Meet Mckenzie Sprague

Today we’d like to introduce you to Mckenzie Sprague. 

Hi Mckenzie, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
I have always been drawn to music from a very young age. I remember being around 8 or 9 years old trying to write my own lyrics. I had a (short-lived) band at that age that helped me learn the songwriting process. That later evolved into me branching off around age 14 and going solo. Once I felt I was at a comfortable place with my music, I added a backing band. The backing band transformed my indie/soft rock sound into a more heavy rock sound. 

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I guess you could say it’s been a smooth road for the most part. I think when you have something you are super passionate about, it kind of just happens if you keep at it. I definitely have had bumps along the road, though. Being a successful musician isn’t just about the music, it’s also about marketing and putting yourself out there. Over the last 5 years, I have definitely tried to hone in on the business side more. So, I’d say the most challenging part for me is getting my music out there. 

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
My main focuses in life are watercolor paintings, screen printing, and creating music. I am lucky because art and music go hand in hand, I feel fortunate to be able to put the two together. I have created all of my album artwork, as well as my merch–stickers, magnets, pins, t-shirts, etc. My t-shirts are all hand printed by me as well. I like being able to have a vision in my head that I am able to bring to life in the form of a painting. I had my first full album release party for Optimistic Apocalypse last March. It doubled as a cd release and an art exhibition. So, I was able to take imagery from my lyrics and put it into paintings. I am most proud of being able to fit all of these pieces together to make something visually and audibly appealing. 

What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
Erie is a beautiful place. We are pretty lucky to have such a tight-knit music and art scene. I haven’t been able to do much traveling to experience other music scenes, but I do know that anytime I go out in Erie I run into several creative types. I think what I like least about our city is that we need more venues to play where people go there strictly to listen to the music. I have no problem being background music for bars, gatherings, etc. But there is definitely something special about playing a show and having the floor–people who are genuinely there to listen to your music and hear what you have to say. 

Contact Info:

• Website: OptimisticApocalypse.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/optimisticapocalypse
• Facebook: facebook.com/optimisticapocalypsemusic