Meet the Belfast born songwriter making waves in Canada

Stephen McCorry is a Belfast-born singer-songwriter with hopes of bringing new life to the horn-driven, soft-rock Van Morrison perfected before him. Now living in Vancouver, Canada, McCorry has released his debut single, ‘Unlucky’, a song that shows shades of his inspirations and a potential strong voice in his genre.

The songwriter stated when writing the song he wanted something that, “would jump out of the speakers, with a brass section that punches you in the face and a melody that immediately sinks its hooks in.”

Belfast Live spoke to McCorry to discuss his life in Canada and his hopes for the future.

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Why did you move to Canada?

A change of scenery and lifestyle. I wanted to do something different from what I’d been doing and North America seemed pretty compelling.

Moving to a new country and being a stranger in a strange land has massive challenges, but it can have massive rewards as well. It’s good to get uncomfortable sometimes and mix things up in life.

How did you originally get into music?

Queen’s ‘A Kind of Magic’, Thin Lizzy’s ‘Black Rose’, and The Police’s ‘Outlandos D’Amour’ cassette tapes were never off my dad's car stereo when I was knee-high, so I think those lads piqued my interest for sure. But I feel my love of music was innate.

I started playing guitar in my mid-late teens, I guess I blame Noel Gallagher for that. For the longest time, I only wanted to learn and play his songs.

Singing came much later. When I moved away, busking and performing at open mic nights was a good way to make friends, and unfortunately, that requires some singing. That’s how it all began really.

What do you most enjoy about living in Canada?

Vancouver is a beautiful part of the world with a mild climate and picture postcard scenery so that’s always a comfort. I really enjoy multiculturalism and the food is second to none.

The landscapes of British Columbia and the outdoor activities that go hand in hand with beaches, snow-capped mountains, trails, and so on is a big plus. It has its charms for sure.

What’s the music scene like in Canada?

I’ve always found the music scene in Vancouver to be very encouraging. I have a strong community of musicians around me and I’ve been very fortunate to work with some incredibly talented people.

I busk a lot and that’s a great leveller. You meet every type of person on the street, and much of my musical support and friendship group has come from the friends, fans and collaborators I’ve met in that sphere.

As for gigs, I’m pretty active in and around the city. Mostly private events like weddings and the occasional residency in bars, breweries and hotels around town.

What do you miss most about Belfast?

The people are without a doubt the biggest loss for me. The banter and craic you get from everyday conversation with people on the street, shops, bars can’t be replicated anywhere else in the world. The tea is a close second.

Do you have any Irish music inspirations?

Probably far too many to name here, but Van Morrison, Glen Hansard and Thin Lizzy would be a Holy Trinity of sorts.

What can music fans expect to hear on first listen to your music?

My debut single, ‘Unlucky’, captures the rose-tinted thrill of a new crush, and features vibrant horn arrangements inspired by the jazz standards of the Great American Songbook. I love the soulful pop/jazz rock of artists like Stevie Wonder, Paul Simon, Steely Dan and Van Morrison, so perhaps there’ll be shades of their influence in there as well.

You can stream ‘Unlucky’ by Stephen McCorry here on Spotify.

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