04 May Take 5 with Macy Kate

If you are under the age of 18, you may not yet be aware of Macy Kate’s talents. The 16-year-old singer from Tampa, Florida has become an internet sensation among teens, and just signed a deal with Sony/ATV in a YouTube partnership. The budding pop star is currently on tour with fellow SunFest performers Before You Exit, before taking on the rest of the world (and your ears). Today at 5:15 p.m. she will take the FPL Stage with her band– Cade Larson, Nick Lopez, and Austin Anderson.

I had a chance to ask the lovely singer a few questions before her SunFest performance. Here is what she had to say:

You are currently touring with another SunFest act, Before You Exit. How has the tour been going so far?

I just wrapped up “The Dangerous Tour” with Before You Exit. It was a blast and was the best first tour any girl could ask for! I was the only girl touring with three other boy band acts– Spencer Sutherland, Plug In Stereo, and headliner Before You Exit. They were all super awesome to hang with and somehow we figured out a way to share a dressing room with each other in every city.

Before You Exit is known for pulling pranks on tour and “The Dangerous Tour” was no exception. Silly string and whipped cream fights made for amazing video footage and was messy fun! My favorite moments on tour were the sound checks in each city, it was a quiet time to chill and hang and watch each others set and appreciate how talented every act on the tour was.

At 16 [years old], to be able to experience a 11 city tour, on a national level is a total privilege and I was super grateful for the opportunity.

Are you currently juggling singing and school? What’s the most challenging part of balancing these two worlds?

Yes, Paradigm agency handles all of my bookings, appearances and touring. They have done an incredible job of booking me all over the world, which keeps me super busy. I am a sophomore in high school and I virtually learn all of my subjects like chemistry and geometry. It’s difficult. No complaints because I am living my dream, but it is a juggling act. Usually you can catch me in an airport, charging my computer, and trying to cram in a few assignments before boarding the plane.

What can attendees expect to see and hear during your set on Sunday?

My music reflects my love of pop rock. I am a pop rocker through and through. Most of my fans are teen girls, so the music that I write focuses on teen emotions and keeping my music relevant to what teen girls are going through.

I have a saying, “Fall down seven [times], get up eight,” and I write those numbers on my hands every performance to remind me that you can never give up on your dreams. I try to inspire teens to stay motivated and chase your dreams no matter what anyone tells you. No matter how tough life gets, believe in yourself and when you fall down, brush yourself off and back up, and keep trying to chase that dream. I would never be at SunFest if I didn’t believe that.

A good friend with Def Jam records, Scott Davenport told me, “You learn more from your failures than you do your successes.” I believe that. So my music at SunFest reflects those feelings with originals that speak to that, like “You Gave Me Love,” that I just dropped on iTunes. I also add in popular covers for the crowd to sing along with me. I sing and play the keys for a few songs as well.

What do you have to bring with you while on tour?

On tour I bring my teen heartthrob boy band MKB.  I also have to have my Starbucks every morning, and pretty much everyone on tour loves Chipotle!

What do you have in the works for the rest of 2014?

I am super stoked to be performing in San Diego for a YouTube concert called Teen Hoot in June, and I will be performing in Canada this summer at the Big Red Music Festival in Nova Scotia and finishing up my EP…for release this summer. My YouTube partner Kurt Schneider and I have some cool surprises to announce too!