‘Elton John Facetimed me. It was surreal — he couldn’t believe that I was only 21’
Rising star of country music Catherine McGrath has gone from being too shy to sing in front of her family in Rostrevor to opening for Michael Buble in London’s Hyde Park. She tells Karen Ireland how her talent was discovered and what it’s like to have celebrity friends
I was introduced to Taylor Swift and fell in love with her music. I just loved the way it could tell a story
She used to be so shy she wouldn’t even sing in front of her own family, but now Catherine McGrath is being interviewed all over the world and opening for Michael Buble in Hyde Park. Her life has changed beyond recognition in past two years, and she is still only 21 years old.
The singer, from Rostrevor, Co Down, whose first album, Talk Of This Town, was released this summer, is still getting used to life in the spotlight.
“Things have changed dramatically for me in the past couple of years and I have suddenly been catapulted onto the big stage,” she says.
At the moment, everyone seems to be listening to Catherine as her star soars.
“It has been a real change getting used to being asked for interviews all the time,” she says, “but I am loving sharing my story and my journey with people. I believe music is all about telling a story.”
Catherine’s story began in
Rostrevor, where she grew up as one of five children — three girls and two boys to parents Matthew and Clare.
“From I was no age, there was music in the house,” she says. “I grew up listening to my mum and dad sing and play, and my grandma taught me my first chords on the guitar.
“We used to watch all the old musicals on TV together, and
I loved Judy Garland.
“Dad was always writing songs for mum to sing and they would play traditional music sets in pubs around home. We have lots of cousins and a big family, and when we all got together it would turn into a big sing-along with everyone joining in.
“But I was very shy when I was growing up and lacked confidence, so I wouldn’t even sing in front of the family.” Things changed when she turned 12 and Catherine’s love affair with country music began.
“I was introduced to Taylor Swift and I fell in love with her music. I just loved the way it could tell a story,” she says.
“After that I started covering music and singing songs on YouTube and making videos.”
She received encouraging comments — and finally realised that it wasn’t just her family who liked her music.
But one comment in particular took a while to sink in.
“My now manager, Conrad Withey, saw me, and he contacted me through Facebook and said that Warner Records would be interested in working with me,” Catherine recalls.
“I thought it was a joke and someone winding me up, so I just ignored it for months. The messages persisted and eventually we looked him up and realised he was genuine. He said I had talent and if when I turned 18 I was still interested in music I should move to London.”
Two weeks after her 18th birthday, Catherine found herself doing just that and embarking on the biggest journey of her young life.
“I knew someone believed in me and with the full support of my parents I moved to London,” she says. “It was a difficult transition as I went from living with all my brothers and sisters to sharing in a house with a family I didn’t even know.
“I started doing gigs and open mic nights. It was a huge learning curve for me, but it really built up my confidence and got me singing in front of an audience.”
In 2016 she signed a record deal with Warner Records and stared opening for bands including The Shires.
“This was such a scary move for me at the start as everything was so new and I didn’t know what to expect,” Catherine says.
“Life was much more fastpaced in London than I had been used to in Rostrevor, but it was a fantastic opportunity and it gave me the chance to play my music to a wider audience. It’s the best thing I ever did.
“It challenged me and helped me progress as an artist.”
Headline shows were soon to follow, and Catherine was blown away by the fact that people wanted to spend time and money to come out and hear her play.
She says: “It is such a privilege that people want to come out and listen to you and spend time with you.
“I was so nervous headlining my first show in London, but mum and dad flew out to surprise me and having them there kept me calm.
“It is a whole different feeling going from support act to headline and knowing people are there to listen to you and are singing the words of your songs back to you.”
In March this year she played Belfast, Dublin and London with her following continuing to build.
“I think more and more people are engaging with country music, and especially with singers like Harry Styles doing collaborations, it is appealing to a younger generation,” she says.
Her album, Talk of This Town, was released in July this year and proved a huge success, with fans including Sir Elton John, who said she was “one of those rare talents... you just know this is the start of something absolutely huge”.
“I couldn’t believe it when he played one of my songs on his radio show and then talked about and how much he loved my music,” Catherine says.
“He then Facetimed me and interviewed me about my songs. It was surreal. He could not believe I am only 21.”
The album, Catherine explains, was written in Nashville and London over the past few years, with some songs being penned in her childhood bedroom in Rostrevor.
“People think because I am so young I don’t have many life experiences to write about, but I write about everything,” she says.
“I write about finding love and losing love, I write about past experiences and friendships, moving to London and starting fresh.
“I draw on experiences of my friends and family and my inspiration comes from everywhere.”
Every time she writes a new song, she runs it past her family. Her harshest critic is her younger sister, Mary
(18), who critiques everything.
“She loves music and she is also my biggest fan,” Catherine says.
Catherine, who will tour Australia in September, admits she is a real homebird and misses her friends and family when she travels.
“Moving away for those two years really made me miss home and value it,” she says. “I missed my family and I missed the open spaces. We talked every day on the phone, but it’s not the same as being there. We are very close, like the Von Trapps.
“My family try to get to my gigs as often as possible, but I will really miss them when I am in Australia.”
Based between London and Rostrevor now, Catherine loves doing nothing more than spending time with her family.
“(I love) getting together for a sing-song,” she says. “It is like the stereotypical image of Ireland of singing traditional music in the local pubs, but that is what my family does.
“When I am home, I love doing nothing — just chilling and enjoying a movie or going for a walk up one of our amazing mountains.
“I also spend my spare time reading and of course I am always writing. I am constantly looking for inspiration for new material.
“I want to keep writing, so that I constantly have new material to give to my audiences.
“I am always being surprised by the next thing.
“I never expected to move to London and certainly never expected a record deal.
“I am overwhelmed by what has happened so quickly, but I also try to focus on what is happening in front of me, rather than freaking out about the big picture. I take each day as it comes and appreciate it.”
The singer admits that
❝ I feel very blessed. I’d love to make it big in the US country scene and I’d love to do shows there
she is delighted and relieved that she was discovered the way she was.
“I would never have had the confidence or the courage to go on a show like X Factor or Britain’s Got Talent,” Catherine says.
“I’m just lucky I was discovered in a low-key way over YouTube. My confidence has been allowed to grow and develop over time.
“I wouldn’t even sing in front of my family and now I am playing to sold-out venues. I still can’t quite believe it.”
When asked if there is a significant other to draw experiences of love from, Catherine laughs.
“I’m too busy and haven’t had time to find that special someone. If and when the right person comes along, that will be fantastic, but right now singing is the love of my life and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
“I love getting Snapchats from people about how a certain song has moved them and how they have identified with it.
“That’s what music should be all about — making connections with people and sharing stories and journeys.
“I feel very blessed. I would love to make it big in the country scene in the US and I’d love to do shows there.
“Who knows what will happen. I never thought I’d get from Rostrevor to singing in Australia, so anything is possible.
“One of my dreams came true when I got to sing with country star Hunter Hayes on my album.
“I’m just a young girl who took a tiny chance and it paid off.”