Wherever people gather, you'll find music. This certainly holds true for migrant communities. But that doesn't necessarily mean that the music being made in the places finds its way into popular culture. In a world of streaming and niche audiences, you can find an an amazing variety of musical styles and cross-cultural mashups to tickle your ears with. One genre that is still unheralded, however, is "Expat Music." Case in point: Stevie Mac and The Mac Daddies is probably the most popular & successful party band in Beijing. Founded & led by Steven McKinney, it's an 11-piece ensemble made up entirely of expats that was born out of a need that is common everywhere- people with the talent & skill need a way to express their passion for music. You'll find groups like them in every migrant hub; but beyond local clubs and bars there aren't any platforms for them to grow beyond their local audiences. But that doesn't keep Steve down. As successful as he's been as a band leader, for him music is, like it is for most expats, a side hustle. After going to China on a lark, he co-founded and now runs a very successful kindergarten. His twin passions of music and being an entrepreneur have helped him fully embrace his unexpected #ExpatLife, and folks in Beijing can expect to see him leading his band mates for years to come.
Meet the entire lineup of Stevie Mac and The Mac Daddies and hear some of their music by visiting their Facebook page, and check out some of their original music on their Bandcamp page here. Learn more about the Beijing music scene by checking out Ep. #032 for my interview with Badr Benjelloun (link). If you've never heard of SantaCon, check out this link! Get in touch with comments, suggestions or interview recommendations:#042: The Sudan-America Two-step | Ethar Baba
#041: Pop Abroad | Michelle Ibarra
Season 3 Is Coming!
BONUS 01: Podcast Brunch Club Beijing - June 2019
#040: Leaving Beijing Behind - Season 2 Finale | Alisa Rutherford-Fortunati III
#039: Feeling Out Of Place At Home? Try Stardom Abroad! | Brian O'shea
#038: From Tourist to Line Cook to Restaurateur to TV Star: A Migrant's Journey | Jun Trinh
#037: Always Moving Forward... Because There's Nowhere To 'Go Back' To | Alex Sherr
#036: Privilege In the Face Of Challenge | Gabriel Clermont, Part 2
#035: Challenges In the Face Of Privilege | Gabriel Clermont, Part 1
#034: Migrating Before they Migrate: Serving Cross-Culture Students Overseas | Barbara Chen
#033: Coming of Age As A TCK... And Then What? | Mio Rudnicki
#032: What Migration Hath Wrought: Moroccan-Rum-Sports Bars In Hutongs | Badr Benjelloun
#031: When Does Migration Trump National Identity? | Margarita Lukavenko
#030: A Grown-up TCK Raising TCKs & Searching for Community | Dr. Kate Bailey Gardner
#029: Building Community with Moishe House and Global Shapers & Becoming Yourself | Abe Sorock
#028: When Being Your Best Self Requires Being On the Road | Adriana T.
#027: "Trailblazers Die." | PT Black
#026: An A.B.C.'s Sixteen Candles On Uncle Buck's Day Off | Daphne Cheng
#025: From Raising A TCK to Empty-Nesting Overseas | Amelie Mongrain
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