Athy singer Makayla making waves with debut solo single ahead of Electric Picnic performance
Athy Singer/Songwriter, Makayla Farrell Photo: Aisling Hyland
ATHY singer-songwriter Makayla Farrell has recently released her first solo single, with the 18-year-old set to take another major step in her musical career when she performs at Electric Picnic.
Makayla released a few weeks back, and the folk-leaning track has already begun finding an audience on TikTok, where listeners have used it in videos inspired by astronauts, space and the film .
“It’s so cool because people are using it in loads of TikToks,” she said.
The song was inspired by NASA’s Artemis II mission and the deeply personal story behind one of its astronauts. Makayla said she was moved by the story of an astronaut who lost his wife during the years of training before the mission, with the crew later naming a crater on the Moon in her honour.
“I wrote the song about how he had the whole universe in front of him, but he thought about her,” she explained.
Makayla began writing the track in May, shortly after the events that inspired it. She first performed the song at an open mic to gauge the reaction before recording it in July with Dublin-based producer Larry Hogan. The song can be listened to on Spotify, Apple Music, and other music streaming platforms.
The recording process has given the young musician valuable experience as she develops her skills as an artist. She has previously recorded an album with the town’s musical collective Made of Athy, and two songs with her band, IF.
Music has been a constant presence in Makayla’s life. She attended stage school from a young age and has always enjoyed singing, but it was joining her secondary school band that convinced her to pursue music seriously.
“I genuinely think if I hadn’t joined the school band, I wouldn’t have gone on to do music,” she said, crediting the support she received from her school.
Growing up in Athy has also played an important role in her musical journey. She said the town has a strong connection to the music industry and that being surrounded by musicians and musical opportunities helped to inspire her ambitions. She gave particular credit to Made of Athy founder Colm Walsh and singer Carmel Day.
Makayla also highlighted the support she received from her school, recalling how teachers encouraged her and her fellow musicians to rehearse and develop their talents.
Having recently completed sixth year and her Leaving Certificate, she is now preparing to study music performance in Carlow. Her ambitions extend beyond performing, with songwriting and music production also being key interests.
“I hope to do it as a career,” she said. “And if not, I’d like to work in the music industry, whether as a manager or something.”
Her musical influences range widely. She cites Zach Bryan and Noah Kahan as inspirations when it comes to songwriting and lyrics, while Stevie Nicks is among the artists who influence her musical style. She told the that Bryan and Kahan would be dream collaborations of hers.
Makayla has also been developing her live performance experience, having previously performed as part of a band before embarking on her solo career.
Now, after releasing her debut solo single, she has another major milestone ahead.
Makayla was recently named one of the winners of the Electric Youth competition, earning her a slot at Electric Picnic. She will perform on the Hazelwood Stage on Sunday at 1pm, with her set expected to feature a mixture of original material and covers. Among the originals will be , alongside , an unreleased song inspired by Ireland’s mother and baby homes.
The Electric Picnic appearance comes at an exciting time for the young artist, who is also involved with as a student representative and is gaining experience within the wider Irish music industry.
For the young artist, the festival performance represents another step towards a career she hopes will combine performing, songwriting and production.
With her debut single gaining traction online, an Electric Picnic performance on the horizon and more original material waiting to be recorded, Makayla shows no signs of slowing down with her career anytime soon!
