Single mum of two and busker Julia McInally, 41, lives in Meersbrook, Sheffield. And thanks to internet strangers, she’s making her first album.
155 people funded her first album, Flying Solo, on Kickstarter in April and she’s been hard at work writing songs for it.
“I’ve probably got too many songs so I’ve got to cut it down. I’ve written probably 12 songs in the last month, but I’ve also got old favourite songs that people love from gigs that I’ve never recorded."
Julia has been a musician since she was 8, singing in her mother’s folk club in front of an audience. But after getting married at 19 to a solider, she went with him around the world and didn't have much time to perform. “I’d always sing a bit; I’d get up at open mic nights and things like that.”
But it wasn’t until six years ago that she got her first break; while performing at an open mic night she got an offer of a £100 gig at a pub. “From then I’ve constantly been gigging.”
“I put on Facebook “I’m about to do something really scary, who dares me?”
When she decided to launch the project on Kickstarter, she was terrified. “I put on Facebook “I’m about to do something really scary, who dares me?”, and everyone said “Go on, go on, I dare you.” Within 24 hours she had received over £1000 in pledges.
The final donor was someone Julia had never met. “It was a guy who had heard me on the radio. One of the pledges on the crowdfunding was if you pledge £100 you could have your own song for you or about you or about somebody that you love. He though the song idea was great for his wife, which was lovely.”
Julia’s decision to make an album now comes from heartbreak. “I broke up with my parter, who was also my musical partner, and its funny because he was the more musical one, but it kinda stopped me being musical.” She was so sad that she just wrote loads of songs about it.
“I shared them and lots of people gave great responses and said “When’s the album ready?” and I just thought “You know what, I am gonna make an album.”
It’s not surprising, then, that the album’s main focus is heartbreak. “The songs are pretty sad, really. I think that’s why people get them, because they’re quite honest.”
On a more positive note, her two children, Iona and Fraser, are incredibly proud of their mum. “They are so chuffed. Every day when I was doing it they’d come to me and say “Mummy, what’s your target now?” I think they think I’m a bit of a celebrity now.”
Julia can be found @JuliaMcInally on Twitter, and here on Facebook. Check out her Soundcloud for more of her music, and go here to see when she's playing live next.