After posting a 45-second unfinished song on TikTok Inverness doughnut shop worker Katie Gregson-MacLeod has become an overnight smash hit.
The 21-year-old singer-songwriter woke up the next day to find more than 100,000 people had already viewed the video.
Since being published nearly a month ago, over 5,000 people have also uploaded their own versions of her song Complex including well-known stars such as Tom Walker, Camila Cambello, King Princess and Madison Beer.
@katiegregsonmacleod here’s my saviour complex song #fyp #originalsong #singersongwriter
Within three weeks of her posting the video, Katie, an Edinburgh University student, was stunned when three major record labels tried to sign her while on her shift at her summer cafe job in the Highland capital.
The resulting single of Complex has since been praised for its lack of artifice and its ability to win hearts and souls with many believing it will top the charts.
Major record labels were waiting in coffee shop
About to go into her fourth year of studying history, Ms Gregson-MacLeod has worked the past four summers at the Perk Coffee & Doughnuts in Inverness.
While she studies full-time, the singer has performed various live performances over the years including Belladrum festival 2022.
She told The Times: “We walked into Perk and there were three of the major labels on each table.”
“It was quite funny to have all the major labels come up here to Inverness. It was bizarre.
“In wee Perk, my coffee shop, there were these industry giants sitting at their own wee tables.
“I was worried I’d be making a flat white for one of the Sony team without knowing.
“I even cleared one of their tables because I felt bad for the staff and I was a bit worried because I was still doing shifts at that point.
“I found it really hard to choose because everyone was really passionate and lovely. I went with my gut.”
In the end she signed a deal with Columbia Records who have signed stars such as Harry Styles, Beyonce and Bob Dylan.
Already named one of BBC Scotland’s 25 Artists to Watch in 2022, her newly released demo of the song is expected to top the charts this Friday.
Although Ms Gregson-MacLeod still works at Perk, she said she now needs to decide whether to take time off.
Saying it had been “a wild last few days”, she added: “It’s all exciting stuff even if it is a bit overwhelming.
“The staff are buzzing. They’ve known me for so long and come to my gigs and supported me.
“They are all very supportive of what’s going on and have said if I need time off I can have it because this is my moment.
“I need to think about whether to take a year out from my studies.”
‘It’s about time people recognised her’
Naoimi McLennan runs the front of house at Perk and is sister to its owner.
She was working the day the shop suddenly became “absolutely packed” with record label representatives, who she said didn’t introduce themselves as such.
Once Ms Gregson-MacLeod arrived they all disappeared into meetings, but not before asking which doughnuts they should try. Miss McLennan was happy to recommend the Jammy – which is made from her granny’s recipe – and best-seller The Bizz Coff.
Ms Gregson-MacLeod has been part of summers at Perk since it opened four years ago.
Miss McLennan said the team will be sad to see her go: “We were so sad, we feel like a part of us is missing, it’s so weird.
“Obviously she goes away to uni and comes back, but when she comes back you never feel like she’s left.”
However, they sent her off with their blessing, excited to see what the future holds.
“As soon as everything went viral we were like ‘go, this is your time, we’re so proud of you’,” she said.
“We just cannot wait to see what she does. She is so talented and it’s about time that people have recognised her for what she does. We’re all sort of like her cheerleaders here.”
Watch cover versions of Complex
@iamtomwalker Unreal voice @Katie Gregson-MacLeod, I was completely taken aback…so glad my fyp got me to your song…i had to have a little go #duet #newmusic
@kingprincess #duet with @Katie Gregson-MacLeod tell me what you think. But fr Katie ur voice is stun
@katiegregsonmacleod
@camilacabello #dúo con @katiegregsonmacleod #Duet i love the original so much i was inspired on the plane and wrote my own version
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