An MTV accredited singer and songwriter has released a new single to raise money for children and young people’s mental health charity, YoungMinds.

Missy McAnulty, who lived in Walthamstow before moving Ealing, hopes to raise £1,500 with Power of the Mind. I spoke to her to find out more…

East London and West Essex Guardian Series:

Describe your sound

I have been influenced by contrasting female artists such as Lauryn Hill, Gwen Stefani and Debbie Harry. My vocals contain elements of soul and r R&B, yet punk influences have evolved my vocals into a unique, powerful and edgy sound.  

What have you achieved so far in your career?

After graduating, I chose to further my career in London. A close friend led me to London musician Anthony Mensah, founder of the band State of Play who features on the single, in order to write and perform material in London. We took to the stage in venues such as Camden Barfly, Hootenannys Brixton, The Garage downstairs, 02 Academy Islington, The 100 Club and Jazz Café Camden.

My passion for music has led me to a new solo journey. I landed distribution with Universal for my latest single Knowing You. The music video created by myself and cinematographer Alisha Love was filmed in the snowy Swiss Alps earlier this year.

I also just came back from the studio to record my first ever solo EP Thinking in Questions, one week ago!

What does ‘MTV accredited artist’ represent?

The last EP I wrote and featured on alongside band State of Play was MTV accredited. They crowned it ‘a banger’ on their review, so it was super exciting.

Why did you decide to do a charity single?

Being someone who had the love and support from my family when going though anxiety from an early age, it made me feel so upset to think there are young people out there who don’t have the support I had.

That’s why I admire the work that YoungMinds do to improve the mental health of children and young people, and to give advice to parents or carers who are worried about children via their helpline. I hope to inspire individuals to reach out for help, as this is one of the most important routes to recovery.

Tell me about the video

With the single complete, I approached director Ben Jordan of PC Productions to direct and co-write a music video. I sourced the actors over a number of weeks via casting websites or personal connections who wanted to support the project in their own way.

The actors involved are those who have gone through difficult experiences. This was a deliberate part of the casting requirements for the video. I wanted to ensure the emotions of all actors could come from a truthful place and mirror their real life experiences.

The video displays characters in a battle with their own mental health, and what can happen when a person is afraid to reach out. The lyrics serve as a narrative to the emotions of all three main characters.

Mental health can be so hard when it's fought alone, let's try and talk more so that we can help people not to suffer in silence.

Were you always musical?

As an Edinburgh native, I began my love for music and theatre at a young age. Growing up in the heart of The Edinburgh Fringe Festival, surrounded with inspiration, my dream was to pursue a career in the arts.

At the age of 18 I landed a place at The American Academy of Dramatic Arts, New York City. Living in New York, during my time at AADA, I studied method acting and vocal training.

Immersed in the artistic process, studying and writing original material, I took time out to seek opportunities to practice my vocals outside of The Academy. I gigged at Manhattan music venues such as the Iguana Jazz Club Broadway NYC. Throughout my years in New York I performed both original and cover tracks to showcase my skills and experiment with different genres.

What are your hopes for the future?

I am hoping to create more music and get out performing my EP next year. I have a huge passion for writing so would love to get on the music publishing ladder and also write for other artists.

You can watch Missy McAnulty’s music video for the single, Power of the Mind, at youcaring.com. ​You can also donate by buying at missymcanulty.bandcamp.com.