For many familiar with Mackay wunderkind Bella Mackenzie, their familiarity stems from her appearance on last year's season of 'The Voice Australia' – on which she ranked as a semi-finalist on Guy Sebastian's team.
Given she appeared on the show less than a year after graduating high school, it might be assumed this experience was her first major one as a performer.However, the teenage singer-songwriter explains that while 'The Voice' was certainly her high-profile breakthrough, it was not her first rodeo. "I've been performing in pubs since I was about 12 years old," she explains, smiling through a Zoom window in her bedroom on her family cattle farm in Rockhampton.
"Restaurants, too. Just about anywhere that would let me play. I'd be in the pub my family owns most weekends, entertaining these huge drunk crowds with country songs.
"I learned early on how to people-read and to go with the crowd, picking up on the flow of energy. That actually helped me a lot on 'The Voice' – when I'd be going into a performance I'd be thinking, 'forget the cameras, forget everything else, focus on the people here in the room right now'.
"The whole experience really helped me to grow as a performer, and I've gained lots more confidence too."
So, with the cameras off and her graduation ceremony complete, what's next for Bella Mackenzie? 2024 has seen her hard at work on what is to become her debut EP, with extensive sessions in the room with a heavyweight array of songwriters.
When asked what listeners can expect, Mackenzie pulls out the proverbial vision board and explains what she had in mind. "I think it's a very empowering collection of songs," she says. "It's sassy and fun, but also vulnerable. There's ballads, but there's also plenty of girl-boss country-rock."
As a prime example of the latter, look to lead single 'Cowboy'. The song was written during a trip to the big smoke of Sydney, with a unique combo of cowriters: Longtime producer Penrose Chew Lee, Brad Cox co-writer Ryan Miller and her older brother Mitchell Fenlon, who produces EDM under the moniker of Xenosis. "The brief was strong, rocking country," she says of 'Cowboy'.
"I knew I wanted to make it the most country song I'd made on the entire trip. By that point I'd been there for a week, and every day I was with different people.
"The songs were great, but I just felt like they weren't really 'me'. But a song about a girl flipping the script and becoming the cowboy? Now it's me!"
The song's music video was filmed on the family farm property – where even Mackenzie's parents got involved in some makeshift video magic. "We were supposed to have a smoke machine, but we ended up not being able to get one," Mackenzie explains.
"So, we decided to improvise. Mum pushed dirt and dust at me with a big broom, while dad was on the leafblower. It was very funny to pull off, but it actually ended up looking so sick as the final shot of the video."
Up next for Mackenzie is the EP's second single, 'Wasted', released today. Showcasing her more sensitive side, it's a duet with up-and-coming American country artist Lecade – who came into Mackenzie's orbit after she shared a video of her covering his song 'Glass'.
"My producer Jacky [McCormack] and I had already written the song to be performed as a collab," Mackenzie says. "We just didn't know who it was going to be. After he responded to my cover, it was absolutely perfect – he was the exact right person for it. He ended up loving the song, too!"
Bella Mackenzie has BIGSOUND showcases (Brisbane) at Black Bear Lodge 3 September and JBL Live Stage 5 September. Bella's debut EP 'Wild Thing' is released 22 November. Bella also has festival appearances at Boots, Buckles & Beers Country Music Festival (Echuca) 31 August, Ridin' Hearts Festival (Sydney) 2 November and Ridin' Hearts Festival (Melbourne) 3 November.
