It’s a tough business & you have to stand up for yourself...i’ve a thick skin
Country singer tells of plans for her wedding and launch of new podcast
EXCLUSIVE COUNTRY singer Lisa Mchugh has told how lockdown gave her the time to prepare for her wedding and launch a podcast as well.
Lisa, 32, told the Irish Sunday Mirror how she is “really excited” to marry fiance Nathan next year.
She added: “Myself and Nathan only got engaged in July this year, it’s been a tough year in so many ways.
“But it’s been a really exciting year personally, being able to have time to work on organising my dream wedding, because normally I wouldn’t have had the time if I was on tour, so in one way it worked out really well.
“I had time to do it all myself, which is really exciting.”
But Lisa is keeping tight-lipped on her big location.
She added: “It will be in Ireland, but as to exactly where it’s going to be, we’re keeping that to ourselves for now.
“I’ve been living in Ireland for 11 years now, my partner Nathan is from here too and my family love a good Irish wedding, so it gives them an excuse to come over too.”
I’m definitely not involved with Nathan Carter. I’m getting married to another Nathan LISA MCHUGH ON HER ENGAGEMENT
TIRESOME
Country singer Nathan Carter and Lisa have been good friends for years but the performer admits being romantically linked to him becomes tiresome.
She said: “That story never seems to disappear no matter how many times we say we’re only friends, it’s like a headline that continues to raise its head.
“But no, I’m definitely not involved with Nathan Carter, I’m getting married to another Nathan.”
Lisa said she feels Irish in every way except the place of her birth.
She added: “My mam is originally from Donegal and my dad is from Tyrone, so even though I was born and raised in Glasgow, we still grew up in an Irish house.”
Leaving her traditional country sound behind has been “a leap of faith” as she took a year out to write her own music.
She said: “Over the last couple of years, I’ve taken a deliberate change in my music.
“It’s more an American country pop style and feel to what I would have sung over the years gone by.
“This year we were supposed to have a huge year touring the music at big festivals, so it swiped the carpet from under us with regards for getting everything we had to do this year done.
“Everyone’s career has ground to halt, but I can’t complain – I’m healthy.”
As to why country music gets a bad rap here in Ireland, she said: “Not everyone is going to like the same genre, you look at Irish country and for some reason it has a bad reputation. I’m not
SHE SAID YES After proposal really sure why but some people don’t take it that seriously, it’s just not their cup of tea and they’re not shy about airing their opinion.”
She added: “To be honest this year has drawn everything to a halt.
“And most people know in the music industry live touring is where we make most of our income, not just the lead artists, it’s the musicians and the crew and the stage production crew and the sound engineers and it feeds a lot of bellies.
“It provides a mortgage for so many people; to have that completely stopped was so difficult for so many people.
“As I was off last year I was really
looking forward to getting back on tour, it was tough, I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t.
And Lisa revealed she is not a lover of mad nights out.
She said: “Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy having the craic with friends and a singsong and a few drinks.
“But I wouldn’t say I’m a mad party animal, I don’t go out every weekend, I can’t deal with the hangovers any more.”
Lisa’s star is on the rise but Covid put a dampener on things.
She explained: “It was the first year I was going to play Electric Picnic. I was supposed to support Tom Jones too and I was set to perform at Kaleidoscope.
“There were a lot of exciting opportunities we had lined up this year and probably some of the biggest of my career, so it was a tough pill to swallow that it wasn’t going to happen.
“Tom had listened to some of my music, so it was a case that he had listened to some of my music and to support him at one of his shows in Dublin would have been incredible.”
Lockdown also gave her the chance to create The Lisa Mchugh Podcast.
In series one, Lisa is joined by some favourites in music and the public eye as she delves into their stories. Lisa said: “I produced and presented it myself, I’ve had special guests Derek Ryan and Thalia Heffernan on the Christmas Day episode, it’s so exciting.”
But she admits her career has not been easy.
Lisa added: “I’d be lying if I said it was plain sailing to be fair, it’s been far from it, there are plenty of ups and downs.
“You get so close to achieving that amazing opportunity and then it’s swiped from you at the last hurdle.
“Over the years, I’ve learnt to grow a thick skin, I don’t get excited anymore until I’m standing on the stage doing the sound check. It’s a tough business; you have to be headstrong and determined and you need to stand up for yourself.
“There are certainly times where I got so far and I was running myself into the ground quite a few times.
“From what I’m doing now to what I was doing was really tough, I felt like I wasn’t challenging myself enough.
“Certainly, times over the years I was that stressed and worked into the ground that I felt I couldn’t do it anymore.”
Lisa’s profile is also growing Stateside too. She added: “I’ve been to Nashvillle a good few times over the last few years and song- writing with writers over there, I love everything about it.
“I got to perform at the Grand Ole Opry, the CMA Fest. It’s somewhere that’s been fantastic for me over the years.
“I’d love nothing more to see Lisa Mchugh, Female New artist of the year at the CMA Awards, it would be a dream come true.”