Although Mac Ayres consistently croons in a deceptively chill manner, he never shies away from getting deeply introspective. Often doing so over self-produced instrumentals, today, the rising R&B star returns with his new mixtape, cloudy.
The 15-track project offers a personal coming-of-age narrative set against the backdrop of his formative years in Sea Cliff and around his time spent in Boston. It chronicles the journey of self-transformation, masterfully revisiting some of Mac’s most popular SoundCloud cuts, including “she just wanna see me rn,” “LOVE,” “she won’t stay long,” and more. Through his distinct, unconventional lens, the singer-songwriter crafts a unique blend of smooth melodies that traces his artistic evolution.
Speaking on cloudy, Mac Ayres shares: “This project is an homage to my foundation as a musician. These are some of the first songs I have ever written or produced. I was learning a lot about not only my craft, but also myself as a person. At the time I wrote these songs, I had a lot of uncertainty in my life. I dropped out of school, I fell in love, I had some of my highest highs and some of my lowest lows. I just hope you can hear the innocence, the naivety, and the pure love that I have for music in this project. These songs are an important piece of who I am today, even 8 years after writing and recording them. I hope it’s a reminder that you can never know where you’re going, without remembering where you’ve been. And if you’ve been listening to my music since back then, I am forever grateful. I will never be able to thank you enough for allowing me to live this life, and share my art. As always, there’s more tunes to be made, but for now, I really hope you enjoy this walk down memory lane with me.”
From concept to creation, Mac performed all the instruments on the project, composed all the songs, and spearheaded the entire recording process, affirming his status as a multi-hyphenate whose creative prowess knows no bounds.
Mac’s ability to bring love and loss to light is inexplicably linked to a voice that he controls like an instrument. Revered by his peers and fans alike, he now acknowledges the past to move forward. The result is a sound that’s both familiar and courageously nostalgic – ultimately laying the foundation for who he’s becoming.
cloudy, out now, features the newly minted single “alone with you.” To celebrate the release of the new project, yesterday, Mac performed for a sold-out crowd at Le Poisson Rouge (LPR) in New York City. This all builds on the momentum of his fifth album, Comfortable Enough, which was released last year to critical acclaim. The LP was aptly named one of Okayplayer’s “Can’t Wait to Hear” albums in 2023, and dubbed one of “The 25 best R&B albums of 2023” by Yardbarker.
Mac incorporates his life experiences into his songwriting to create passionate and relatable music. The multi-instrumentalist has come a long way from “Easy,” the RIAA gold-certified hit released in 2017 that catalyzed his breakthrough. Now, with no signs of slowing down, the indie sensation is bringing his DIY approach to a broader audience.
Stream cloudy above and stay tuned for more from Mac Ayres.
cloudy Tracklisting:
1. she just wanna see me rn
2. circles
3. somebody new
4. games
5. LOVE
6. i bet u callin my name
7. so much closer
8. holdin’
9. she won’t stay long
10. we moved to LA for the month
11. since u been gone i been lonely
12. alone with you
13. love somebody
14. wrong
15. blue skies
ABOUT MAC AYRES
Mac Ayres is a hometown kid who’s destined to lead a New York legacy. Born and raised in Sea Cliff, a small village located on the North Shore of Long Island, Mac discovered his passion for music through his experiences. Self-taught in production and songwriting, he started playing a wide range of instruments at an early age, including the piano and the guitar, citing consummate artists like Stevie Wonder and John Mayer as a major influence. Mac first caught attention with his 2017 hit “Easy,” which later earned him his first-ever RIAA gold certification. The success of that song helped Mac establish himself in the R&B music landscape and he instantly began to build a buzz online. It was conceived quite insidiously after years as a songwriting major at Berklee College of Music in Boston. Soon after, Mac dropped out of college to focus on his music career, but his hard work and talent did not go unnoticed. He continued to release numerous songs on SoundCloud and gained notoriety on the platform, bolstered by fan-favorites like “she just wanna see me rn,” “she won’t stay long,” among others. From there, Mac parlayed that momentum into his debut album Drive Slow. In the intervening years, he transitioned from a promising up-and-comer to a venerable independent artist. Mac went on to release projects consistently including Something to Feel (2018), Juicebox (2019), Magic 8Ball (2021), and Comfortable Enough (2023). After years of global touring and performing for sold-out crowds, impressing audiences with his showmanship, Mac has always stayed true to himself and faithfully represented his environment. This year, the multi-instrumentalist continues fortifying his catalog with cloudy – a reflective collection of songs inspired by his formative years. Mac’s long-standing commitment to making music in the purest way has made him an unmissable voice in an ever-evolving industry. Above all, finding purpose, not in reaching for accolades, but in becoming fully, unashamedly immersed in his creative process is what dictates the move forward.
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