Mick McHugh

Dia daoibh, G'day & Hello everyone!
My name is Mick McHugh, I'm a singer songwriter from Ireland and Australia has been my home the last 9 years. 

I am running this campaign so that I can record my début studio album and take my career to the next level. Over the last number of years, I've toured consistently and had the pleasure of supporting Damien Dempsey, Mundy, Aslan, Paddy Casey, Mick Flannery, Damien Leith, Ralph McTell and performing  at The Sydney Opera House, Vicar St in Dublin, and being on the same line up as the Pogues and John Butler Trio at Byron Bay Bluesfest. I've received great feedback over the years from people about my songs - how it made them feel, how it helped them or someone they love, and their situation in that moment... music is so powerful! It has done so much for me in my life and that is what I aim to give to others every time I write a song - I want to inspire, to get people through, to connect, to write powerful and meaningful songs and I need your help to record and release my début studio album.



In 2014 I joined Troubadour Music management, and with their guidance, my experience and hopefully with your support through this Pozible crowd funding campaign... I am gonna make an unbelievable album of songs that have been written across Australia, New Zealand and Ireland. Something to get you through.  


My background:
I only picked up the guitar and tried singing when I was 22 years old. I had graduated with a first class honours degree in Polymer Engineering and started working in the industry but got severe depression. Rather than going down the medical prescription road, I took it as a sign that I was not on the right path in my life. Not knowing what it was I wanted to do, I started doing things I had never tried ...my own bucket list... in pursuit of happiness I guess. One of those was to learn to play a cover song at parties.... as I struggled away trying to learn chords and whispering when no one was around, I fell in love with a beautiful Ozzie girl, and she inspired me and encouraged me to start writing songs. I chipped away at open mic nights in Dublin and then in 2005 when I moved to Oz, I saw it as a clean break to leave everything I knew behind and start fresh and see if I could make a career out of music. It's been the most unbelievable journey... what I've experienced, the unknown the excites me, the people I've touched with my songs, the festivals, the friends, and touring with my music idols... not that I live on a constant high or anything. It's not all exciting festivals and accolades, last weekend I gigged Thursday lunchtime for an old folks volunteer group, got home at 3am after Friday night's gig, played 2 gigs on Saturday, 3 gigs on Sunday (12pm-3pm, 5pm-8pm, 9:30pm-1:30am), drove about 1,000 km, got pulled over by the cops, (they couldn't find anything to fine me for but I have a certain look I guess!), arrived home at 5am Monday morning. Then I recover, see the family, it's time to get stuck into invoicing, booking new gigs, updating my website, ... but I love the challenge of this completely unknown journey that I embarked upon when I decided to take a chance on my dream life.

I've lived and breathed this life for the last seven years because I believe in what I sing about, and because the things people say to me after my gigs - how a song touched their heart, or they tell me about their own journey....it's who we are, we've all got a story and a journey. This is mine, thanks for being a part of it.

Damien Dempsey, Coronas and Aslan support videos fro Mick McHugh Pozible campaign:
Coronas


Aslan
Damien Dempsey
Damien Leith

Some pics from my personal highlights:

Singing my song "I Found Love" at The National Celtic Festival, everyone sharing their story - 2014
                  Meeting Glen Hansard backstage at Port Fairy Folk Fest 2014, and him asking me "How was your gig?"

                      Touring with Damo Dempsey in Australia & NZ

                           Touring and singing on stage with Aslan



Quotes from peers and media:
"A highlight of the weekend!" Lara Gresham, Entertainment Coordinator, Australian Celtic Festival.
"Get to see him live, it will give cause for hope and optimism" Ralph McTell, Streets of London.
"Brilliant!" Eric Bogle, Willie McBride.
"Lie To Me is a modern classic" Damien Dempsey.
"Voice of positivity that should be heard" Andrea McCullagh, Irish Echo.
"A huge hit with folk at Bluesfest Cavanbah Stage" Suzanna Simonot, Gold Coast Bulletin.

Gig Review : supporting Mundy
“Dubliner McHugh radiated the sunshine of his adopted home of Byron Bay and smiled his way through a stunning set. McHugh is a unique artist. Supporting another act can be a tricky station, but McHugh’s easy banter and honest lyrics won Mundy’s fans over instantly. He brought the audience with him on a journey through his songs about positivity and love – and they didn’t want him to leave the stage. McHugh hits all the warm fuzzies perfectly without melting into syrupy territory and his confidence on stage is infectious.”
- Andrea McCullagh, Irish Echo.

Mick McHugh VIDEOS
Good Good Day - an acoustic demo from the new album

Lie To Me - recorded live in Adelaide

You're Perfect - recorded live in New Zealand

TOTAL needed $22,000

My contribution : $3,000
Pozible Campaign : $19,000

Costs:
Engineering / Production / Mixing : $12,000
Musician fees: $3,000
Mastering : $1,000
Artwork : $700
Printing CDs : $2,000
Promotion: $3,300

Well life always presents challenges... it's one big challenge isn't! Lol!  To get up every day and face the world, face people, and deal with your mind & the current situation ...my challenge is to record these songs and send them out into the world so that they connect with many people, help them on a level we can't explain, inspire and go on a journey of their own...they'll be my Mona Lisa. After all, I'll be signing off one day from this world, but our art can inspire forever.