Tousled singer/songwriter Carrie Mac tells TIM HUGHES why she’s determined to go her own way.

IN an industry dominated by manufactured bands and TV talent show contestants, Carrie Mac is the real deal.

Possessed of a beautiful voice, the tousle-haired Scot may be a new face, but is already making it alongside the big boys and girls.

Having toured with Diana Vickers, The Proclaimers, Alex Gardner and Tommy Reilly, she is now on the road for an intensive 29-date UK tour with chart-topper Alexandra Burke.

But while Alexandra shot to fame after winning X Factor, Carrie has done it all on her own: writing and singing her own songs and playing instruments – including guitar, violin, piano and the much under-rated ocarina.

“I have clawed my way up and done things my way,” she says in her lilting Edinburgh accent.

“I actually auditioned for X Factor a couple of years ago, but never went ahead with it as I like to do my own thing.”

So how did she do it? “With a lot of practice and lots of pestering of people.

“I know what I want. Music is a serious business; it’s just like any other job. You wouldn’t go to a job interview without knowing anything about it, and it’s the same in this industry. I learned about it so I wouldn’t get ripped off. If there’s anything I can do, I’ll do it myself, that way I know it will be done properly.”

She may be only 23, but behind the soft accent and sweet smile, lies a driven woman, with her sights set on success. She admits she has always craved the limelight.

“I used to sing covers at school,” she laughs. “I thought music was the best thing in the world, and I’ve played the violin since I was five or six. I thought that was what I was going to do – play with an orchestra – but then I set my heart on being a singer.

“I went to college for two years, doing an HND in music, but I decided not to go on and do a degree. Instead, I learned guitar and went out gigging. And I was awful. It took a couple of years to hone my craft.

“I took on anything and went to as many music seminars as I could and tried to network. There’s no manual that tells you how to get signed.”

But get signed she did, with Protobeat Records, which is when things took off.

“Before last year I hadn’t played beyond Glasgow and Edinburgh,” she says. “And some of those shows were very, very small. One had only three people – but I gave it the same effort as if I was playing to 10,000 people.”

It has not always been easy, she confesses, but it has certainly paid off. From working in a coffee shop last year, she is now on the road with one of the biggest names in pop.

“It’s incredible to be doing this now,” she says.

“So many people want to do it, and lots of people thought I was crazy for going for it. I’ve had lots of knock-backs, but kept going. Sometimes I get those ‘pinch me’ moments and think ‘how on Earth did I get here?’”

So, come on, I ask, what’s it like being on the road with Alexandra? Give us a bit of gossip.

Of course, she’s too professional for that. “She is so lovely,” she says, predictably but with feeling. “She is very genuine and is a true professional both on and offstage. She knows what she’s doing and is a really nice girl.

“We have come down different paths, but neither way is easy. Going on live TV and trying to impress people is very hard, and you’ve got to be good to succeed.”

And where does she see herself going from here? Headlining these same venues, perhaps? “I’m just keeping my eyes on the prize,” she says.

“I want to do my best every night, and I just want my sets to go down well.”

* Carrie Mac plays the New Theatre, Oxford, supporting Alexandra Burke on Friday, February 18.