The guitar is not merely an instrument that Ciera MacKenzie plays alongside her while she writes her songs. Instead, it is a process through which she has learned to experience her emotions and create songs with a specific emotion in mind. The connection between the singer and her guitar influences her ability to create her unique country-rock sound, inspired by both the 1960s rock and red dirt country from Oklahoma.
In her latest single “Red,” audiences are offered yet another perspective from Ciera MacKenzie, whose songwriting skills and musicianship always go hand in hand. While the lyrics of “Red” describe the extreme sides of love, the music adds physicality to the emotions described in it.
Ciera MacKenzie’s Guitar-Driven Approach to Songwriting
Ciera MacKenzie has long noticed a difference in the way her songs emerge when she starts writing with a guitar in her hands. There is an emotional quality that comes through naturally, allowing the instrument to become part of the songwriting conversation. She describes the relationship as having two souls that communicate with one another creatively. It influences the way she approaches her music, particularly when a song requires something more personal than a carefully constructed arrangement.
“Red” is a good example of MacKenzie’s attitude in the song creation process, as the country-rock nature of the song gives space for using the guitar while keeping lyrics about longing, desperation, and being willing to go to the edge for the sake of someone else.
Her experience of being a guitarist sponsored by Gibson has also helped her to realize how important it is to use the instrument in her creative process. MacKenzie’s music has been evolving with her guitar experience.
Bringing Red Dirt Country Into a Rock-Inspired Sound
In “Red,” MacKenzie uses a country-rock style that draws on two different influences. There are some elements of rock music from the 1960s in “Red” along with some elements of the red dirt country that MacKenzie learned during her time in Oklahoma.
Instead of using two separate components of her musical heritage in two different songs, MacKenzie combines them in one track. In doing so, MacKenzie gives the song “Red” a solid country foundation without losing the sharpness and energy of rock music.
This combination works perfectly well because of the nature of the emotions expressed in the song. “Red” is not just a calm narration of heartbreak but a story of extreme dedication when love mixes with desperation and a fear of losing oneself in a relationship.
Capturing the Energy of the Stage
Anyone familiar with MacKenzie’s performances knows that her connection to the guitar does not end when the songwriting process does. Her live sets can become physically intense, sometimes even leaving her with broken guitar strings. The recording process of “Red” was no exception to that rule since MacKenzie did not want to divorce her music from the idea of performing it. When she is in the process of working on her vocals, she imagines being on the stage and even plays air guitar in order to be able to channel that feeling into recording.
“Red” also became a song that proved itself in front of an audience before MacKenzie released it. After rediscovering the track years after initially putting it away, she began performing it live and noticed that listeners immediately responded to its emotional honesty. Their reactions helped confirm something MacKenzie had not initially believed when she wrote the song: the emotions behind “Red” were not too personal or unusual to share. They were feelings other people recognized in themselves.
With “Red,” Ciera MacKenzie brings together the parts of her artistry that have always been connected: guitar playing, songwriting, and performance. The result is a release that points toward the musical direction she has been trying to reach, while giving listeners a closer look at the musician behind it.
Check out “Red” below: