Off The Vine with Kaitlyn Bristowe - MacKenzie Porter | From Small Town Ranch to Country Radio

Episode Date: August 13, 2024

#762. Kaitlyn Bristowe sits down with Mackenzie Porter, the multi-talented star who went from a remote Canadian ranch to topping the Nashville charts. Mackenzie shares how a family band, her brother’s Canadian Idol win, and a bit of “delusional” confidence shaped her journey. She reveals how she landed her hit duet with Dustin Lynch, her experiences acting on Travelers, and her awkward backstage moment with Nicole Kidman. Plus, Mackenzie opens up about balancing fame, motherhood, and a confession about her first big audition. Don't miss this episode packed with laughs, surprises, and insider stories! If you’re LOVING this podcast, please follow and leave a rating and review below! PLUS, FOLLOW OUR PODCAST INSTAGRAM HERE! EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: (2:11) - MacKenzie shares what it was like growing up on a remote ranch in Alberta, Canada. (9:01) - The story behind MacKenzie’s hit duet “Thinking 'Bout You” with Dustin Lynch and how she landed the part. (15:18) - MacKenzie talks about her favorite acting roles, including her time on the TV show Travelers. (36:35) - MacKenzie reflects on being the first female artist in 22 years to have three consecutive #1 singles after Shania Twain! (50:26) - MacKenzie reveals a personal confession about her first big audition. Thank you to our Sponsors! Check out these deals! Botanic Tonics: Go to botanictonics.com and use the code VINE at checkout for $40 off a 12-pack case. Apollo Neuro: Go to See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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please contact Conix Ontario at 1866-531-2600 to speak to a advisor free of charge but mGM operates pursuant to an operating agreement with igaming ontario off the line before we started recording um we were talking about how you went to uh live taping of SNL and how it's just chaotic and i was like i could never do SNL because i get a case of the giggles and i would break character and you said i said that's my favorite part is when they're like can't keep it together on the show. Okay, so me too, I mean, once in a while, but so do you remember Chris Catan when he was on SNL? I did a movie with Chris Catan. Did the, the dancing one in Vancouver? No, it was called Christmas and Wonderland in Edmonton. I'll tell you, I'll tell you all about it

after, but keep telling you, right. Wait, I have, I went for dinner with Chris Catan in Vancouver and, like, hung out with him for a few days. Hilarious. It's so funny and not romantically. I was actually trying to, like, we were trying to find him a girl, but he told me. He told me that they used to actually get annoyed at Jimmy Kimmel all the time because he would break characters often and they were all trying to be professional and they were trying to make it. You know, SNL was like a stepping stone for them to then make it into the like world of movies. And so he said they used to get annoyed at him all the time because everyone would think it's so funny except for the actors. They were like, he's not professional. Yeah. He always like,

I feel like Jimmy Kimmel still to the state breaks down like on his show. He literally is Mr. Giggle Pants. Yeah. But that's why you like love him. Is it a little. okay if I already break into this? Please. Oh my gosh. Cheers. Cheers. Thank you so much for coming on.

Have you been on the Jimmy Kimmel show or what? I didn't do Jimmy Kimmel. Okay. Okay. Okay. Which he's also just an absolute gem. You've had really just quite the career from like acting into singing and like we need to point this out to everybody that you grew up in Medicine Hat.

I grew up in La Duke, Alberta. I wonder exactly. Can you Google for us something? How far? Yeah. How far is Medicine Hat from La Duke, Alberta? I do feel like that's probably why we're both so cool. It checks out.

I mean, it does check out. It's just like if you come from such a small place. Five hours. We grew up five hours from each other. That's so crazy. And now we're in Nashville. Crazy. You're doing a lot more than I am.

Oh, gosh, no. No, it's great. So you grew up on like a really small, like a ranch. You were drinking well water. Yes. That's crazy. It was like the middle of nowhere. It was my family.

My aunt's, my aunt, uncle, their kids and my grandparents. It was like a little like commune. okay what there should have been a TV show made around that I know it was it was actually like the sweetest like I have a daughter now and it was like the sweetest way to grow up because yeah I didn't have self service like even to this day I don't think there's self service out there really so it's like just a very small secluded little area so not only are you cool but you're humble is too I mean sometimes it must be so crazy though to go from that way of living to like being a star in Nashville I do think it like definitely I mean obviously it's like the reason why I am the way I'm in so many different ways but it is like I'll never be a person that has like a crazy big head just because that's where I came from and my family's still there and like your family's all still there mm-hmm you know it's just like when you're from such a small little place you can't I mean all you have is your imagination yeah yeah exactly that's that's how I always remember it like I'm trying to think of what you could do in Ladook Alberta sometimes people from a Ladook are like don't you're like don't you have

shit on it and I'm like I'm not I'm so happy that's where I grew up I'm so happy that's like the life I lived because I do think it shapes you is your family still there yes okay so yeah well my dad and my stepmom are there my sister and my niece and nephew they're all there in the same small town and then my mom and my stepdad they're like snowbirds they went to mexico in the winter just outside of Vancouver as you probably know Kelona in the summer um I love it there's so much it's such good wine but I get scared the secret is totally getting out about how good Kelona is and it's probably because I'm talking about it right now. I know. I have a couple friends that live there and I played a show there this year and my whole band was like, we need to come here

way more because it's a good little place. Oh, and did you go when the weather was nice too? Yes. In the summer it was gorgeous. It's, it's truly one of my like adult Disneyland happy places when it's good. Yeah. Yeah. So did you grow up in a musical family? Yes. So, like, you guys should have been a TV show. We like, you had a traveling band. We did have a traveling band and it was like the cheesiest little thing. I am obsessed. Do you know. Do you know, know um wait who are the guys from hunter brothers are you thinking hundred brothers no but they're brothers he went solo just recently they're from very small town in alberta menonites um is it high valley high valley yes yes is it similar to that like they had a traveling band we did ours was not as

cool like we like old folks homes cute very cool yeah retirement homes we play like little tiny festivals like literally like not cool things we would play and but that makes it kind of cool now it does in the moment yeah i remember like going to school when I was, you know, in grade, like, six, seven. And I, so I played the violin. And all my friends were, like, playing volleyball and basketball and, like, cool things. And I had to, like, bring my violin and put in my locker because I had lessons after school.

And I remember being, like, so embarrassed. And now I'm like, oh, that's really cool. But at the time, it wasn't cool. That's, like, my dream in life is if I have kids, I want them to be, like, in band. I feel like band kids always grow up to, like, do something special. Yeah. I feel like, like, not cool kids, grew up to be cool kids. Yes.

Right. I was like, I was in the middle. So is I. Yeah. I was like friends with them. I was friends with like the cool kids. I was also friends with like the nerd group. I feel like I was kind of like I identified more with the nerds to be honest with you.

Which makes you cooler now. Well, and that's because they're always the nice ones. The God the girls were mean to me. Did you get bullied in school at all? I did not like get. No, I did not get bullied. I was like was very lucky. My cousin was like the coolest kid in school.

So I kind of had like a good in. but I was not the coolest either. I was the same as you. Kind of just like slid under the radar. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I guess I shouldn't say I got bullied. I just had a group of girlfriends that were mine. Like my group of girlfriends were not very nice to me.

Really? Yeah. And I still to this day, don't know why, but that's for my therapist, not this. And then, so your brother won Canadian Idol in when? 2004? 2004, yeah. I was like 13 at the time. So you just grew up in this musical family.

Well, take me back to that before we get into your brother. so what was that like to grow up traveling with a family doing music like did you it was really sweet did you guys all get along totally yeah like we were really good friends and still are really good friends but i didn't really know anything else like that's what we did and it was like such a such a little humble like life that we all lived like nobody to me and my brother were in or i'm an entertainment he was but there was nothing in my family like my parents are ranchers they had no idea about like the entertainment industry or anything like that so it was so so naive and innocent and like you know we had like a medley of like the Beatles and the Beach

boys and like just like that kind of stuff where we'd play you know um avrilavine songs like just little kids playing music I like do you have footage of this oh so much footage good have you seen that trend that's going around on the internet and it's like I remember when I remember when I lost my mind and that's like so it would be like you know this is it would be like let's say you did this you had a crush out a boy and maybe this is true but I'm making it up so if you had a crush on a boy and he had a he like loved averil Levine you'd be like at the beginning of your TikTok it'd be you being like I remember when I lost my mind and then it would be footage of you just like singing Avril Levine oh my god I love it yeah you should do it do you do tick talk I do you kind of

have to I have to yeah do you enjoy it there is like an aspect that I enjoy that it gives you a bit more control like over your art a little bit yeah and then there's an aspect that I like hey totally feel the same way like I mean yes it's a blessing and a curse it's a platform but it comes with a lot of shit. I feel like they're like with entertainment now. Like it's still on the like, if your song blows up on TikTok, then maybe it's a hit. Yeah. And like that is frustrating to me.

But it's also like if my song goes up on TikTok, then maybe I get like a step above, you know. Well, it's hard too because you say having control over your own stuff. That's hard in the music industry because a lot of labels and everything have so much control over their artists that it is nice that you can have TikTok and kind of. Totally. I mean, I have so many friends that are on label deals that like they. have a whole record and they're just shelved like they don't ever put it out and like that to me is like so sad that is sad it's sad because it's like that's that person's like life and career and you worked so hard to get there and then you sign and it's supposed to be like this exciting thing and

then they just i don't know i don't like that that whole world scares me for artists too because you can't get out of it yeah you can't get out of it yeah luckily like the label that i'm on does not do that they don't no like they might not take you to radio but they're not going to like just shelve you and like never release your music so and is that why you can have control over tic-tok like you they yeah and you can like throw demos and stuff up there and like that kind of thing but um yeah i have a love hate yeah relationship with all social media yeah i get that how did your song blow up with dust and lynch did that was that on the radio that was on the radio yeah so that was like um i don't know if i've talked to the story but um he was basically like asking people to

audition for the song so i auditioned to be on the song with him and he got like a whole folder of like singer a bc whatever down the line to whatever how many he had and he didn't know whose voice was whose and he just picked his favorite voice and that was me wait that's cool i was gonna be like it's because you're cute just kidding no i know you have a great voice but the crazy part is like once he picked it he went onto my social media and like followed me yeah and then i noticed that he followed me i'm like oh maybe this means because i hadn't heard anything yeah i was like maybe this means like something good oh so you didn't heard anything yet no and so um i like i still have like the screenshot of like Dustin Lynch followed me. Yeah, yeah. And I send it to my label. I'm like,

maybe this like, guys, like he followed me on Instagram. And then like a couple weeks later, he called me. That's so cool. When was that? That was in 2020. In 20? Oh my gosh. Like it was well. But it took, you know, it takes a long time. No, I feel like that's so recent, but I can't believe it's 2024. But like 2020 feels like the other day. It does. It does. And that song, like, it feels like that was the other day when everything was happening too. Yeah. The song's called Thinking About You. Yeah. So country. But yeah, I remember that song, too.

Yeah. Wait, that's so great. So at what point in your life, you had an acting career on a pretty big show called Travelers? Yeah. So Vancouver. We filmed in Vancouver. Was it Vancouver?

Yeah. How long did you film? Tell me that whole story. We filmed for three years. So that was kind of crazy. So I auditioned for the kind of like badass, like warrior girl on the show. And they got, like, hit me back. And they're like, we think she would be better for the girl who has a learning.

disability could you tape for that and I was like that's so fumbling yeah but um so I tape for that and I got to play like the coolest character because she at the beginning of show has like pretty severe learning disability and then turns out to be like a doctor and yeah it's a whole time travel thing so wait and so did you always do auditions and I did an audition yesterday for acting yeah I still do it all the time oh cool yeah so grow up acting or singing I know you grew up singing but when did acting come into your life acting came in like acting came in like I think I started auditioning when I was like 13, but booked my first series at 16. Then I did this show with Chris Catan, the movie.

Right. Okay. What? Yeah. In West Seventon Mall. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. Chris Catan, it was Patrick Swayze, Carmen Elektra. What the heck?

That's crazy. What role did you play in that? I played like, so the whole thing was like kind of like home alone-esque vibe. Like these kids get like, they lose their parents in the mall. Yeah. And then there's these bad guys that try to like get them Chris Catan was one of the bad guys. So I played his girlfriend. Oh, funny. That's so funny. Yeah. What's your favorite thing you've ever done out of acting? I think, I mean,

Travelers, I definitely got to like do that character for the longest I did for three years. But then I did a show called Helen Wheels on AMC. It's on Netflix now too. And I've heard of that show. Yeah, it's like a period piece back in 1900s. And that was very cool because I got to like pretend like i was in the 1800s and we're like a corset every day yeah i played like a little pregnant Mormon girl and it was like it was a very cool show wow do what do you like better acting or saying or just kind of you love both i think i mean i do really love both but i feel like singing obviously is like me yeah and my story and then acting i get to like tell somebody else's story so it's kind of like nice to like escape myself for a while i wish i could do that yeah not be like in my own

head writing my own feelings all the time wait i kind of like that form of disassociation yeah I know. You're like, I'm just going to be somebody else in like somebody else's problems for a while. And get paid for it. Yeah. That sounds right up my alley. Yeah. Oh my gosh. Okay. So then you're still doing auditions. You have, is it the new song that's coming out the nobody's born with a broken heart or is that already out? That's my record. Yeah. So there's a song on it called that too. I always get confused about names of record. So you can pick a name for a record and it could have nothing to do with the songs. Okay. You could or it could be a song on the record or it could be like 21. which is like your age like it could be you know what I mean it could be anything okay so tell me about the process of creating this debut album so I have been writing for this record forever signed my record deal in 2016 and then right away book travelers so I left for three years oh and then so when I came back in I guess it was like 2019 and I started releasing music the Dustin song happened 2020 and then finally I started working on this project and I just been writing like yeah for three four years for it and then finally felt like we had all the songs and how many songs is it again 19 that's bananas

i know 19 songs so my record label like definitely puts out big records but some of them i wrote and then there's a couple on there that are like outside cuts too i can't even imagine writing 19 like sentences girl i've written like 300 songs half of them are probably like turd songs but but 19 that we felt were like good enough to put on the record that is that's freaking cool i mean i myself have written four songs and it i've heard your music you have yes because you know that i'm really good friends with brett and cc so i used to live we used to live in the same building as them oh yes i love that right below yeah so cute yeah he posted or something or did you guys write it together or like we sang it together you sang it together i saw that okay oh funny yeah i love bret and cecy so much they're

they're little angels like it's they're they kind of live near yeah yeah yeah really close like 45 minutes from where i grew up yeah yeah good people that they are good people was it a tough transition for you to do acting to music and try and go back like that must have been confusing it was and I feel like back when I was like in the thick of it people were like not as accepting as like musician turns actor or actor turned musician I feel like it was like you could either be one or the other whereas now it's like Lainey's doing it and yeah you know Tim McGrath is doing it and all these people are doing both yeah when I did it I felt like people were like oh she's just an actress she can't like be a singer too

And I was like, but wait, I play the violin and I studied my whole life growing up, but I do feel like that's changed now. Yeah, okay. Well, I'm sad because sometimes you just have to prove yourself and show that you can do both. A lot of people want to put you in a box or a lot of times people want to say women, you know, like, especially if you're a woman. Yeah, especially if you're a woman. So I was kind of thing that. In the music industry, Nashville is tough for women too, but it is getting better. I mean, yeah.

It is still like, and I do feel like a woman then like from Canada, it gets like tricky. too. Yeah. You know what I mean? Which is so crazy. But why is that? Because you're not country enough. You're like, bitch, look where I grew up. I'm country enough. I think that is like how it is. And I'm like, but wait, like, come and like look where I grew up. Yeah. But I don't know. I'm, I'm down for the challenge, though. Well, you also, I feel like are in two industries that you get told no a lot of times. Like acting, all these auditions that you go to, singing, putting music out there, like you're just constantly being told no no no so how do you keep one your creativity but two your confidence i think i'm like so delusional when it comes to that kind of stuff where it's like hear a lot you got to be a little delusional

you do and it's like because what's the thing that's like you know if you hear the same outcome over and over like or wait oh is it the definition of insanity yes where you do the same thing over but like the only time that's like not right is in this field i think or like in your career where it's like no you just kind of keep me like hitting your head against the pavement and then one day that's a good point you know but i don't know like like honestly this morning got an email that i didn't get this part that i like thought it was really close to and it takes me like a day yeah i'm like a little bit down and then i wake up the next day i'm like i'm proof that bitch is wrong yeah i like i like that attitude though it's like watch me kind of thing yeah you know like you're gonna tell me no

but watch me i'll find something else and if actually brett taught me this is if not this is if not this than something greater. So, you know, like that, I did a whole thing on my Instagram yesterday about the butterfly effect of my life and like where it started. And if I didn't move here, I wouldn't have met this person. If I didn't meet this person, I wouldn't have got my heartbroken, which led me to hear, like everything that's kind of happened in your life. So they're like, the nose are also for a reason. But God, you got to have a little bit of delusion to keep going, but I respect the delusion. I respect the delulu. Thank you. Yeah. It is like, it's hard though. It's like, you know, just to hear that over and over and over again and you're like, you know,

there's days you wake up and you're like, okay, maybe this isn't right for me. And then I always am like, like, I'm religious. So I'm like, if there's like, give me a little sign. Yeah. And then something good happens. And I'm like, okay, this is my sign to keep going. I love when people ask for signs, whether it be a prayer or to the universe or whatever it is that you believe in, asking for signs is so powerful. Because even if that means you're now looking for that sign, it's still, it still means something to you and it gives you that little like validation and keep going totally and it's like if you believe it then you can make it happen to so if you're like even if it's not a sign that you like create your own sign yeah then yeah you know what i mean it's like the same thing maybe i honestly

this is so crazy but i was talking to a guy and i asked the universe for signs i was like anything like big red flag like red balloons and i went red balloons i want to see red balloons everywhere The next morning I wake up, Harry Jousy starts a podcast. And for some reason, it's him walking out of a building with, like, hundreds of red balloons. And I was like, got it. Oh, my God, that's hilarious. Did you stop talking to us? No.

I was like, I see green balloons. They're like, they're kind of pink. Yeah. And they were pink. A little pink. And if you look at it from a different angle. Yeah. Are they really balloons?

I don't know. They're not. They're not balloons. They're heart shaped. So, like, that means love. love that's hilarious isn't that crazy i do think like if asking for signs is one of my favorite things in the world to do uh you also have to balance so much like you're a mother you're a wife you're a musician you're an actress so how good i mean it is the everyone who said like having a

baby it's like it's really hard yeah my initial thing was like i got this i can do it yeah and then the first like few weeks i was like holy crap this is so hard and amazing yeah of the same time but like there's no break but she is now like getting to a point where you know like I can get ready and she'll sit in her bouncer and just chill and before she would just cry so it's we're getting to like a good spot so I don't know what age is she now she's 11 weeks oh like she's fresh oh she's so fresh she's so her name again her name's bowen bowen I love that name yeah where did you so well like yeah or we went to like Bowen Island yeah or we went to like Bowen Island yeah so gorgeous so um it was just I don't know we just both liked the name but I'm obsessed with it thanks yeah but she's so sweet and

we're just learning how to like you know like my husband's watching her now and then when I get home later today I'll take over and he can work and yeah we did we do have like some help too so is your that's nice is your husband in the music industry too yeah so he is a producer or songwriter actor same thing oh wow yeah do you get competitive or is it he no luckily he is like the chillest human on earth like he is my like balancing kind of rock person yeah but he also does like more americana kind of stuff so we're not like in the same field yeah of music okay but no he's like he's super supportive and we both are we're like more money for both of us yeah yeah yeah that's a good way to look at it um how long have you guys been together 10 years oh shit or maybe 10 and a half like next year

will be like the top of next year will be 11 oh that's a long time that's a long time yeah yeah again how yeah oh do you guys have like similar parenting styles? Are you how, like, what is your relationship dynamic like with the baby? Well, before and after. So I am like the wake up at 6 a.m. like go getter kind of person. And he is like, let's just like chill and like things will like fall. Yeah. But he like, he always says that I'll make us money and he'll make us really happy, which is like, so he'll be the type that's like, let's just chill tonight. Like, have a date night. And I'll be like, but we should get all this stuff done. And so he's like a great balance to my neurotic ways. What is your sign? Aquarius.

Okay. Yeah. What is his? He, I don't even know. He's April 24th or 25th, sorry. Yeah, I don't know. I don't know either. I can't believe you don't know. Okay, you're clearly not into astrology. I'm not as huge sign person. I know the number one, which I'm like a three and he's the number that. Oh, yeah. You are so three. Yeah. And he's the one that doesn't believe in the numbers. Oh, he's a nine. Probably nine. Okay. Wait, you're Aquarius? Yes. Wait, April, April 25th. I know Aquarius can be like a little challenge. Yeah, but that makes you you. That gives you character, you know?

That's what I like to think. Yeah. What are you? I'm a Gemini. Okay. Oh, you're a good math, obviously. You've been together for almost 11 years. You will both remain loyal to each other.

You both have, he has protective nature, and it will compel you to pay him back for everything that he does for her. Aquarius women can be impractical and live their own dreamy world at times, but Taurus men can calm her down and bring her back to reality. That's literally us. Holy shit! That's literally us. That's crazy.

See, you should look more into astrology. I should. It's legit. I don't care what people say. Are you like really into it? Well, I don't, I wish I was more knowledgeable. I wish I was smarter and like could, I hear everything and I go, that makes so much sense, but I don't retain the information.

But every time I look it up, I'm just so fascinated by it because it's like, there's certain things where I'm like, I get it. That can be total generalized and you could be this and we could both be this. But when you get into birth chart and see where people were born at what time and when the stars were where they were, like, it's pretty nutty. Do you do the one that like the number one? What's that called? Yeah, annaagram. The Enneagram.

Yeah. So I was a three for a really long time and then I switched into a four with a three wing. And that makes so much sense. What is the four? Four is like the, I can't remember exactly the term, but it's like, is it like the, is it the helper or that one? No. Oh. That's a two.

Okay. horror. You're like, hell no. I'm not the helper. I'm like the, oh, the individualist. Okay. Sensitive, introspective, expressive, dramatic, temperamental. But I've got a three-wing, so I'm like also a go-getter. I want to achieve. I want to be the best at what I do. Don't you feel like you kind of have to be like as a female in our world? Yes. But I think it helps to be that. Because some people don't have that in them and that might just not be who they are. And I think that's why, you know, like zero. point zero one percent of people actually make it in the these crazy industries is because they're the ones that can take the nose the rejection have the delusion they you know i think

that's why somebody said to me one time that it was like the person that like just almost like hangs on the longest which is like so like kind of a sad thing but like you do get like so burnt for so long that like the person that just like shows up every single day and like continues to like have a positive mindset but shows up is gonna like win in the long run yeah i'm totally in a burnout right now how do you deal with burnout um i think my gosh i don't know like just probably like my people like hanging out with my friends and like also like like i try to do the thing if i'm like feeling like super down where i'm like i have a healthy baby i have a house i have a job i love that i can support myself and like go through my like grateful list yeah that does help me it it really is people i think forget the power of gratitude a lot of times like it's so easy to get caught up in the like even this morning like I was just so grumpy and I didn't want to do the photo shoot because

it was so hot in my house and I was tired and then I kind of did the same thing I'm like oh no Caitlin I should talk nicer to myself but I was like oh no Caitlin do you have to do a photo shoot in your new house because these beautiful angels from Canada are designing your new podcast space like right that was me being grateful but also a little sassy to myself but that's it does help its perspective and gratitude again I did a meditation actually as well about gratitude because it really does help. It does. Yeah.

It's, God, the hanging on thing, though, that's, and it's kind of, like, sad to think of it

that way, but I do feel like, I like the idea of, like, the person who shows up every single day. Yeah. Is, you know.

But also, that can be in this industry, that can be in life. Like, you just got to show up and you just got to keep going and hang in there and do your best.

And I think at the end of the day, I think you got to, I don't believe in balance. I just don't think it's a thing. But you have to, like, charge your own batteries, how to have gratitude, how to give yourself like grace and forgiveness when you're not doing as much as you think you should be doing. And then, you know, go, go, go. I play

hard, play hard, work hard. Whatever that's saying is, that's what I do. And sometimes it's not good for my mental health, but sometimes it is. Yeah. That's, that's why I'm a Gemini. I'm so confusing. Okay. I wanted to talk about being a Canadian, because you're big in Canada and then making it in the States, what was that transition like for you? And are you, like, because didn't you write somewhere or say somewhere that it was like on your bucket list that you want to be known in both? Yes. Yeah. Yeah. So I feel like, I mean, I'm still like grinding the pavement here a little bit. Yeah. But when I go back home, I get to like play in front of thousands and thousands of people. And like it is, that world is so,

like, so good for my confidence. And then here is like good for my work ethic. humbled again yes humbling but i think like from like the very beginning i knew like i wanted to come to nashville and like try to make my way here like i just did an interview the other day that they're like why didn't you just stay in canada and i was like i really do feel like that if you're going to be like the biggest you can be you have to come here that'd be like me going on the canadian bachelor no i wanted to go bigger yeah yeah honestly like you because it has more eyes and more like viewership and yeah so i'm still trying but i do feel like my move here was like the best thing I ever could have done. Well, because you get to, you know, you put yourself

in positions to meet the right people and slowly but surely they see that not only are you talented, but you're also a good person and you're like working for your family and like you've got a good story. And it's hard to make it in Nashville in general. But I don't know if you're grinding the pavement, so to speak. You literally are like on tour of Blake Shelton. You're hosting the CMAs. Like you're doing good. Thank you. I want to name like all your other things. What's the like thing you're the most excited about right now so much stuff um i am super excited to host with thomas rat that'll be super fun yeah he's a hoot he i so i've only met him like a couple times but like backstage like very fast um so i think that'll be really fun yeah but um touring i don't know

the record was a big moment for me and i think just like what i'm most excited about is to try to like tour this new project yeah what like how would you describe your style of writing and music I think I'm like definitely lean on the like more progressive countryside still like I have like more of a pop influence I think but I think it feels like honest and young maybe and like fresh I don't know. Is that like okay to say about young honest fresh and like a little progressive in the country world? I like that. I don't know. Oh I like that. Do you do like singer songwriter like style? Like do you because you write all of your music. Mostly all of it. Yeah. I would definitely like start all my song. songs on just a guitar vocal and then build them up from the air. That's the coolest thing ever. Do you know who Jen Denmark is? No, I don't think so. Oh my God, do you need to? Should I? Yes. She helped me write one of my songs and she's just a dear friend, but she's so talented and so well connected in the city. Oh my God. And she's just a good human. But she, so I'll be sitting,

because I can play like four chords on a guitar maybe. That's how I need for country music. Sure, but I can't sing at the same time. So I like to think I'm a good storyteller. I can come up with certain ideas for songs and I can help write but I need people like Jen Denmark or people like you have or people like you in general that know what you're you know how to write a song like I like always co-write I love that like collaborative thing too so I feel like I do need like professional songwriters really yeah like I mean I can write by myself but if I want it to every song in the record yeah every song in the record is a co-written so that's cool who's who's somebody that you like loved co-writing with so two of my best friends um

Parker Wellington and Lydia Vaughn are like all over the record and they are not only like my favorite writers but two my favorite people in Nashville and they're like young and Parker and I had our babies like three days apart like we're just like that's nice yeah you should write with both them okay yeah I really want to get back into it because you know when you just have this gut feeling about what's next like I just kept thinking for I think the last year I've been like what do I I just want to be like doing something I love and all my friends are like You love singing. You love writing music.

Like, even if it goes nowhere, it's something that you love and you never know. And I'm like, that's so true. So would you do country? I like country pop. Like, I think I would, I don't. I love just like singer-songwriter style of kind of like one song could be country-ish. One song could be pop-ish. Like, I just want to do.

That's the thing with like records these days. They're like, you really can have like stuff all over the board. Maybe I'll rap on one. Hell yeah, girl. I love it. I love it. I also am like grinding the pavement. I'm just laughing.

reading this. You were the first female artist in 22 years to have three back-to-back number one singles at Canadian country radio after Shania Twain. I know. That's like so wild to me. That's great. That's a crazy fact. Yeah. So we, I mean, I always just like, I always say that I feel stupid when people like put my name beside her as because she's just like, queen, massive and like as big as it gets. Yeah. But I will be happy to be like on the same little tiny path as her that like maybe one day can get there, you know. I mean, you're doing all the right things. And, you're, you have the talent and like the personality you have it all thank you you just she is like keep hanging in there apparently you're how long just keep just how you're both just like

buy a thread yeah yeah no she actually I'm so bummed so I got like an offer to open up for her but I already had a show booked on the day so I didn't get to do it but um I would love to like meet her one day do you know Lindsay L I know Lindsay very well I figured yeah Canadian yeah she's a little sweetheart. I'm obsessed with her. She's so sweet. And she's crashing it. Yeah, I'm so proud of her. She's just one of my favorite people on the planet. It took you six years to write this album. Yes. See, I believe that. Yes. I know. Okay, but the first three I was. 19 songs. You were back and forth from acting. Yes. Okay, that makes sense. But it's still took a long time. That makes sense. So have you started preparing for CMAs? Obviously, you have not spent a lot of time with Thomas. But like, to host this, to host CMA Fest, like that's big. Yeah. So I see CMAs. which is CCMAs, so the Canadian one. Why is Thomas Rett doing that? They always have like a big U.S. person. Cool. Yeah. So, yeah. So, yeah. So, yeah. So, yeah. So, yeah. So, yeah. So, yeah. So, yeah. So, yeah. So, yeah. So, yeah. So, like, maybe Carly did it last year. Carly Pierce did it last year. So they always have, like, I'm literally sitting here thinking you've got like a week to prepare. No, girl, no. Okay.

No, no, no. That makes so much more sense. I would be sweating. Oh my gosh. was the case. Okay. Well, how are you preparing for that? So we're just starting like now, like looking at scripts and like performance kind of stuff. So yes. No, I would be literally dying if that was next week. I was like, I'm worried about you. Yeah. Unless you're like, although I do feel like things like that literally come together last minute. It's so true. But I feel like, and if you're the right personality for it, like do you get really nervous on stage? I get more nervous for like talking. Like reading a teleprompter is like so scary to me. Oh, see, I, singing would be 10 times more terrifying for me than reading off a teleprompter. I feel like I can't read. Like, every time I'm like, I'm like, I don't know how to

read anymore. Well, a teleprompter is very intimidating. I had to host, I got to host the finale of, was it Michelle or Katie's season? One of the Bachelorette seasons, I had to do it by myself because Tasha was sick. And it was three hours of live television. And I had never really been trained on a teleprompter. And like if you, you should see me read ads for my podcast, I'm like reading them and I will just go dyslexic. Like, yeah. So bad. But I don't know how I did it. I did three hours and I was like, I nailed it. I have no idea how. Did you, were you like sweating? Yes. Yes. But I feel like, I feel like maybe this could be advice for you. The most important thing that I did and learned is if you just go through that script so many times, it'll come,

like, you'll just know what word is next. And to just really take your time because I think nerves make people want, you know all about nervous and performing on stage, but it does make you perform faster. So like, take a breath, take your time. Yes. It'll be good. I think if I can like, I probably will memorize the entire thing just so I can like, or at least kind of like know that if something goes wrong to telleropter, I can, you know, improvise. Yes. Are you, do you feel like you're good at like improvising? I do feel like I'm pretty good to improvising. That is all of that too. Like that, those little moments in between. And I feel like Thomas Red is so good at that as well. You're doing big things. All right. Shift in the old wardrobe from summer to fall.

I've also toured with huge names. Like you opened for Keith Urban. Yes. Keith is this year. So we're about to head out this year. You're opening for Keith Urban this year. Yeah. So Keith, Parker McCollum, and Brett Young.

So we're kind of hitting all the stops. What are you looking forward to the most on that? I think with Keith, it would be like learning his ways. Yeah. He's just like such a beast. Yeah, he is. It's so amazing. of course I'm like gonna try to show him that I play the fiddle and be like because I know he had like Lindsay I think come up and like play guitar so I'm gonna be like hey I play this like you want me to pop up with you fact that you can play the that's so cool thank you I did we were out with Brad Paisley before and like literally an hour before his show he's like do you want to come sing whiskey lullaby with me and I was like I do but like I didn't know every single lyric of that song which is like a very like lyric heavy song I mean obviously I know the song but I've like backstage like memorizing it and I was like I'm like

I'm going to play the fiddle on it and just like, you know, see if he would be into that. So I went back. His security, like, brought me back into his, like, dressing room. And I was like, I brought my, like, fiddle. Like, do you want me to try on? Yeah, he's like, yeah, let's see. And I played it. And he's like, yeah, you can do that.

And we did it every single night for the whole tour. And it was just like so awesome. So maybe I'm going to try to, like, stink my way on Keith's show too. Yeah. Hey, you take that delusional confidence and you turn it into real confidence. You do your thing. That's amazing. How freaking cool.

It is fun to like go out with them and like The behind the scenes of it must be pretty funny too. Totally. And like you see just how normal. Yeah. Everybody is like, you know, like even like I did a show with Keith before and Nicole was there and I was like and she's just such a presence. Oh my gosh. She. I can't remember what. I said something like super awkward to her like she was like, so it was like backstage and what did I say? Oh I was like she was like it's cold back here and I was

like yeah like I wish we all had mittens. And I was like, What the fuck? Why do you just say that? I would have been like, yeah, Nicole Kiddman. That would have been better than me saying. But like, just like so awkward. Her presence would make me say the dumbest shit. Like I was behind her, where was I recently?

CMT awards, I guess. And I showed up late. That was on purpose. I was like, good people show up late on the carpet. And I didn't even care if they just brushed me through. I didn't care. I was just like, I'm just happy to be here. Don't know how I got here.

But they were in front of me. And I was just watching the way she moves. She's like just a star. And the way she talks to people and just like looks at him. Oh, everything. I'm like you are a robot like in the best way, not like no personality. I mean like it's like she's like she's like AI like too perfect. Yes, that's what I mean.

Yeah. She's like a perfect little AI doll. Yeah. And like so tall and like so beautiful. And her bone structure and just like I can't do anything but picture her like having a fake orgasm on Lawn Rouge. Oh, okay. I feel like she maybe had one on big little highs too Oh yeah oh my gosh

She was so good in that too That's amazing I'm so okay I've had to do A couple of sex scenes in acting No Always just like the weirdest The weirdest But so every time I watch like another actor do it

I'm like I wonder like how many people are in that room And like I did one with this guy It was so sweet he was like It wasn't sweet like He was sweet that he was on top of me And between takes he would like kind of plank above me because he didn't want to be respectful yeah trying to be respectful but like he's playing for like three minutes so he's like shaking and I'm like you can lay down on me it's

totally fine like we're good and he's like no I'm good just like planking above me wait it was so cute do you just like after a while just surrender to it you just have to like yeah you do and like this is your job and it kind of gets just normal and there's literally like 50 50 year old men seen it all before yeah like standing behind the cameras and Yeah. I mean, I kind of know what that's like from being the Bachelorette, but not that. Right. Not like sex scenes. They don't bring the cameras in. Yeah, I was going to say. They leave for the fantasy suites. But even just like making out in front of cameras is so weird. So I can't imagine like a full on like sex scene. But like yours would be scarier because it's like you where it's like me, it's like in a script like that's true. Do they wear like something to keep their boners down?

Yeah, they wear like it's called a cock sock. A cock sock. Which is basically just. like a little like coin pouch no that they like wrap everything in and tighten it and it kind of keeps all that bay yeah but so my husband like so he was on um Nashville and he was on daisy jones and the first time he had to do like a makeout scene and he was like can i like practice on you i'm like you're not practicing on me you're kissing scene with another girl yeah but he was so nervous so okay you can practice on me so um did he put on his coin purse me. No.

He shut up. He needed it. But he was like, it's just nerve-wracking because you do not want to get a boner when you're doing it. Because it's kind of like rude, but it's also like rude if you don't. Well, also I'm like, what if like, well, this probably happens where you accidentally like go? I feel like there's like so many people. Yeah, too nerve-wracking to actually let go that much. Yeah.

So when he makes out with people on shows and you make out with people like you guys don't get jealous the first like before he was because i was acting first and when we first started dating he was like very very jealous yeah like we like almost broke up a couple of times when i had to do i would find that really challenging yeah but now he's like go get it babe like you're so sexy like like go do your thing because he knows me and he knows that like i'm just would never do anything and that i'm more nervous about like how i look and how i'm going to do yeah than any sort of you know wait he's on two pretty big shows yeah yeah yeah that's cool yeah it was cool like to see him on nashville and that was his first thing and he was so nervous and like he crushed it yeah yeah yeah what would be like

your dream role i would do like handmaid's tale or like i definitely love a drama oh handmaids tell or it also loved to do like new girl and oh my god yes i like you would crush like comedy i okay i actually would love i don't have i do not have the delusional confidence to get into acting You would crush it. I tried to do, so do you know play agency in Vancouver? So my girlfriend used to work for them. And so I would do a couple. She'd be like, just go out for this audition.

And I turned into such a loser who can't act. Like, I did not believe that. I feel like you're like outgoing and. Well, I could be myself in a show. But I don't think I could ever like, I cannot be sexy. I cannot be. He's like, that's my like biggest fear on TV is like a sexy role. I'm just not.

I'm more just like, like gangly. Same. I'm just like, I can be like funny and cool. But to try and be sexy, like, I just can't do it. I remember it was, there's one dance on Dancing with the Stars and Ardom was like, you have to be sexy for this part. Like, he brought in another woman to like teach me how to move sexy because I was just like, I can't do it. Like I just can't act sexy. I don't know why. Yeah. For some reason it is hard. Like, I don't know. I can't if I'm like intimate with somebody and I like trust them. Then I can be like let loose. But like on TV? No. and in front of people. I did one, like, scene. This is the movie with Chris Catan. The whole scene was like, this girl comes out of like the wave pool. Yeah.

And in a little bikini. And I was like 16 at the time. So it was like probably not even appropriate. But I was wearing contacts and the waves were like hitting me in the face. But they're like, be sexy when you come out. So I'd come out and like get hit with a wave and then my contact being exciting. And they'd be like, sexier, sexier. And I'd be like, okay, let me try again.

It wasn't that sexy. I think they like use the angle from behind or something. I'm definitely going back and looking at this. Oh, it's such a... Honestly, people, like, they always say that they, like, watch that movie every year. And I'm like... Really? Yes, I'm like, why?

I do... I'm going to add it to the repertoire now because I have, I have, like, a list. From, like, December 1st to the 30th. Like, I have a different Christmas movie I watch every day. I'm adding to... Okay, I got some Christmas movies for you, then. I love a Christmas movie. Even just thinking about Christmas movies, I like the cartoon ones, like a Muppet Christmas Carol and, like, the Grinch.

But I like Home Alone. And I like The One. Miracle on 34th. Oh, yes. And I love, what's that one that came out? Kristen Stewart is in it. Happy Christmas, maybe. Is it like where she goes to her girlfriend's place?

Yes. Yes, it's so funny. Yeah. And obviously, like, what's the family stone? I don't know. I don't know. Wait, what's the family stone? Family stone?

Oh. Wait, what? Oh, my God, do you have to watch that one. Like, watch it tonight. Okay. Oh, my God. Okay, so we'll end it with a confess. an embarrassing story okay I'm trying to okay this is actually um an audition story from an audition

oh yes so this was like probably my first big like callback ever I was at the time living in mason hat they flew me to Vancouver it was like a big deal my agent picks me up from the airport we go in and my parents are like jacked like very excited to see how it goes yeah so I go into the audition room and they're kind of like running behind like I don't know what time my call was at but like just let's say it was at noon and I don't go until 1230 because and I take all my stuff into the room because I didn't know like you can leave it out in the hot just like basically bring my suitcase and whatever and I'm reading this part and my mom calls my phone to see how the audition went and I forgot to turn it on silent so it was like the

Britney Spears toxic no ringtone and they're like oh your phone's going off and for some reason I was like I don't have a phone and my bag is like vibrating and so they're like okay and it stops ringing I start up again and my mom call us a kid. And I had to like double down on my lie because I'm like they're going to think I'm a liar. Like who left their phone on? I literally was like I don't have a phone like I have no idea like don't have a phone and they were like okay you do whatever I didn't get the part because they thought I was a complete liar and I don't know why I did that like I still think I'm like yeah you should have just been like shit my bad I should have like turned it off but I was just

sort of singing with it and like dancing to toxic like a little nerd so that's I still think of that. I'm like, what was I doing? No, that's amazing. Yeah. It makes for a great start. Yeah, but this is more embarrassing. Not me one-uping you. But I, I think I might have told this on a podcast, but it would have been years ago. I was hanging out with a hockey player in the NHL, like a legit hockey player hanging out with him. And I was so nervous. And my phone rang. And I had it as the, like, hockey night in Canada song. Da-da-da-da-da-da-da. And I'm like a huge hockey fan. So I was like, oh my God. He was like, he was like, you like hockey huh i was like you're like that really it's my ringtone oh my god so funny hockey night

in canada ringtone while trying to be cool around a hockey player is not the middle god for like vibe right now oh god god i know do not disturb but please ever god mom i know so embarrassing i actually think it might be my mom calling too probably checking in to see how it went like mom stop are you gonna marry a hockey player kately it's your dream oh my god it's so funny that is hilarious oh my gosh thank you so much for coming on today Thank you for having me. You're so sweet. Tell everybody where they can find you. You can find me at McKenzie Porter.com or McKenzie P.Mews on socials.

You went really fast. I feel like people. Oh, McKenzie Porter. Yes. com or McKenzie Pee music on socials. Like just like not like P like peeing, but like just like pee is like a letter. Amazing. Thank you so much for coming on.

I'm Caitlin Bristow. I'll see you next Tuesday. See you next Tuesday. I'm going to be. Thank you.