Just under two years ago, I was on the phone with talking about the release of her first new music since 2014. This week, I was on the phone with her moments after she received a Platinum plaque, she's still celebrating her third consecutive #1 single at Canadian country radio, and it was release day for her new song The One and Drinkin' Songs: The Collection.
In a post on social media, MacKenzie was right on that path when she said, "The last two years have been a while ride since I released About You to the world. I can't express to you guys who incredibly grateful I am for you sticking by me and helping me celebrate all of the successes (big and small)!" she added "Thank you for this amazing chapter, and I can't wait to see you, play for you (and hug you!) in person soon!!" - to see the full post.
Having had a chance to speak with the Canadian country singer, songwriter, actress, etc., it's unsurprising to see her give such thanks and be so gracious. She's good people. And she keeps making good music as we watch her work this second chapter in her music career, and now prepare for the third.
And if The One is the last page in this chapter, she's going out with a good one. Listen now.
MacKenzie Porter - The One
Two years ago when we asked MacKenzie what the biggest thing that had happened in her life in the five years that had passed since our last interview. She told us that it was her move to Nashville that really stood out at the biggest thing in her life and career.
This time, I asked if there had been a moment in the last two years when it really hit that they made the right decision to come back and focus on music after a successful run acting (Hell On Wheels, Travelers). Admittedly, that's not an easy question to spring on an artist with no warning - there are tons of behind-the-scenes moments that I'm sure were central to her moving forward, knowing she was on the right path and keeping the faith. But to her credit, she did come up with an answer: "There's been a lot of reassuring moments but I would probably say my first #1 where you don't know what's gonna happen and you don't even know if the songs gonna chart and then to have it go #1, I think that was just a reassuring thing, being like I'm definitely on my right path."
Related: About You & Drive Thru - MacKenzie Porter InterviewBecause of this hell year, we also asked about working through the pandemic and the cliched question about working on the next project while getting ready to release this one. MacKenzie assured us that the next album is coming, with a goal of next year. She's been writing and preparing and the team is ready to work towards that release. She also told us that she's hopeful that they'll get back on the road, and if there's a chance, she'd love to book dates as a headliner - and we'd like to see that happen.
MacKenzie Porter - Drinkin' Songs
While we were on the phone, the CCMAs and MacKenzie's rooftop performance came up too. MacKenzie said, "That was my first solo performance on the CCMAs and it was in Nashville and it was on the rooftop. You know, obviously, it would have been more fun to be playing in front of fans, but we still had a really good performance and a really good show and that was really cool."
to watch the These Days CCMA performance from the Westin in Nashville, TN.
We've also got to give some love to MacKenzie for crossing over with These Days. I asked about it, and we talked about the crossover hits of Shania and co. in the 90s, and MacKenzie said, "I always think like pop radio is popular music and country is popular now, and so I think it just makes sense for it to crossover some times." She added, when we started talking about These Days specifically, "For us to do it, it actually was not an intentional thing, it just kind of happened and pop radio started playing it. And after, you know, ten stations jump on and you're like 'well should we look at this and do a remix and make this a thing?' And that's kind of what we ended up doing and it worked - surprisingly. I didn't know it was going to, but it did."
The results have been significant, with These Days reaching the Top 10 on the Canadian Hot AC chart and #11 on the CHR/Top 40 chart in Canada as well. It's the first time since that a Canadian country artist has charted in the pop world, and the highest pop debut for a Canadian country artist since Man I Feel Like A Woman! in 1999. Not bad at all!
MacKenzie Porter - These Days
Here's a long story made short: MacKenzie Porter came back to music from acting, went to #1 on the Canadian country music charts three times in a row, went Platinum, crossed over to pop, toured with Dallas Smith and Dean Brody, played the CCMAs, and put herself right in the middle of a talented, emerging scene of Canadian women making great country music.
Lost in that sometimes is her earlier music, but here I am to remind you to go back and listen to Never Gonna Let You, Rodeo, If You Asked Me To and more. If you're a new fan and don't know those ones, you're not going to regret going back to give them a go.
Just like MacKenzie, we're looking forward to 2021 and beyond. We can't wait to hear the new album, see her up on stage (as a headliner or at a festival or anywhere), and if there are more projects or surprises that come, we'll be ready for that too.
Related: MacKenzie Porter at Boots and Hearts 2019Photos of MacKenzie Porter, 2013-2019
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
While we had MacKenzie on Zoom we took the chance to play a round of 5 Quick Questions. But there was a catch. At the end of November 2018, we played a round on the phone and captured the answers in our post about her return to music. This time I asked the same 5 questions to see if her answers would stay the same, or if there were new dreams and wish list items for her.
Hit play to find out which album she's grabbing for a front-to-back listen, who she'd love to duet with, who she thinks we should be listening to and more. And then watch as we go over her answers from 2018 with some great surprise reactions from MacKenzie.
5 Quick Questions with MacKenzie Porter
Hit play on the stream for Drinkin' Songs: The Collection, listen to the #1 singles About You, These Days, and Seeing Other People, her new drop, The One, and more.
Enjoy!
MacKenzie Porter, Drinkin' Songs: The Collection Tracklist
