. I grew up with the likes of Doris Day, Frank Sinatra, and Etta James playing around the house so I also really love to listen to an assortment of the “oldies”.
Tell us something no one knows about you.
I’m terrified of moths
What inspires you?
My human experiences.
If you could sing with anyone in the world, who would it be and why?
I’m not really sure, to be honest. I’ve never really had the desire to perform with anyone. Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of artists who have my respect and I think are amazing singers, and would love to perform alongside them. However, I’ve never really felt a longing to perform with anyone in particular.
What’s next for you, and how do you see your future?
I have another single coming out soon called ‘Without You’ which I am busy creating a music video for with my videographer and brother (Byron McLeroth). The song is planned to be released in March. I always find it fascinating to watch my brother bring a song into the visual realm. A pro of having my brother as my videographer is that I feel comfortable on set, and am confident the project is in good hands. This will be one of many songs that I plan to release this year.
I would also like to start gigging again around Cape Town and really start putting myself out there in the live scene as an artist.
What advice would you give to someone just starting out in your industry?
- If you are not passionate about what you’re doing, you’re in the wrong field.
- Get comfortable with critique as you will constantly be under scrutiny.
- Learn the difference between constructive criticism and a hater and try not to take everyone’s opinions to heart.
- Discover who you are as an artist (your image, sound, and message)
- Don’t waste time fixating on one song and trying to make it the most perfect production that has ever graced the ears of the human race. But rather just put music out as you will find the more songs you make the better you will get at it.
- Don’t deny the importance of marketing and building a fanbase as no matter how good your music is, you need to have a way to get people to hear it.
- I would encourage someone just starting out to not be too serious with it, but rather just enjoy what you are doing. If you go into this career with the wrong intentions it will translate into your music.
What is the most memorable/funniest incident you have experienced in your business?
One night we were recording a song in our apartment, and as I began singing the crescendo of the song I was met with very angry yelling and swearing from one of the other apartments. Needless to say, I was so embarrassed that I told my sound engineer that I was done singing for the night, and we put the recording on hold for the night.
What’s on your Bucket List?
Gifting the people, I care about with financial freedom.
Visiting as many countries as possible.
Selling out a stadium show.
When is your birthday?
28 October 1999
What is your favorite:
Music – Punk Rock/ Classical
Singers – Freddie Mercury, Adele
Favorite song- Boulevard of Broken Dreams – Green Day
Film- The Notebook
Actors- Johnny Depp
Series- right now probably The last of us
Food and drink- I’m a major foodie, and I couldn’t ever bring myself to choose a favorite food. I love all food from a flavourful curry to a delectable burger and absolutely everything in between.
For the drink, however, my absolute favorite is water haha.
Relaxation– watching movies or series
Holiday destination– Khotso, Drakensberg (so I can ride horses to my heart’s content)
Color- Pearl Blue
What do you dislike – name 4 things.
People with superiority complexes
People who choose to be cruel rather than kind
Lying/liars
Animal abuse (in any form)
Where can people find and follow you?
YouTube @rebeccamacofficial – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiNFWJt-n0KsDdKMqjn724w
Instagram @bexmcl – https://www.instagram.com/bexymcl/?hl=en
TikTok @Buggy – https://www.tiktok.com/@bexymcl?lang=en
Facebook @Rebecca Mac – https://www.facebook.com/people/Rebecca-Mac/100039949011899/
And every major music streaming platform @Rebecca Mac
