AMPED™ FEATURED ALBUM OF THE WEEK: MACKENZIE PORTER/NOBODY’S BORN WITH A BROKEN HEART

Born in Alberta, Canada, MacKenzie Porter is an actress and country music singer / songwriter. Raised on a ranch in Medicine Hat, Alberta, she began studying voice, piano, and violin when she was four years old. She was a member of her family band, which also included her brother Kalan Porter, who would later come to prominence as the winner of Canadian Idol in 2004. Although she grew up surrounded by music, she first came to the attention of the Canadian public as an actress. Her first high-profile role was in the children’s television series DINOSAPIEN (2007), which led to a busy and successful TV career. However, MacKenzie’s love of music would manifest itself in time… and turn her into an award-winning sensation.

Having moved to Vancouver to further her acting career, MacKenzie Porter also began to move forward with a music career. Initially forming a band called The Black Boots, she began a proper solo career in 2010. Her debut single, “I Wish I’d Known,” was released in 2012 and reached the Top 40 on the Canadian Country Music Singles chart. Her second single, “Never Gonna Let You” (2013), was a bigger hit and rose to #11 on the Country Music Singles chart and cracked the Canadian Hot 100. She released two more singles – including the Top 20 hit “If You Ask Me To” – before the release of her debut album MACKENZIE PORTER in 2014. After several sporadic singles, she released the DRINKIN’ SONGS: THE COLLECTION EP in 2020. In 2022, she scored a #1 hit on the Canadian Country Singles chart with “Pickup,” which was followed by the 2023 hits ‘Chasing Tornadoes” (#3) and “Bet You Break My Heart” (#12).

A decade after her debut album, MacKenzie Porter returns with her long-awaited sophomore album NOBODY’S BORN WITH A BROKEN HEART. After her 2022 MusicRow Discovery Artist of the Year award and 22 CCMA nominations, she exceeds expectations with this new album. The 19 tracks on NOBODY’S BORN WITH A BROKEN HEART include the singles “Pickup,” “Chasing Tornadoes,” and “Bet You Break My Heart” as well as “Young at Heart,” “Rough Ride for a Cowboy,” and “Easy to Miss,” among others. Loaded with emotion, charm, and a pure love of making music, the album features nine songs co-written by MacKenzie herself, all of which were produced by Joey Moi (“Easy to Miss” was co-produced with Jacob Durrett and David Garcia). The album is not only one of the most anticipated Country Music albums in years, but also one of the most celebrated, earning many kudos from critics upon its release.