Kenzie Mack
The resilient spirit of the Isle of Bute busker
Finding the rhythm: a late awakening to the world of music
Fee Mackenzie has been busking for nearly two decades, enchanting audiences with her heartfelt performances. Overcoming adversity, this musician with chronic disabilities discovered health and harmony on the shores of Bute.
Fee's late-blooming music career began when she was twenty eight, following a series of unfortunate life events.
Not realizing her profound singing talent, she applied to college to pursue a qualification in music performance and promotion, stunning her fellow students with her incredible voice.
Shocked by the ill-treatment of older artists in the music industry, Fee established her own business, called Fee Events Presents, taking it upon herself to guide younger musicians away from pitfalls.
Harmony in hardship
Once performing in pubs and cafes throughout Skye and Inverness, Fee's music career came to a crashing halt. Life threw her a curveball in the form of chronic health disabilities, forcing her to retreat from the energetic pub and café scene.
Now, Fee reserves her strength for busking in the town square, doing so whenever her health permits. It has become her primary income source, while simultaneously brightening the local vibe.
Arrival to the Isle of Bute
Fee first discovered the Isle of Bute during a holiday retreat, unknowingly finding the salve to her city-slicker ailments.
“I came here for a holiday, didn’t even know it existed,” Fee recalled. “My friend suggested coming here because his uncle had a house we could stay in. And I woke up the next morning feeling about seventy per cent better than I had in my whole life.”
Fee visited the island every month for three years, facilitating events for new musicians while running a radio show. Her health improved remarkably in the pristine island environment, leading her to uproot from Glasgow and settle in Bute in 2016.
“I felt my health is so much better here. Being in the city was slowly killing me, I just didn’t know it until I left,” said Fee. “And I love it as well. It’s my favourite place in the whole world.”
Striking a new chord with original music
Playing covers of popular mainstream songs has been Fee’s usual port of call as they are reliable crowd-pleasers. One of her popular covers is Zombies by the Cranberries.
Recently, Fee has branched out to include some original songs. Fee is also collaborating with other artists to attract new viewers.
According to Fee, the biggest challenge in being a musician is trying to get people to share her music so she can reach new audiences. “Otherwise it’s only people that already know me and follow me who get to hear my stuff,” Fee explained.
Fee often performs in Rothesay during the weekends. Her music is available online on all major streaming platforms under "Kenzie Mack Music."
Fee can be found on her recommended platform, YouTube, which offers the best streaming repayment returns for artists. She can also be found on Soundcloud, Apple i-tunes, ReverbNation, and Amazon.
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