Music Q&A: Stephanie McCourt

What informs your music and songwriting?
Life experience is the driving force behind all of my songs. My writing always comes from an authentic place. Especially when I’m having a bad day I can always trust that writing about it will turn it into a positive! When I put my pen to paper it feels like I’m in a therapy session.

How have you evolved as an artist over the years?
I have stepped into my own lane over the past few years. I’d say my style is predominantly influenced by old soul music with a modern twist. Even though I have a taste for all kinds of music I feel it’s the one I most resonate with. In the beginning it was about finding out who I wanted to be as an artist and that meant being a part of many different projects and genres of music that I wasn’t always comfortable with. Writing my own songs and listening to my intuition have helped me find the right path and evolve as an artist.

What are you up to at the moment artistically?
Over the past year I have been working on my album with Hank Hughes and various other producers and writers at F/H Block studios, as well as some collaborations such as Love is Calling with The Bed Headz and a song for the new Loadstar album. But my main focus is on my album, which will come out on Unstoppable Music Group later this year. I can’t wait to share my music with world!

What’s on your rider?
Vodka and chicken salad as they are low in carbs and good for the waistline.

Tell us your most embarrassing or surreal experience.
I was out with some friends when I was a teenager playing ball, and one of them thought it would be a good idea to throw the ball at me. In fear I thought the most logical thing to do was dive head first into a bush! When I got up everybody was laughing so hard they couldn’t breathe and like that wasn’t embarrassing enough, it worked out they didn’t even throw the ball in end! Took a while to live that one down!

What song do you wish you’d written?
There are so many to choose from but Fast Car, Tracy Chapman, and Natural Woman, Aretha Franklin are tiebreakers for me!

What’s your worst lyric?
“I want to make you cry”, one of my earlier lyrics. It’s a bit dark and doesn’t represent the person I am today.