Game On!
Minnesota native Alannah McCready grew up with hockey skates on her feet and country music flowing from her soul. With a passion for both to this day, Alannah has taken what she has learned on and off the ice and applied it to her career as a country artist. Last month, she released “Something Like That” – her debut and lead single off her upcoming EP that centers on emotions and healing, something everyone can relate lately.
We caught up with Alannah to talk about hockey, how her experience in Sports PR assists in her career as a country artist, her new single and more.
CN: For our readers who may not be familiar with you, can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
AM: Hi! I’m Alannah McCready! I am a Nashville-based singer-songwriter, but I grew up in Blaine, Minnesota. My mom is from Oklahoma and is the main reason I grew up loving country music so much. I used to listen to the powerful women of country music with her as a kid. I went to college at the University of Wisconsin- Madison where I was a member of the NCAA Champion Women’s Ice Hockey Team. After college, I was living in NYC doing PR for a sports management company when I finally got the opportunity to do music full-time. I quit my job and moved to the south and have been a professional country singer-songwriter since 2012. Country music has always been my passion, I just love the way country songs allow you to connect with your listener and each song takes you somewhere emotionally.
CN: With everything that’s going on in the world in regards to COVID-19, we hope everyone in your circle is safe and healthy. How are you holding up?
AM: Thankfully, my family and I are healthy which is the most important thing! Like everyone in our industry, the pandemic greatly affected my career. Going from touring and playing shows regularly to not at all was quite a shock for all of us. It took a little while to figure out how to transfer that energy, and I found that getting back in the studio was the answer for me! During the pandemic, I created a new EP that I am very excited to share this year. I was able to safely do in-studio writing sessions and I also used Zoom which was a very helpful tool!
CN: Growing up in Minnesota you played ice hockey which earned you a full athletic scholarship at University of Wisconsin –Madison. What position did you play?
AM: I played goalie! I still like to play in rec leagues when I can especially now that I am in Nashville. I think there will be many more opportunities to play here than there were in Atlanta!
CN: Being a hockey fan myself, I have to ask – are you a Minnesota Wild fan? Do you miss the North Stars? Share any love for Dallas?
AM: I am! Go Wild! My family has had a tradition of going to MN NHL hockey games ever since I was young and we still had the North Stars! Now we cheer on the Wild with pride! I am a major Wild fan as well as a fan of all the amazing goaltenders of the NHL, no matter the team.
CN: After college you worked for a Public Relations firm NYC for a sports management company. What was that experience like?
AM: It was amazing! NYC is an amazing place to live especially in your early twenties right out of college. My company handled the day-to-day lives of NFL players, so it was fun to be in a completely different industry than hockey for a few years.
CN: What did you learn from working in sports PR that you were able to apply to your career as a musician?
AM: I learned a ton during those years and I think a lot of it I have been able to apply to my career as an independent artist now. I think it has been helpful to know how to promote myself, how to follow social media trends, and what to expect from interviewers.
CN: When did you realize that you wanted to pursue music as a career?
AM: I think I’ve always known this is what I wanted to do with my life. Even from a young age, I would draw pictures for my parents of me singing in front of people and write “I am happy when I ng.” As I got older, it was just a gut feeling. I am obsessed with music and how it makes people feel and I consider myself lucky that I get to be a part of this industry. While I was living in NYC, I had an opportunity to come to Nashville and record a few songs, and from that point forward, there was no looking back.
CN: Which artists have influenced you both personally and as an artist?
AM: Maren Morris – Her songwriting makes me want to be the best writer I can possibly be.
Trisha Yearwood – “She’s in Love With The Boy” was my favorite song growing up and my mom and I used to sing it every time we were in the car together. It reminds me of home and why I fell in love with country music at such a young age.
Christina Aguilera – I taught myself how to do vocal runs by listening to her music for a large part of my childhood. I used to mimic her and try to repeat it later to see if I could match her voice from memory.
Shania Twain – She is the first female country artist who made it “okay” to be different and flirty as a country artist!
CN: Coming from a background of playing ice hockey, a male-dominated sport (even though women are coming into their own – the first Professional Women’s game was just played at Madison Square Garden!) do you sense a similarity in the same kind of fight for representation of women in country music? Has your career as a hockey player prepared you for this?
AM: Yes! I saw that! I have a few teammates from Wisconsin that are currently in the professional women’s league! I love how far women’s hockey has come over the last 20 years or so. When I was a kid, there were no all-girl teams for us to play on, so I played on the boys’ teams until I was about 13. Then, as a 13-year-old, I started playing with the 18-year-old girls to try and improve as fast as I could before reaching high school. I think the evolution of women in hockey is very similar to that of women in country music. We have the powerful women I grew up listening to like Trisha, Martina, Faith, Dolly, Reba, and so many others and then I think we ended up in a male-dominated genre for many years. It has only been recently, in my opinion, that powerful female country artists are making a “come back” if you will and truly being recognized. There are so many talented women in country music, and I’ve noticed how our voice is growing more every day and being heard in our industry! We love to see it!
I definitely think my career as a hockey player has prepared me for this. As a young girl playing on teams with all boys, I had to work that much harder to make the teams and to be taken seriously in a male-dominated sport. That mentality has never left me. I try to not only apply this to my music career, but in every aspect of my life! If you want to make the team or have your music be heard, no one is going to do the work to make that happen except for you!
CN: While working at the PR firm, you began writing again. Was there a specific event that brought inspiration to write?
AM: Like most people, I have been through many relationships in my life and I have learned many lessons as a result. I would say 99 percent of my songwriting material comes from my personal relationships. The songs on my first album were inspired by a couple of relationships I had during the years I was in NYC.
CN: Can you take us through your songwriting process?
AM: As far as actual song creation, I don’t play an instrument, so I usually start with the lyrics first. If I am doing a co-write, then we would most likely start with an acoustic guitar melody and then write the lyrics from there.
CN: You just released your debut single “Something Like That,” which you co-wrote with Will Gittens. This song is very emotional and hopeful for those who are moving on from a lost love. What was the inspiration behind the track?
AM: When Will and I sat down to write this song, we knew we wanted it to be simple yet relatable. With this song, we were really looking to write about what a lot of people think but might not say. We wanted to get down to the parts of what a true and honest relationship would consist of because, at the end of the day, that’s what we should all strive to find. I feel like when getting into relationships or talking about them, a lot of us have these detailed answers of all these specific things we want out of a relationship and sometimes they get to be outrageous or nitpicky. Over the years and many failed relationships, I have learned that what we really need most are the simple things. Life is too short and at this point, I am only interested in someone who can be honest with me, spend time with me, and treat me well…or something like that! I knew having Will and Sterling on this project would bring it to another level because of their talent, but also because of the fact that they know me so well. I knew my music was in the right hands!
CN: If you could collaborate with any one artist, who would it be?
AM: Wow, I have a long list! But if I had to pick one right now, it would be Carly Pearce!
CN: What was the first concert you ever attended?
AM: I am proud to say Backstreet Boys and I am still a fan today!
CN: If you could describe yourself in one word, what would it be and why?
AM: Real. I try to stay very present and true to myself no matter the situation I am in. I feel like in today’s society, because of social media, there are a lot of unrealistic expectations of personality and beauty. I am nowhere near perfect but I want to encourage myself and others to instead be the best version of themselves. Over the years, I have tried to stay honest whether it be in-person or on social media and especially in my music. As an artist and as a person, I strive to be relatable because I know that the struggles I go through in life are not just unique to me. If I am going through something, then other people might be going through it too.
CN: What’s next on the horizon for you? Where can fans catch you – either in person or online?
AM: I am very much looking forward to the rest of 2021! “Something Like That” is the first single I released off of my new project and I am hoping to release another single as well as an entire EP later this year! Now that I am living in Nashville, I will be starting to play live again when it’s safe to do so and I am very excited about that! Everyone can keep up with my music and my upcoming shows by checking out my Instagram and Facebook (@alannahmccreadymusic) and my website (alannahmccready.com)!