Meg Mac | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | Megan McInerney[1] 1990[1] Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
| Genres | |
| Occupation | Musician |
| Instruments | Vocals, keyboards |
| Years active | 2013–present |
| Labels | littleBIGMAN/Inertia, 300 Entertainment, EMI Music Australia |
| Website | megmac |
Megan McInerney (born 1990), known by her stage name Meg Mac, is an Australian singer-songwriter and musician. She signed to littleBIGMAN Records in 2014, locally, and 300 Entertainment in the United States.
Early life and education
Megan McInerney[2] was born in Sydney, New South Wales, in 1990.[1] Her father Gary was a pilot, while her mother Gladys worked in the clothing industry. Megan is the middle child of five (three sisters and one brother).[1]
She went to school at the McDonald Performing Arts College in Sydney.[3]
She began a degree in digital media but soon quit this after she moved to Perth, Western Australia, to study music at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts. After completing her degree, she recorded "Known Better" and submitted it to Triple J Unearthed. After deciding to move to Melbourne, Victoria, she headed east on a road trip with a carload of friends. As they were approaching Melbourne, she discovered that Triple J, a national radio station, was planning to play her song that evening.[4]
Musical career
2013–2017: Career beginnings and Low Blows
The initial exposure to Triple J catapulted Mac's musical career. She was the Unearthed Featured Artist of the Week in 2013[5] and Unearthed Artist of the Year in 2014.[6]
In July 2014, Mac announced her first national headline tour to promote her debut extended play, MegMac, which was issued on 12 September that year on littleBIGMAN Records.[7] On Triple J, the national youth radio station, she was announced as their "Unearthed Artist of 2014",[8] while Marie Claire Australia chose her as an "Artist to Watch" for 2015[9] and she received a nomination for Rolling Stone Australia's "Best New Talent" Award.[10]
She was reviewed by The New York Times, BuzzFeed,[11] and Daytrotter. Mac toured supporting Clean Bandit.[12]
On 15 August 2015, Mac achieved her first top 50 chart appearance with "Never Be", which entered the ARIA Singles Chart at No. 39.[13] It out-peaked her first top 100 single, "Roll Up Your Sleeves", which had reached No. 80 in August 2014.[13][14] At the ARIA Music Awards of 2015 she was nominated for Best Female Artist for MEGMAC and Breakthrough Artist for "Never Be".[15] On 26 January 2016, "Never Be" made it to No.11 on the Triple J Hottest 100.
Mac's debut album Low Blows was released on 14 July 2017,[16] and entered the ARIA Chart at No.2
2018–2021: Hope
In October 2018, Mac released the single "Give Me My Name Back" which she told Billboard "is a song for those who have suffered emotional and physical abuse; it's for the women who are standing up and speaking out, those discriminated against in the LGBTQI community, the indigenous people of Australia and the children abused by the church. For everyone who has lost an important part of themselves and needs to reclaim their identity, dignity, and self-worth to move forward with their lives."[17] Her second studio album was announced on 12 April 2019 under the title Hope.[18]
In 2018, Mac collaborated with Dan Sultan on Killer Under a Blood Moon, produced and recorded by Jan Skubiszewski.[19] The album was nominated for two ARIA awards[20] and debuted at number 5 on the ARIA Albums Chart.
2022–2024: Matter of Time
.jpg)
In March 2022, Mac released "Is It Worth Being Sad", with Mac saying: "I was running away from my troubles. I was living in peace finally and thought I'd figured it all out, and it was all smooth sailing ahead. It was the start of sorting out my life. This song was like my first step—I didn't know it then, though."[21] This was followed by "On My Mind" on 30 March 2022 and an Australian tour announcement, commencing in May.[22] In July 2022, Mac announced her third studio album Matter of Time, which was released on 16 September 2022.[23] The album was proceeded by the singles "Is It Worth Being Sad", "On Your Mind", "Only Love", "Letter"[24] and "Understand".[25][26] The album debuted at number 1 on the ARIA Charts.
On 29 November 2022, Mac released a five-track live EP titled Live At Golden Retriever.[27]
On Saturday 16 November 2024, she performed at the After Race Concert of the Adelaide 500 motor racing event in Adelaide, South Australia, alongside Crowded House and local hip hop artist J-MILLA.[28][29]
2025: It's My Party
In July 2025, Mac released "He Said No", the lead single for her fourth studio album, It's My Party.[30]
Discography
- Low Blows (2017)
- Hope (2019)
- Matter of Time (2022)
- It's My Party (2026)
Tours
- Headlining Australian Tour (2014)[7]
- Low Blows Australian Tour (2017)[citation needed]
- Give Me My Name Back Tour (2018–2019)[31]
- On My Mind Tour (2022)[22]
- It's My Party Tour (2026)[32]
Awards and nominations
AIR Awards
The Australian Independent Record Awards (commonly known informally as AIR Awards) is an annual awards night to recognise, promote and celebrate the success of Australia's Independent Music sector.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014[33] | herself | Breakthrough Independent Artist | Nominated |
ARIA Music Awards
The ARIA Music Awards is an annual award ceremony event celebrating the Australian music industry.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Matter of Time | Best Solo Artist | Nominated | [34] |
J Awards
The J Awards is an annual series of Australian music awards that were established by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's youth-focused radio station Triple J. They commenced in 2005.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | herself | Unearthed Artist of the Year | Won | [35] |
| 2017 | Low Blows | Australian Album of the Year | Nominated | [36] |
| 2022 | Matter of Time | Australian Album of the Year | Nominated | [37] |
MTV Europe Music Awards
The MTV Europe Music Awards is an award presented by Viacom International Media Networks to honour artists and music in pop culture.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017[38] | herself | Best Australian Act | Nominated |
Music Victoria Awards
The Music Victoria Awards is an annual awards night celebrating Victorian music. They commenced in 2006.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Meg Mac | Best Female Artist | Nominated | [39][40] |
National Live Music Awards
The National Live Music Awards (NLMAs) is a broad recognition of Australia's diverse live industry, celebrating the success of the Australian live scene. The awards commenced in 2016.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016[41] | herself | International Live Achievement (Solo) | Nominated |
| 2017[42][43] | herself | Live Voice of the Year | Nominated |
| 2019[44][45] | herself | International Live Achievement (Solo) | Nominated |
Vanda & Young Global Songwriting Competition
The Vanda & Young Global Songwriting Competition is an annual competition that "acknowledges great songwriting whilst supporting and raising money for Nordoff-Robbins" and is coordinated by Albert Music and APRA AMCOS. It commenced in 2009.[46]
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | "Roll Up Your Sleeves" | Vanda & Young Global Songwriting Competition | 2nd |
References
- ^ a b c d "The Rise and Rise of Meg Mac". Rolling Stone Australia. July 2017. Retrieved 30 November 2025.
- ^ Mac, Mag (4 April 2015). "Roll Up Your Sleeves, America: MEG MAC Has Landed". VICE (Interview). Interviewed by Kaplan, Ilana. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
- ^ "Meg Mac Alumni". The McDonald college. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
- ^ Yates, Rod. "The Rise and Rise of Meg Mac". Rolling Stone Australia. Archived from the original on 24 December 2017. Retrieved 23 December 2017.
- ^ "triple j Unearthed". Facebook. Triple J. Retrieved 23 December 2017.
- ^ "Meg Mac wins Unearthed Artist of the year". Triple J. Retrieved 23 December 2017.
- ^ a b Moskovitch, Greg (16 July 2014). "Meg Mac Announces Debut EP, National Tour". Music Feeds. Retrieved 15 December 2015.
- ^ "Unearthed Artist of 2014". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 11 January 2014.
- ^ "Marie Claire Australia". 20 March 2015.
- ^ "Rolling Stones Australia". 20 March 2015.
- ^ "Buzzfeed". BuzzFeed. 16 March 2015.
- ^ "Clean Bandit".
- ^ a b Ryan, Gavin (15 August 2015). "ARIA Singles: Delta Goodrem 'Wings' Tops Australian Chart". Noise11. Retrieved 15 August 2015.
- ^ "The ARIA Report" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). 8 September 2014. pp. 4, 21. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 September 2014. Retrieved 15 December 2015.
- ^ ARIA Music Awards for Meg Mac:
- Search Results 'Meg Mac': "Search Results for 'Meg Mac'". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Retrieved 15 December 2015.
- 2015 nominations: Baroni, Nastassia (7 October 2015). "Courtney Barnett, Hermitude, Tame Impala Lead 2015 ARIA Award Nominations". musicfeeds.com.au. Archived from the original on 7 October 2015. Retrieved 15 December 2015.
- 2015 winners: "And the ARIA Awards Goes to..." Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). 27 November 2015. Retrieved 15 December 2015.
- ^ "Meg Mac Announces Debut Album Release Date, Chucks In A Tour For Good Measure". Music Feeds. 26 April 2017. Retrieved 3 June 2017.
- ^ Lukarcanin, Emina (11 October 2018). "Meg Mac Wants Her 'Name Back' in Powerful New Video: Exclusive". Billboard. Retrieved 29 October 2018.
- ^ "First Spin: Meg Mac shares 'I'm Not Coming Back', announces new mini-album". ABC. 12 April 2019. Retrieved 12 April 2019.
- ^ Hartshorn, Tori. "Dan Sultan Announces Collaborative EP KILLER UNDER A BLOOD MOON + DROVER Feat. Dave Le'aupepe, Out Today". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 18 April 2024.
- ^ "The Best Of The Best Celebrated In This Year's ARIA Nominations". Hit Network. Retrieved 18 April 2024.
- ^ "New Noise Meg Mac". Wonderland Magazine. 2 March 2022. Retrieved 5 March 2022.
- ^ a b "Meg Mac shares smoky new single "On Your Mind" alongside live video, national tour dates". NME. 30 March 2022. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
- ^ "Meg Mac Has Something New for You". noise11. 6 July 2022. Retrieved 6 July 2022.
- ^ "Meg Mac announces new album Matter Of Time and shares new single". NME. 6 July 2022. Retrieved 6 July 2022.
- ^ "Meg Mac Has a New Song 'Understand'". noise11. 25 August 2022. Retrieved 27 August 2022.
- ^ "Meg Mac shares powerful new single "understand"". amnplify. 26 August 2022. Retrieved 27 August 2022.
- ^ "Meg Mac shares 'Live At Golden Retriever' EP, adds new shows to 'Matter of Time' Australian tour". NME. 29 November 2022. Retrieved 1 December 2022.
- ^ Oates, Tayla (8 October 2024). "MusicSA Acts gear up for an unforgettable VAILO Adelaide 500 after-race concert". Glam Adelaide. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
- ^ Dare, Laura (4 October 2024). "Burning rubber, breaking beats: J-MILLA drives hip-hop to new heights at VAILO Adelaide 500". The Post. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
- ^ "Meg Mac Announces New Album It's My Party, Shares "He Said No"". Music Feeds. 17 July 2025. Retrieved 18 July 2025.
- ^ "Meg Mac review: World-class diva headed for single-name stardom". Sydney Morning Herald. 8 April 2019. Retrieved 12 April 2019.
- ^ "Meg Mac Announces New Album and 2026 Tour". Rolling Stone Australia. 19 January 2026. Retrieved 24 January 2026.
- ^ "CARLTON DRY AIR AWARDS 2014 NOMINEES ANNOUNCED". speaker tv. September 2014. Archived from the original on 11 September 2014. Retrieved 20 August 2020.
- ^ "Nominees Announced for 2023 ARIA Awards". Music Feeds. 21 September 2023. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
- ^ "The J Award 2014". Triple J. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 2014. Retrieved 15 August 2020.
- ^ "The J Award 2017". Triple J. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 2017. Retrieved 15 August 2020.
- ^ "Here's all the J Awards 2022 nominees!". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 1 November 2022. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
- ^ "MTV EMAs 2017: Rita Ora sported a dressing gown on the red carpet in London". news.com.au. 13 November 2017. Retrieved 9 October 2020.
- ^ "Previous Nominess". Music Victoria. Archived from the original on 19 September 2020. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
- ^ "Previous Winners". Music Victoria. Archived from the original on 31 July 2019. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
- ^ "Nominees 2016". NLMA. 2016. Retrieved 5 September 2020.
- ^ "NLMA reveal 2017 Nominees". NLMA. 9 October 2017. Retrieved 5 September 2020.
- ^ "Winners 2017". NLMA. December 2016. Retrieved 5 September 2020.
- ^ "HERE ARE YOUR 2019 NATIONAL LIVE MUSIC AWARDS NOMINEES!". NLMA. 22 October 2020. Retrieved 5 September 2020.
- ^ "AND THE WINNERS OF THE 2019 NATIONAL LIVE MUSIC AWARDS ARE…". NLMA. 5 December 2020. Retrieved 5 September 2020.
- ^ "About the Vanda Young Global Song Writing Competition". APRA AMCOS. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
External links
| International | |
|---|---|
| Artists | |
