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:#024: The Challenges for Strong Women Overseas | Kira Sirois
#023: Doing Anything- Except Not Being Yourself | Richard Robinson
#022: Beating Typhoid & Overcoming the American Dream | Josh Gardner
#021: Questions from Those Left Behind | Virginia Johnson
#020: "What's That Smell?" | Alisa Rutherford-Fortunati II
#019: Studying TCKs As A TCA | Tanya Crossman
#018: Reconciling "Expat" vs. "Migrant" After Taking the Leap | Katie Capstick
#017: "This Wasn't A Choice She Made": Raising A Daughter Overseas | Sarah Peel
#016: Falling In Love While Finding Your Way | Cara Gleeson & Liam Cunningham
#015: 99 Years of Trailblazing By Beijing's Oldest Expat | Eleanor Liu
#011: Dancing with Dragons & Explaining China | Malgo Blonska
#014: Growing Up As A TCK & Developing 'Bordered Dinners' | Ragini Kashyap
#013: New Motherhood Overseas | Angela Kalberg
#012: Documenting Her 'Chrysalis' | Chrislyn Choo
#010: Living with Loss Overseas | Joana Savedra
#009: From Small-town Siberia to Activism In Beijing | Mariya Kuznetsova
#008: Starting A Business In Your Parents' Homeland | Christiana Zhu
#007: From Working In Water to Life In the Desert | Jared Dillet
#006: Forging Your Own Identity & Socially Responsible Pizza | Kerry Lin
#005: Building A Career & 'Marketing for Creatives' | Marina Barayeva
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