Collette Mclafferty 42

foto by Agnes Fohn

Rock on, as you get older you are to be celebrated, not silenced.”

by Walter Price

The story of Collette Mclafferty has been an interesting one this past year or so. Being involved in an odd at best lawsuit stemming from her participation in a P!NK covers band apparently over her age which resulted in varied aspects of doubt, loss in some coveted studio work and a whirlwind of press “reporting on” or sensationalizing parts of the story.

Enough to make one go mad but Mclafferty isn’t simply ordinary. She seems to have persevered in many ways, recently finding international voice work for great names in production, worked on a book and the New York based singer/songwriter has even found it possible to put her bazaar at best $10 million legal situation on a side burner as much as she can and is prepping probably her most powerful and purposeful album of her career. Appropriately titled (if not a F-U to her naysayers) “42” to be released on her coming 42nd birthday.

About her current album and other goings on Mclafferty told me, “So I just finished tracking the whole album. I have former Living Colour Bassist Muzz Skillings playing on two songs. former edibleRed cellist is playing on several tracks. There are three songs about the legal system, including a track to the P!NK camp (who are pretending that the lawsuit isn’t happening), called “Looks Like You Dropped Your Glass”. It is in response to P!NK’s hit single “Raise Your Glass” where she proclaims her undying love for the underdogs (that she says she always sticks up for). The song is directed more towards her team, rather then her. I just finished recording the last song “Invisible” with DJ Shahruhk in Stockholm.,. He found me on YouTube singing on a Celemony Software tutorial! We just shot a music video for the song. If all goes well with mixing/mastering, I should have it out just in time for my 42nd birthday on 23 November.”

In a further statement the “Paralyzed” singer set some things straight, “We all know I have had a rough years in the legal system. As absurd as the case was, my age was not under any circumstances an issue, nor was it ever mentioned in the lawsuit. The New York Post was aware of this yet decided to literally put the words “too old and ugly gal” underneath my photo with my full name when reporting on the case. To all the media outlets that participated in age shaming me for being a singer in her 40’s, I dedicate my new album “42” to you. To all the music executives that constantly tell me my window is closing, please enjoy this album that I co-wrote, co-produced and played drums, guitar, keys, percussion and bass on. To any woman or performer who thinks for one second that they can’t have a career in the music industry because of their age… Don’t believe the hype. It’s 2015 last time I checked. This album is for you. We’ve had a two term black president, legalized gay marriage, and we can now smoke weed in some states legally. Under no circumstances should we tolerate “cut off ages” in the music industry. The 80’s had incredible age diversity and that music holds up to music lovers old and young to this day. To the countless young women forging ahead with careers in the music industry, you get better with each year, there is no “shelf life”. Rock on, as you get older you are to be celebrated, not silenced.”

And silenced Mclafferty isn’t. She has released a heart pounding dance track called “Eyes Cold Like the Wind in Chicago” that shows extremely strong vocals over heavy body moving (beats provided by Rob Flow and Nick Kim) and if this track is any indication of her future in the music business, watch-out knuckleheads, Collette Mclafferty is just getting started!

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