Alumni and Supporters

Megan McInerney (known as Meg Mac) has one of the most exciting and profoundly soulful voices in music today. Since graduating from WAAPA at ECU, Megan has gone on to become one of Australia's most prominent female artists in the contemporary music industry.

ABC Double J recently named her as one of the 50 game -changing women who are shaping the sound and scene of Australian music.

"Every day I managed to find some inspiration at WAAPA, even if it was only a small piece, it was always there and some days it was overwhelming,” said Megan.

“I found a place where it was OK to sing every day and I have not stopped since."

Known for her time at WAAPA as a dedicated, focused and driven student, this culture has now been instilled in the vocalists studying today.

“When I found out that you could actually go somewhere to study contemporary pop music, singing, song writing, I couldn’t really believe it existed,” said Megan.

“WAAPA was a place where I found people who wanted to write songs in the bedroom, to dress up and sing all day, it was really nice to be around people who were the same as me.”

In 2014, Megan was named triple j's Unearthed Artist of the Year with just one single release at the time Known Better, which led onto her signing with littleBIGMAN records. Megan then released her first EP, Meg Mac which spawned four singles, including her first top 100 song on the ARIA charts, Roll Up Your Sleeves.

Meg released Never Be as a single in 2015 and hit the top 50 of the ARIA charts for the first time. This single also saw her nominated for Best Female Artist and Breakthrough Artist at the 2015 ARIA Awards. Never Be also came in at No. 11 on the Triple J Hottest 100 in 2016, a clear demonstration of the single’s resonation across Australia.

Megan's dedication to the progression of equality in music has served as an inspiration to many women and disadvantaged people across Australia and the world.

“I found a place where it was OK to sing every day and I have not stopped since."

In 2016, Megan participated in a documentary called 'Her Sound Her Story'. The documentary is an intimate conversation unveiling the personal experiences, histories and significant social impacts of women in the Australian music industry. It featured more than 45 artists spanning six decades, drawing together unique female perspectives to explore the representation and amplification of women’s voices and stories in the music industry.

“Making music and singing is my whole life, I can’t actually imagine my life without it,’ said Megan.

“My whole world is based around writing my own songs and my ideas, it’s everything to me.”

Megan released her debut album Low Blows in 2017 which debuted at #2 on the ARIA charts. The album went platinum and was nominated as the Australian Album of the Year at the J Awards. She has gone on to release her second album, Hope, in 2019 which peaked at #9 on the ARIA charts.

Prior to coronavirus restrictions, Megan would spend most of her time abroad; touring and recording. She has a high profile across the world selling out headline shows in the USA, Europe and the UK as well as here in Australia. She has also been recognised by esteemed international publications such as Rolling Stone and Billboard and her music has also been synced in global television shows such as Girls. Over the past year, she has spent her time writing and recording new music, and looks forward to getting back to performing music.

“It is really exciting to receive this alumni award,” said Megan.

“I remember how nervous I was when I was 18 and auditioning for WAAPA. I was terrified, I had no confidence, and to even get into WAAPA just seemed a world away. And so to be on the other side of that now and to be receiving this award is very special and means a lot to me.”