Indie songwriter Stephen McCafferty hails from Scotland and is cruising towards a romping year of releases. But how did he get to this point? We caught up to find out…

Hey Stephen, how’s it going?

I’m doing well, thanks! Keeping busy with new releases and planning for the year ahead.

How’s 2025 treating you so far?

It’s been great so far — it kicked off with a new single and I have plenty more lined up. In fact, I’ve got all my singles for 2025 (and a little into 2026) recorded, which frees up some budget to focus more on marketing and promotion. There are also a couple of music videos in the works for a release later in the year, which I’m excited about.

I recently launched a website for my music, which includes a blog, and I’m working on growing that and building my mailing list, too. I’ve also been toying with the idea of starting a podcast at some point this year, but I’m taking things one step at a time.

Nice, nice! Tell us a bit about your musical journey so far…

It’s been interesting — from sleeping in wheelbarrows to playing the Isle of Wight Festival. I’ve been at this for a long while, playing in various bands, but this is the first time I’ve released music under my own name. A band is slowly forming around me, and although I’ve been playing solo acoustic gigs, I’m aiming to transition to a full-band setup this year. 

Ah fantastic! So what’s your local area like for gigs?

Like most places, Edinburgh’s scene has taken a hit since lockdown. That said, there are still great venues like Sneaky Pete’s for intimate shows, Stramash, Cab Vol, and The Mash House — that’s where I’ll be playing on 15th March as part of a Reaction Management roster night. There are also a few bigger venues for touring acts, and Edinburgh has a solid open-mic scene.

Which three artists have been your main inspirations?

Growing up, I listened to a lot of compilation tapes that had lost their sleeves, so half the time, I had no idea who or what I was listening to. It’s strange to think how difficult it used to be to track down a song — I remember spending years searching for ‘Living on My Own’ by Freddie Mercury, going through the entire Queen back catalogue before realising it was a solo track. Years later, I found it again on a blank CD in a mate’s car, and the sheer joy of finding it is something I miss a little these days with instant access to everything.

Aw that’s so cool!

Yeah! I eventually traced a lot of those ‘unknown’ favourites back to artists like David Bowie, Eurythmics, Bob Dylan, Simple Minds, Deacon Blue, and The Proclaimers. In terms of my own sound, though, I’d say my biggest influences have been R.E.M., Manic Street Preachers, and Supergrass.

If you could open for any three acts, past or present, who would they be?

Gaz Coombes — I love what he’s doing as a solo artist. The Villagers, because the songwriting is incredible. And Sam Fender, because that would be a wild gig.

What else have you got in store for 2025?

Plenty of full-band rehearsals, more singles, more gigs, and a couple of music videos. I’ll also be collaborating with other singers from different bands and ramping up my general output. I’m really looking forward to seeing how 2025 unfolds.

For even more from Stephen, make sure you’re following him on Instagram now.