Q&A With Former St. Petersburg Aquatics Swimmer, Rising Star Contestant, Macy Kate

It’s T-minus 30 hours until former Nationally-ranked swimmer Macy Kate performs head-to-head on ABC’s The Rising Star, and we caught up with her to talk a little swimming and a little music, and to hear her thoughts on why swimming has helped make her a successful musician.

Download the Rising Star app from the App Store, and make sure to tune in at 9 Eastern, 8 Central on ABC and swipe right for Macy Kate.

Read more about her Rising Star debut and her swimming career here.

SwimSwam: When you were a swimmer, what was your favorite event?

Macy Kate: I really liked the 100 yard breaststroke. It was what I was strongest at and I was ranked in the top 10 for my age Nationally. I believe still hold a record for the under 8’s someone told me recently.

SS: At what point did you have to start to make the decision between music and swimming?

MK: Well when I was 12 I started taking my music more seriously, but I was still really serious about swimming as well. I moved to Atlanta to join a girl singing group, but I was still continuing with my swimming training at the same time. Eventually though, there just wasn’t time for both and I had to make the difficult decision to follow my heart and passion for music.

SS Was it a hard decision to make? What were the major factors in deciding?

MK: Yes, it was because I had been swimming competitively from a very young age and was on a path to perhaps being in the Olympics and having a college scholarship. My dad was actually an Olympic Trials qualifier as well and was on his college swim team. But my family believed in me and my passion for music and supported me to follow my heart and pursue music as a career.

Editor’s note: Macy’s father Mark Marshburn was a 1978 All-American at the University of Florida, and once swam on a national team on a dual meet against Russia.

SS: What is your favorite song to sing written by someone else?

MK: I have been a HUGE fan of Paramore for the longest time and have always wanted to incorporate that rock style into my original music. I recently began covering their song “Still Into You,” and have had such a blast performing it live at my shows. You know a song is good by the way the audience responds, and this song has an energy of it’s own that I hope to one day have in my original music.

SS: What skills do you think you developed in swimming that will help you in your music career?

MK: Above everything else it taught me a very strong work ethic. There are not many sports where you train before AND after school, and swimming is one of them. The other thing swimming taught me is preparation. Both have helped me greatly as oftentimes my schedule with balancing music writing and recording, traveling for live shows, and still finding time for school can be very challenging!

MK: Who is your favorite pro swimmer, and why?

SS: I would have to say Hayley McGregory because she lived with us for a few months while she was training and she has such a great work ethic but is also a very humble person.

Editor’s note: Hayley McGregory is a former World Record holder in the 50 and 100 meter backstroke, and finished third at the U.S. Olympic Trials in the 100 and 200 backstrokes at both the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Trials, thereby just barely missing the Olympic Team. She would qualify in the 50 and 100 backstroke for the 2009 World Aquatics Championships.

SS: Who are your biggest musical influences, and why?

MK: I have a lot. From a music style stand point my favorites are Paramore, Avril, Gwen Stefani and Pink. They are all very powerful singers and have broken though a lot of barriers and brought their own style to the music industry. They are great music role models for me. I also like the rock alternative sound of Imagine Dragons music.