Spotlight on Catherine McGrath

Catherine McGrath is one of the true rising stars on the country music scene – so much so that we have devoted an entire day to the country singer songwriter. As part of our ‘Catherine McGrath Day’ four members of the Belles and Gals have picked one of their favourite songs from Catherine and have told us why!

To start, Laura Cooney tells us all about ‘Just In Case’

Probably the most uptempo of Catherine McGrath’s songs, ‘Just In Case’ is one of the standout tracks in the rising star’s current repertoire. The song kicks in with a stomping beat behind twangy guitar before McGrath’s sweet tones recount the moments before a couple’s first kiss. Lyrically it’s reminiscent of an early Taylor Swift track – think the likes of ‘Love Story’ or ‘Our Song’ – and McGrath does a good job of conveying that heady feeling of young love and the rush of initially falling for someone. The poppy production adds an extra je ne sais quoi on top of the traditional country instrumentation too. A lovely slice of jangly, jaunty pop-country that shows Catherine’s wistful side off well.

Liam Lewis continues by telling us all about ‘Starting From Now’

‘Starting From Now’ is an awesome country-pop crossover that could challenge even the most popular songs on the charts. Catherine’s incredible voice paired with relatable lyrics and a melodic guitar couldn’t have made for a better pairing. Her ability to convey a story through her lyrics is her crowning glory. Couple this storytelling with a catchy chorus and a great voice, and you have a song that encapsulates the storytelling of the genre, whilst being a great introduction into the world of country music for those who are less familiar with the genre.

Next, Katie Louise Ingram tells us all about ‘Talk of This Town’

The first single taken from her forthcoming long awaited debut album due in early 2018, I’ve chosen Catherine McGrath’s new single “Talk Of This Town”. This country pop song has a very catchy rhythm and chorus that you just can’t help but sing along to. Collectively with the guitar riffs and mid tempo beat, the song has an extremely optimistic feel to it and you can definitely feel the positive energy in the track of the girl trying to prove the doubters wrong. Co-written by Rachel Furner, Jeffrey Steele and Steve Robson, Catherine perhaps wrote this song about her own journey to stardom as she has recently swapped her life in Northern Ireland for the bustling busy streets of London. Her career has just rocketed since her debut in 2016 and soon she will be the Talk of This Town for all the right reasons.

To finish, Nick Cantwell tells us all about ‘Hell Would Have To Freeze Over’

I remember when I heard this song for the first time it was a real ‘wow’ moment. Last november I wrote ‘This is the first time I’ve featured 19 year old Catherine McGrath, but I already get the feeling that it certainly won’t be the last – this is a great debut’. That incredible Irish voice is just perfect for country music, and in ‘Hell Would Have To Freeze Over’ there is a real appealing guile in the lyrics. ‘Drink would start making you sober, you’d have to find me a five-leaf clover, before I let you back in my heart’ a great example, with a nice nod to her Irish roots in there too. To see the incredible journey Catherine has gone on in the year since is amazing, and this is only the start…!