“I keep myself up at night just thinking about shite basically, it's ingrained in me - I just want it to be good for everybody involved”. Being a worrier hasn’t stopped Amy Macdonald from making good decisions. And writing good songs. We unearth the secrets of how she stays grounded. And then there is that voice…

Season 12, episode 4: Amy MacDonald is Staying True in a Fickle Business

Singer-songwriter Amy MacDonald has never been one to chase trends - an impressive show of resistance for an artist whose music journey began with teenage stardom (the streaming monster hit “This Is The Life” was all over the radio when she was just 19). Macdonald could be forgiven for trying to stay in the spotlight, but she was never that bothered about industry fuss in the first place, protected as she is by a finely tuned bullshit detector, a birthright for anyone born in the vicinity of Glasgow.  

That said, as her career has developed (she is now on her sixth album), Macdonald admits to worrying more…about mostly everything. New album Is This What You’ve Been Waiting For? is a cheeky dig at years of being asked when new music was coming, yet it comes with a certain anxiety about how it will go down, about how the world sees her now. “I keep myself up at night just thinking about shite basically, it's ingrained in me - I just want it to be good for everybody involved”. Staying grounded matters to Macdonald. When asked what she’s most proud of, her answer is modest but telling: “That I’m still doing this. There were so many times I thought I was going to sack it all in. But here I am, album six, and people still seem to be interested.”

It's easy to forget how much responsibility falls on the shoulders of solo musicians. It’s as if the strength of her songwriting might not be enough. It is. 

A standout track from the album, “I’m Done”, channels frustration at industry opportunists. “This business makes it easy to spot bullshitters,” she says. “It’s down to the Glaswegian in me. I’m a little standoffish, and it takes a lot for me to trust people.” My favourite, “Can You Hear Me”, started life as a pitch for Blondie, complete with disco beat and disco guitar riff. Inspired by her experience performing at Glasgow’s Trnsmt Festival in front of a young crowd, she was struck by the resilience and energy of a generation bombarded with a constant flow of grim news. She was so inspired by that Trnsmt experience that she went back, appearing again this year as the surprise guest. 

She may have become a worrier, but Macdonald has made her fair share of good and brave decisions. Before she got her break, she once snuck into the ivory towers of Universal Music UK with an acoustic guitar, made her way up to the executive suite and played Lucian Grainge a few songs. I bet that doesn’t happen too often these days and not then either. The worrying doesn’t stop Macdonald having solid judgement, from sticking to her guns on core material, to ‘promoting’ her once guitar tech to the position of now being her manager, even though he had no previous experience. Knowing someone has your back in the music business is hugely valuable and Amy Macdonald wasn't going to miss a trick like that. Perhaps this is why Fiona Shepherd, writing in The Scotsman, said that: “Amy Macdonald has always come across as an old head on young shoulders … she truly has come of age as a songwriter … using that unmistakable voice.”

Ah yes, that voice, one known as a “signature voice” in music business terms, Macdonald speaks nothing like she sings. The singer of her songs sounds deeper, huskier, possibly more rock & roll in fact. The secret to her longevity? “Don’t take yourself too seriously, go with your gut, and surround yourself with decent people.”

In a fickle industry, Amy Macdonald has found staying power by being exactly who she is.

Is This What You’ve Been Waiting For? is out now and Amy tours extensively from summer 2025.