INTERVIEW: INTRODUCING MACARTNEY REINHARDT
One of the absolute highlights of Country Calling 2026 was getting to spend some proper time with Macartney Reinhardt, we'd met a couple of years earlier when #TEAMw21 had the pleasure of watching her play a Songwriter's Round in Nashville, Country Calling though was going to be her playing a full set. Having excelled earlier on the Homestead Stage, and performed her Meet & Greet assignments, she settled down backstage to have an extended chat with #TEAMw21.
Country Calling was the primary reason for Macartney's first visit to the UK, however she truly took the UK to heart and ended up travelling to see more than just the wonders that Chelmsford had to offer. Slightly smaller than you might imagine, she is incredibly polite and charming as we dive into all aspects of her career so far.
Her stay coincided with the UK having both an extended heatwave and a solar eclipse which naturally we were quick to take credit for.
Macartney - "It's really nice for me, it feels like Georgia"
#TEAMw21 - You have really travelled the UK on this trip, taking some iconic pictures
Macartney - "Out of all the tourist places we travelled too, Liverpool was my favourite, going to The Cavern club was really surreal, having always heard about it and then finally seeing it. Even though it's not the original, it is built next door.
#TEAMw21 - It seems such a daft question to ask but are you named after Sir Paul?
Macartney - Yes I am, my parents are huge Beatles fans, my Dad's a bassist and he wanted to name me after something musical so he thought Macartney would be good.
#TEAMw21 - We were planning to ask a whole range of background questions, however your post just after Christmas, really brought it home that it is almost a miracle that you are here at all. What was the thinking behind that as it was such an emotional story to tell?
Macartney - When my Mum was twenty three weeks pregnant, she went into premature labour, and she was given steroids to stop the labour. In the end I was born full term however she found I had a birth defect, on my lung that pushed my heart to the other side. She was putting on websites "Please pray for my baby" and globally that was happening. Then the tests started coming back and the lump on my lungs was shrinking, and when I was born I was ok, although I had lung surgery when I was two. I'm thankful to be here.
#TEAMw21 - There's not a lot that we know about Georgia, mainly it is via The First 48, or The Walking Dead, however one thing is for sure, it produces an amazing amount of Americana / Country singers - Is there any reason you can think of for that?
Macartney - I've actually wondered this a lot myself, being from Georgia and seeing the number of artists that have come from there. I think it is the accent, a Georgia accent is different from a Tennessee accent, actually South Georgia is even different from North Georgia. The blues influence also comes into play, Atlanta has a very strong Blues / RnB scene, it leads to a more soulful type of Country.
#TEAMw21 - Today of course you were proceeded by another Georgia act, The Duncan Brothers, and Brian Collins is over as well - It's a Georgia takeover at Country Calling!
Macartney: Yes they told me they were from Georgia too.
#TEAMw21 - It seems a long time ago that we first discovered you, on something called "The Teens Of Georgia" - Although you didn't win on the night, arguably you have probably fared best since. Those opening singles were what reeled us in "Shadows" and "Twilight". There was so much going on in "Shadows" in terms of structure and performance, and "Twilight" was an Elliot Smith song - surely not the sort of person, teenage Macartney would be listening to?
Macartney: Aw Thank you, Actually I've been into Elliott Smith since kindergarten! "From A Basement On The Hill" is one of my Dad's favourite albums, We always had it playing in the car and I would listen to it on the way to school. So I have really always loved that whole album, I was actually listening to it on the way here!
#TEAMw21: At the time there were just these two songs which made you seem all the more enigmatic
Macartney: I think "Twilight" came out a few weeks before my first "Official" single, I'd heard someone do a harp cover of it and thought I'd like to do my own cover, that was my inspiration.
#TEAMw21: It sounds like you have a family that loves music, what would your other influences be?
Macartney: I have a lot of influences, and many of them are more English based, very much Oasis, The Beatles, I love those tones the more English bands get. I do of course like American bands but those are the ones I like most.
#TEAMw21 :Lyrically who would you say?
Macartney: The Beatles obviously, remarkable lyrics, Taylor Swift and probably Adele, she's been a favourite.
#TEAMw21: The reason we ask is that songs of yours like "Two Ships" -
"Found a polaroid picture -
in the back of a bathroom drawer"
It's the tiny details that make it work so well and elevate it, first the alliteration and then the fact that it's at the back of the drawer. It says so much without having to spell it out.
Macartney: Thank you I appreciate that
#TEAMw21: Speaking of singles, one you didn't play today was "Bones" - which is effectively a family history, even down to the detail of having your name on your school.
Macartney: Do you know what, I switched my set list up last minute, I've played it while I've been in the UK, however today I decided I wanted to play an unreleased song in the set. It is a song that says this is who I am. There was a college in my hometown called Reinhardt University, and so I always grew up in that town and saw my name everywhere! - I thought it was normal! That where you lived your name was everywhere!
#TEAMw21: Again it's the lovely details that describe each person are what makes it - Another one you played today that has made a difference to people is "Hey Girl". That you wrote it aged 15 blows our mind, as that is young you, writing the song informing older you to give advice back to younger you!!!
Macartney: laughs - It has made an impact on peoples lives, on mine more than anything, because all I wanted to do was to write that song to help someone. To send out a "You're not alone in this" message. I put it out when I was 16 and it struck a chord on Tik Tok, people found it and said it had really helped them. I was scrolling on there one night and a girl said that it had saved her life.
#TEAMw21: Sometimes when you are in your darkest hour, you need to hear from somebody that things will get better no matter how dark they may seem. Hearing it over the radio waves or via your phone, it gives people a personal relationship with your song.
Macartney: I agree
#TEAMw21: Another favourite of ours is "High Horse" just to hear you say "Giddy up" which seems such an English phrase
Macartney: Laughs, Really - I didn't realise that, that's funny, It's one of my favourites to play
#TEAMw21: we mentioned "Two Ships" earlier, there was so much drama occurring in that song. Even as you played it today there was drama in your guitar playing even. The use of the line
"Death by a thousand paper cuts"
Macartney: Thank you so much
#TEAMw21: "Word Gets Around" is your small town song, I guess everyone has to have one of those but you circumvent the expectation of the genre by the end. When you started it did you know it would have a happy ending? - it avoids it sounding like a hundred similar tunes.
Macartney: I didn't, I came in with an idea, and I worked with my co writers and thought it would be really cool to not make it sad all the way through and so we put a spin on the end.
#TEAMw21: "The Best You're Ever Gonna Get - is a sassy Macartney!! You seem far too polite to be so sassy!
Macartney: I would say, in real life, it can happen especially when I was little - it was sass central!.
I don't normally get like that in my songs, but I thought I probably need one of those songs. I usually prefer more deep heavy topics in my writing.
#TEAMw21 : The thing about your singles is that there is always either a lyrical or musical progression - you never seem to stand still - would that be fair?
Macartney: I guess yes and no - over time just being around better writers has elevated me subconsciously, but also I work around the clock to better hone my skills whether it's vocally or songwriting.
#TEAMw21: Do you write everyday?
Macartney: I'm more a once a week person, but I'll be laying in bed, it'll be 3 in the morning and I'll think I've got to start writing right now - I need my guitar! If something comes to me I get this insane drive, usually in the middle of the night, I live in an apartment so I try to not wake up other people, but it usually comes to me very late in the night at inconvenient times.
#TEAMw21: The move to Nashville from Georgia - you made it sound quite easy?
Macartney: It was I felt fairly easy for me, when I was 13 I moved out of the house that I had always lived in and so I felt as if I had already left home in a way. When I moved to Nashville it was maybe easier than if I had gone from my childhood home straight there, I wasn't leaving so many memories behind.
#TEAMw21: Every time #TEAMw21 go to Nashville, we see the strip with everyone playing their hearts out with no-one listening it always seems so soul destroying. Each year we pick one unknown and as our present back we give them a review out of the blue just to show someone on at least one day was listening as they sung their heart out. You have a very strong work ethic and seem to have stayed away from the strip and are always out playing shows.
Macartney: Aww That's great, that's so neat. I did play on Broadway for a while, I still do sometimes, but I use it just to build up my stage presence, my skills and I try to keep my mindset on my artistic career. I feel I would love to work on my writing more, I love being a songwriter and would love to just be in better rooms with writers and find myself even more through my writing.
#TEAMw21: So far your career has been singles, is there a plan to combine a body of work into an EP?
Macartney: Yes, I've have been wanting to put an EP out, probably next year, I have a few songs written I want to record,
#TEAMw21: How many unreleased future Reinhardt classics could you call on, do you think?
Macartney: I have at least three more that I am super happy with, before I put a song out I really have to be super happy that this is perfect.
#TEAMw21: - You do have an incredibly high quality threshold
Macartney: I'm thinking a 5 song EP, I'm still working it out
#TEAMw21: And would you love to be immortalised on vinyl?
Macartney: I would absolutely love that - it would be so cool
#TEAMw21: You could almost put out you own Greatest Hits or The Reinhardt Collection now
Macartney: Laughs - Why Thank you
#TEAMw21: What have you discovered as you have travelled around the country? I imagine the 45 Vinyl in York was very good - it has a great reputation.
Macartney: It was great, we got a great reaction, supportive crowds, this festival has undoubtedly been my favourite along with 45 Vinyl where we were sold out. I have really enjoyed just getting to travel,
#TEAMw21: I guess everything seems so near to you?
Macartney - Laughs and exclaims It does!! - we have driven 1500 miles while we have been here. Something I like about the UK is that I am a picky eater, and so I like that everything is pretty plain and not as spicy as it is in the US.
#TEAMw21: We first saw you in a Songwriters round, obviously today was a 9 or 10 song set - is that something you get to do often?
Macartney: This UK tour has been great because I have gotten to play more original songs than I am usually able to. In Nashville it's mainly 3 or 4 at a Round and you are done.
#TEAMw21: That night we saw you should go down in Nashville history, three artists from that one night have been invited to play in the UK on the strength of that night alone. We knew the moment we saw you, that we would be bringing you to the UK.
Macartney: I appreciate that so much thank you, it's been an amazing time. I'd love to come back with my band, I've found a really good group of people about a year ago, and that's been invaluable to me to have a consistency. They bring my songs to life, I love playing acoustic, but hearing the songs live with a band is special.
#TEAMw21: A thing that struck us on the night was that you just turned up on your own, sporting the coat that would appear on one your single sleeves, took your seat and was more or less ready to go. There was no entourage, no assistant, just you - is that what normally happens?
Macartney: That's how it tends to go, I usually just come with my guitar, plug in and do my three or four songs and go on my way - laughs!!
#TEAMw21: Does it take the pressure off you having to provide the guitar work when you have the band?
Macartney: It does sometimes, but when I play solo there's nothing else to think about just me. With the band I can move about on stage a lot.
#TEAMw21: Those who took their places early today got a snippet of "Jolene", I guess you have to have a number of covers at your disposal when not playing to your fans?
Macartney: I do "Jolene" as you saw, "Dreams" from Fleetwood Mac, I love that song, I do "Something In The Orange" by Zach Bryan, Maren Morris's "My Church" and I usually do a couple of Miranda Lambert or Lainey Wilson songs, my favourite Lainey song is "Out of Oklahoma"
#TEAMw21: Do you have a plan for the next year - other than the EP?
Macartney: I would definitely say tour around the world more, I have loved this so much, I would love to cover the places in America that I haven't yet. Really just keep building.
#TEAMw21: One last thing, the fans you've made this trip will almost certainly come and see you when you return. they are incredibly loyal,
Macartney: I certainly feel like that - a lot of people have been asking when are you coming back? People have been so kind, so supportive and I can't wait for the next time.
By now, having seen the interest that #TEAMw21 were paying to Macartney, a host of other outlets had a sudden urge to interview her and were vying for her attention.
It was not to be the "End of the road" for the Reinhardt hire car as there was a full agenda of sightseeing to perform before returning Stateside. Occasionally interviews can be a chore if the interviewee is not willing to stray from the prepared line, or if they are off the back of answering the same questions repeatedly, there were no such problems with Macartney who was highly engaging, and excellent company. Her determination to her songwriting craft and the will to want to continually improve were the things that most definitely stood out from our conversation. Still ridiculously young for someone who has already made so many excellent singles, with a little luck the sky is the limit as to how far she can progress. With her strong work ethic, and high quality threshold regarding releases bearing her name, this first visit to the UK could be the start of something extraordinary. We wish Macartney the best of luck and look forward to her return.
Link to Macartney's Birth Story In Her Own Words
Macartney Reinhardt's latest single "End Of The Road is available now
