REAL LIFE - CHRISSY MAC

COMING OUT

CHRISSY MAC

OUR VERY OWN LOCAL COUNTRY MUSIC SENSATION

CHRISSY MAC, A 23 YEAR old country singer, from Lurgan but living in Donegal. We talk to him about coming out and about life in the music industry...

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONALITY?

Most people would describe me as a very bubbly outgoing person, I enjoy life to the full and try to keep in a positive mood as much as i can.

DO YOU HAVE A PARTNER?

Yes i am engaged to my partner this past two years and are getting married in 2021, we have been together for over 4 years.

WHEN DID YOU FIRST REALIZE YOU WERE ATTRACTED TO SAME SEX PEOPLE?

I always knew from a very young age but found it difficult in the community I lived in to be myself or to try new things.

DID YOU TELL ANYONE AT THE TIME?

I told one of my best friends at the time I met my partner and told them to keep it a secret as I felt I was not ready to tell my family circle and close friends, although looking back now I don’t know why I was so afraid as it was the best decision I ever did and I could finally be myself, and nothing has changed with my family or friends.

WHEN DID YOU ACTUALLY COME OUT?

Four years ago when I met my partner. It was on Christmas day when a family member confronted me and asked me. So I finally told them and they said it was the best Christmas gift they could of asked for.

WHAT PROMPTED YOU TO DO IT?

I knew that I had a great partner and that we loved and cared for each other and we where living a double life trying to hide it so this made me just admit the truth to my family and they could not have been happier and it goes to show it was the

right thing as we are getting married in under a year’s time

HOW DID YOU DO IT?

My brother just came out and asked me and I said yes, the relief I felt was overwhelming

WHAT WAS THE REACTION OF YOUR FAMILY AND CLOSE FRIENDS?

All my family and friends were amazing with the support, not that I needed any support they just continued on treating me as the Chrissy they always knew which was the best thing they could have done, plus the fact that they all knew my fiancé as a “FRIEND” back then it made it easier for them to accept as he was already like part of the family

ANY FUNNY STORIES ABOUT WHEN YOU CAME OUT TO SOMEONE?

I told my best friend one night that I had something to tell him and that it’s very serious, I told him that I met my partner who was a fella, the look on his face I thought he was going to punch me, but after a few seconds he hugged me and said I thought you where going to tell me you where dying or something, he continued to say sure that’s nothing serious and why make a big deal out of it.

SO MANY WILL KNOW YOU AS A SUCCESSFUL COUNTRY SINGER, WHERE DID YOUR LOVE OF COUNTRY COME FROM AND WHEN DID YOU FIRST EMBARK ON A CAREER IN COUNTY MUSIC?

I first fell in love with country music many years ago when my grandmother always used to play the old records of the country legends. I guess this has stayed with me ever since. I first embarked on the country scene when I moved to Donegal, my partner is a radio presenter who played country music and done jobs in the country scene, one night he was comparing a country music event and he took a chance on me and put me on stage with a full backing band and from that night he has always supported me and pushed me further and further in my career.

BEFORE WE GO ANY FURTHER WE NEED TO ADDRESS THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM COVID 19 & LOCK DOWN. HOW HAS IT AFFECTED YOU PERSONALLY AND YOUR CAREER?

I suppose Covid has affected everyone in different ways, to me it has made me realise how much I miss singing to people each week, should it only be a handful of people in a bar or to a sold out concert / event. It has made me want to push my career further once this is all over and never to take anything for granted. 2020 was a big year for me, I started the year on a high after recording my first ever live DVD and TV special and doing my sell out concert, I was to go to Spain twice this year singing and also have my first tour of Scotland and unfortunately these had to be re scheduled.

NOW THAT THE END IS IN SIGHT IS YOUR PLAN TO PICK UP WHERE THINGS LEFT OR IS THAT STILL A LONG WAY OFF?

Yeah once we get the go ahead from the country music association to go back out on the road i will be pushing myself 110 percent to give the public the best shows I possibly can to make up for what they have been missing, because if it wasn’t for the people supporting me I would never have made it this far. We are currently working on my new single and as soon as the studios reopen I hope to have it released very soon

CONGRATULATIONS ARE IN ORDER, WE HEARD YOU WERE AWARDED BEST SINGLE AT THE NI COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS, WHAT AN ACHIEVEMENT, HOW DID THIS COME ABOUT?

This was a massive shock to myself, I never thought after only being on the country scene for a little over two years that I would stand a chance of collecting an award. The organiser of the awards contacted me and asked me to attend the event as I had been up for nomination for best single of 2019 with my single Wiggle Wiggle, these votes where all cast by the public so to know that the public voted me no.1 single made it all that more special.

YOU HAVE ALSO HAD CHART SUCCESS ON A FEW OCCASIONS, TELL US ABOUT THIS?

Yes i was lucky to have had my first ever single This Crazy love go straight to number one in the itunes chart, something I never thought I could achieve and then to have Wiggle Wiggle make the charts a year later was a dream.

HAVE YOU BEEN WORKING ON NEW MATERIAL THROUGH LOCK DOWN? IF SO, WHEN ARE WE LIKELY TO GET HEARING IT?

I have been working on a few new singles during lockdown as I have a lot of time on my hands, between myself and my manager who happens to also be my partner we are trying to choose which one to release first. The few songs we have been working on are different to my usual songs but it will let the people see a different side to me which I look forward to. fFngers crossed you might be able to hear the new single in the next month or two.

A LITTLE DICKY BIRD TOLD US MANY MOONS AGO YOU SHARED THE STAGE AND WORKED WITH OUR DANIEL, CAN YOU ELABORATE ON THIS?

Yeah I was at a very young age when I got to share the stage with your wee Daniel, it was in the musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat through MADS Arts and Drama Society. I think I even had the wee crush on Daniel back then.

YOU OR MAY WE SEE YOU ON STAGE IN A SHOW IN THE FUTURE?

Definitly not, I love doing theatre I have been lucky enough the past few years to have been in local pantomimes every year and I even starred as the dame for the very first time just a few months ago which I really loved. I hope to be able to continue doing theatre for as long as anyone will have me.

WE AREN’T TOO FAMILIAR WITH THE LOCAL COUNTRY SCENE, IS THERE ANY STIGMA WITH YOU BEING A GAY MAN OR DO YOU FIND THAT PEOPLE ARE VERY WELCOMING?

Everyone is so welcoming to me in the country scene. The other singers and performers take me for who I am and I was a little nervous at the start that some of the older generation might not take to me but they are my biggest followers and even want to come to our wedding. I think having my partner Terence on the road with me and at all events gives the people a better chance to know us both and to see how happy we are together.

TIME TO DO A BIT OF NAME DROPPING, TELL US SOME OF THE PEOPLE YOU HAVE HAD THE CHANCE TO MEET AND/OR WORK WITH AND ALSO WHO ARE YOUR IDOLS?

I have been so lucky to have shared the stage with many a great Irish country legends including the queen of country

Philomena Begley, Louise Morrissey, Kathy Durkin, Dominic and Barry Kirwan, Cliona Hagan, Michael English, Hugo Duncan to name only a small few, to me these people have all become real close friends and I never once dreamt that I would have got the chance to sing with them never mind meet them. Nathan Carter is next on my dream list to sing with even though if he just stands there and lets me look at him am happy.

SO THE FIRST PART OF 2020 HAS BEEN A WASHOUT, WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE YEAR AND FURTHER AFIELD?

To release new music and of course to reschedule any gigs or events that had to be cancelled due to Covid as it breaks my heart not to be able to perform for people. With our wedding also getting extremely close I’m sure that will take up a lot of time,

LASTLY, ANYTHING ELSE YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADD?

I would just like to thank you for asking me to do this great interview and for any of your readers who dont know me would be very grateful if they check out my social media pages and of course on youtube. Hopefully i will get to meet you somewhere along the road in the future.

And finally always be yourself, stand tall and be very proud of the person you are. We only get the one chance at it here so we may make it the best we can. Life is for living so live it to the full.

love Chrissy Mac

www.chrissymacband.co.uk