With her soulful country songs, Mayah Herlihy, 14, has been snapped up by a record label and topped the charts with her debut single.
Now, less than six months on, she is ready to launch her third single, written for her cousin Mel Walsh who has come through her battle with Leukemia at the age of just 21.
And all sale proceeds of the single, called Your Fight, will be donated to Beatson Cancer Charity in Glasgow where the young woman was treated.
Mum Joanne, 42, says the song is a “real celebration”.
“Mayah wrote the song as soon as she found out about Mel’s illness and that was two years ago when she was only 12 and Mel was 19.
“She feels that now Mel is a year in remission this is a good time to release it. It’s a real celebration. She’s doing so well.”
Mayah, meantime, can’t quite believe that she is releasing her third single.
“I’m really shocked at all the support that I’ve received with the first two singles,” she says. “I hope that my third single will do just as well.
“Mel’s really excited for it to be released. The lyrics were written to give her hope and t let her know we are all there for her.”
Amazed by success so far
Mel adds: “It’s amazing that all of this is happening. It’s sometimes hard to fit it all in with schoolwork but I’m enjoying releasing my music and putting myself out there.”
Born in Cove and raised in Peterhead, the former St Fergus Primary and Peterhead Academy pupil moved to North Lanarkshire two years ago where she has wasted no time in putting her music skills – honed in the north-east – to work.
Her talents were spotted by Coatbridge label Main Street Records, where she is the the youngest musician ever to be signed.
In January, she released her debut single On My Way and it went to the top of the iTunes Country Chart.
Her second single peaked at No 2 and was Single of the Week on BBC Radio Scotland, with the show’s broadcasters Grant Stott and Janice Forsyth confirming her as the youngest ever to be featured.
‘Music for The Commons’
Mayah’s family received a letter from David Linden MP.
He wrote to her grandparents Ronnie and Josephine Mckenna, who live in his constituency.
It says Mayah is an “incredibly talented singer” and that he is sure she will embark on a “very promising musical career”.
Mayah says music is her dream career.
“I just want more than anything else to continue as a musician and carry on doing what I’m doing,” she says.
“I just want to be a role model for other young people who want to put themselves out there and get themselves known.”
In addition to releasing her third single Your Fight, Mayah has set her sights on smashing three fundraisers, also for Beatson Cancer Charity.
With one already under her belt – the 10km Off The Beatson Track walk, – on Sunday Mayah will be walking the 23-mile Kiltwalk route.
But her biggest challenge yet is Ben Nevis, which she will climb on June 26.
Rooted in Peterhead
The former Highland dancer credits her musical theatre experience in the north-east for helping calm any nerves too, while proud mum Joanne says her ties with Peterhead remain strong.
She performed in Red Brick Theatre Group and Peterhead Panto from the age of seven until she was 12 and has won Peterhead Scottish Week’s Got Talent in 2017 singing Ava Maria.
Since moving to Carfin, near Motherwell, two years ago, the keen guitarist attended open mic sessions and accepted gig offers at both King Tuts main stage and the Classic Grand venues in Glasgow.
Mayah’s single to be released on Friday is available at iTunes.