Q&A with New Zealand singer-songwriter Connor Mac

Connor Mac, a singer-songwriter from New Zealand recently released his debut self-produced UK single ‘Purpose’. With an organic and uniquely soulful sound, he has already achieved over two million streams on Spotify.

We chat to Connor to discuss his career, influences and any upcoming plans for 2022…

Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

I just turned 25 years old and was born in Reading, UK. I grew up in the countryside just outside of New Zealand city called Palmerston North. Since the age of 17 I’ve based myself in Europe performing music for a living and writing and recording as much as possible.

How has 2022 been for you so far?

It’s been very busy! As a full time gigging musician coming out of Covid time events have come back strong. Between December and April I was averaging nine gigs a week and I am now sitting at five a week over the summer. All of this while keeping creative and spending a lot of time in the studio.

How did you get into the music field as a career?

I decided to take a gap year in Switzerland before studying law. During the year I paid my way by gigging full time in a resort called Verbier. I rediscovered my love for music and songwriting and decided to pursue it full time rather than heading back to NZ to study.

You grew up in New Zealand from the age of four. How did this location affect your musical style? What would you describe your style as?

When I first moved to NZ I remember listening to NZ bands like Crowded House, Dave Dobbyn, The Feelers, and Opshop. These were hugely inspiring and motivated me to play music from a young age. However, my dad was always playing soul and funk around the house like The Temptations and Earth Wind & Fire and I feel these made a big impact too. My musical style is continuing to develop and more recently I’ve been more inspired by artists like John Mayer and Leon Bridges.

Who are your musical influences?

Little Feat, John Mayer, Leon Bridges

You’ve just released the video to your most recent single ‘Purpose’. What can you tell us about this track?

‘Purpose’ is a song I wrote about a girl in my life I’ve always had a strong connection with, but the timing has never been right between us to make it work. The story throughout the video shows the frustration of the situation whilst reflecting on the beautiful moments we have shared together in the past.