0:00:02 > 0:00:06In Ireland, country music is more popular than ever.
0:00:07 > 0:00:10A host of new country music stars have tempted a generation
0:00:10 > 0:00:12to turn their back on the nightclub,
0:00:12 > 0:00:15don their Stetsons and jive the night away -
0:00:15 > 0:00:17from Ballymena to Ballydehob.
0:00:18 > 0:00:21This week, we're getting down with the kids.
0:00:21 > 0:00:22Here we go.
0:00:22 > 0:00:25..as we meet the young 'uns who are being brought up country.
0:00:25 > 0:00:29I've always been into country music since I was a little girl.
0:00:29 > 0:00:31From junior jivers hitting the floor...
0:00:31 > 0:00:35There's going to be many years for jiving.
0:00:35 > 0:00:37..to schoolboy stars taking the stage.
0:00:37 > 0:00:40I would sometimes practise my signature at home.
0:00:40 > 0:00:42Getting your size-five foot in the door
0:00:42 > 0:00:47of Ireland's biggest music craze isn't always as easy as A-B-C.
0:00:47 > 0:00:50Do it again. Her head's all leaning forward, Lisa. She's not relaxed.
0:00:51 > 0:00:53They may have a lot to learn...
0:00:53 > 0:00:55Wait, sorry, I messed up there on the chorus.
0:00:55 > 0:00:56..but if they get it right...
0:00:56 > 0:00:59And he was getting paid for it at 13 and gets away with it.
0:01:00 > 0:01:04..the rewards could mean some serious pocket money.
0:01:04 > 0:01:07I know I'm not supposed to say this, but you could get rich.
0:01:07 > 0:01:12Welcome to the growing world of Irish country music.
0:01:24 > 0:01:27Not so long ago, it wasn't cool to be country.
0:01:31 > 0:01:33But with dozens of young pin-up stars on the scene...
0:01:33 > 0:01:35# Singin' good-time girls... #
0:01:35 > 0:01:38..and a huge following driven by social media...
0:01:39 > 0:01:41..the music is back in the mainstream.
0:01:42 > 0:01:45And the fans are getting younger and younger.
0:01:51 > 0:01:55Six-year-old Cora from Sligo and best friend Maeve
0:01:55 > 0:01:58are obsessed with country music.
0:01:58 > 0:02:01- Maeve.- Yeah? - Do you want to see all my pictures?
0:02:01 > 0:02:05- OK.- So, this is me and that's Patrick Feeney.
0:02:05 > 0:02:08This is me and Mummy and Declan Nerney.
0:02:08 > 0:02:11This is me and Mummy looking at Nathan Carter.
0:02:11 > 0:02:15- I went to see all them. Did you, Maeve?- Yeah.
0:02:20 > 0:02:22Is there singers that you like?
0:02:22 > 0:02:27- And we can put on their CD if you want.- Well, I like all of them.
0:02:27 > 0:02:29Do you want to put on Patrick Feeney?
0:02:29 > 0:02:32- OK.- Now we'll put on Patrick Feeney.
0:02:32 > 0:02:35MUSIC: A Place In The Choir by Patrick Feeney
0:02:39 > 0:02:40Cora's mum Aoife has had to look on
0:02:40 > 0:02:44as her daughter becomes a country music super-fan.
0:02:44 > 0:02:46Country music has really come into our household this year
0:02:46 > 0:02:50and it just has taken over everything with a bang.
0:02:53 > 0:02:54Even at the age of six,
0:02:54 > 0:02:59Cora is on first-name terms with some of the biggest country stars.
0:02:59 > 0:03:01We do go to a lot of the concerts and, you know,
0:03:01 > 0:03:03you always get the meet and greet with the stars after.
0:03:03 > 0:03:06For her even to get messages and stuff from them,
0:03:06 > 0:03:08she just thinks, "This is amazing," you know?
0:03:08 > 0:03:11'Hi, Cora. It's Derek here and a little birdie tells me
0:03:11 > 0:03:13'it's your birthday today, so happy birthday.
0:03:13 > 0:03:17'Keep dancing and hold on to your hats. I'll see you soon.'
0:03:21 > 0:03:24So taken are the girls with the music that they're among 30 kids
0:03:24 > 0:03:27from Sligo and Leitrim signed up for Jiving Juniors camp.
0:03:31 > 0:03:35'Cora is all business about the Jiving Juniors,
0:03:35 > 0:03:38'but I'm delighted that she's so into it, because I enjoy it myself,
0:03:38 > 0:03:39'absolutely love it.'
0:03:39 > 0:03:41That's really good.
0:03:41 > 0:03:45And I would much rather see her out jiving than twerking any day.
0:03:49 > 0:03:52But if the girls are going to learn to dance properly,
0:03:52 > 0:03:54they'll need partners for their jiving lessons.
0:03:54 > 0:03:57Are you going to bring them cows into the milking parlour now?
0:03:57 > 0:03:58I'm taking them.
0:03:58 > 0:04:01Not too far away, there's some men up for the job -
0:04:01 > 0:04:04farming cousins Oisin and Jack.
0:04:04 > 0:04:05I like jiving.
0:04:05 > 0:04:07You dance with girls and...
0:04:08 > 0:04:10..you just... You just have fun.
0:04:16 > 0:04:18These shoes are really good for jiving,
0:04:18 > 0:04:21because they're good for getting a grip on the floor,
0:04:21 > 0:04:25so you don't slip and they're good for turns and swings and stuff.
0:04:25 > 0:04:26You don't slip.
0:04:26 > 0:04:27There we go.
0:04:31 > 0:04:34The boys already have the tools of the jiving trade.
0:04:36 > 0:04:39This week's jiving camp will be a chance for them to practise
0:04:39 > 0:04:41with other young fans of country music.
0:04:41 > 0:04:46I'm looking forward to dancing with Maeve tomorrow for practice
0:04:46 > 0:04:50and if she doesn't turn up at the dance, I'll to dance with Jack.
0:04:52 > 0:04:54And that would look weird.
0:04:54 > 0:04:57- Another one.- No, another one.
0:04:57 > 0:04:58OK, OK, OK.
0:04:58 > 0:05:00Very weird.
0:05:08 > 0:05:11Some kids aren't content just dancing to the music.
0:05:11 > 0:05:14They want to MAKE the music.
0:05:14 > 0:05:16I just really love country music,
0:05:16 > 0:05:19because the songs, sort of, tell a better story than pop.
0:05:19 > 0:05:24I wasn't really interested in the, sort of, other genres of music,
0:05:24 > 0:05:26but country really touched my heart.
0:05:26 > 0:05:30# So when you see your mother... #
0:05:30 > 0:05:3313-year-old Owen Mac from Coleraine
0:05:33 > 0:05:36has his sights set on country music stardom,
0:05:36 > 0:05:39and mum Michelle is behind him all the way.
0:05:39 > 0:05:42I definitely think he will make it as a career.
0:05:42 > 0:05:45I don't know whether he'll ever be as big as Nathan or anything,
0:05:45 > 0:05:47but I think he hopes to be.
0:05:47 > 0:05:50# We all set out
0:05:50 > 0:05:54# To find true love... #
0:05:54 > 0:05:55And it hasn't been a bad start.
0:05:56 > 0:05:58Owen got his first taste of fame
0:05:58 > 0:06:02when he sang live on Hugo Duncan's radio show.
0:06:02 > 0:06:06I've really been singing ever since I was a young...
0:06:06 > 0:06:09Well, I AM a young age, but, like, a younger age.
0:06:09 > 0:06:13And there's so many children nowadays who like country.
0:06:13 > 0:06:18# It was all a part of God's plan... #
0:06:18 > 0:06:24And after his appearance with Uncle Hugo, Owen's popularity skyrocketed.
0:06:24 > 0:06:28They uploaded it, actually, themselves to their Facebook page
0:06:28 > 0:06:32and it got something like... I think it was 250,000 views.
0:06:34 > 0:06:37You know, he just puts me in mind of myself years ago.
0:06:38 > 0:06:40But that was only the beginning.
0:06:40 > 0:06:43# Since I've grown from boy to man... #
0:06:43 > 0:06:46Michelle so believed in her son's talent
0:06:46 > 0:06:49that she took matters into her own hands.
0:06:49 > 0:06:51There was one night I took a wee home video.
0:06:51 > 0:06:54It actually wasn't supposed to go public,
0:06:54 > 0:06:58but, as an afterthought, I privately sent it to Jimmy Buckley. And Jimmy,
0:06:58 > 0:07:02he got back, "Do you mind if I put it on my Facebook page?"
0:07:02 > 0:07:04# When this world is... #
0:07:04 > 0:07:06But any aspiring country star
0:07:06 > 0:07:09wouldn't appear on Facebook in his pyjamas,
0:07:09 > 0:07:11and Owen wasn't best pleased.
0:07:11 > 0:07:13Of course, she went behind my back
0:07:13 > 0:07:16and she posted it to Jimmy after me saying not to,
0:07:16 > 0:07:20because I was like a wreck. I was just after coming out of the bath.
0:07:21 > 0:07:24But sometimes Mum does know best.
0:07:24 > 0:07:26I have to thank her, because it went viral.
0:07:26 > 0:07:31It's got, I think, 2.2 million hits, which is amazing.
0:07:31 > 0:07:332.5 million.
0:07:33 > 0:07:34All right, sorry, Mummy.
0:07:38 > 0:07:40But while Mum has the marketing savvy,
0:07:40 > 0:07:44Owen gets his musicality from his dad, Dessie.
0:07:44 > 0:07:47We're just an ordinary family who just... We love country music.
0:07:47 > 0:07:49Michelle loves it, I love it, Shauna and Shannon -
0:07:49 > 0:07:50we all love country music.
0:07:53 > 0:07:57# Cos I'm so glad to have her... #
0:07:57 > 0:07:59I picked up songs from my mummy.
0:07:59 > 0:08:02I've got brothers and sisters and they would all sing
0:08:02 > 0:08:04and I think Owen has just picked up the genes,
0:08:04 > 0:08:07but he's taken it to a different level.
0:08:08 > 0:08:11It's just a pity there was no social media around when dad Dessie
0:08:11 > 0:08:13was in his prime.
0:08:13 > 0:08:15A bit envious sometimes at him,
0:08:15 > 0:08:19because I've been trying for years and can't master that,
0:08:19 > 0:08:21but he's a good wee character and, as I say,
0:08:21 > 0:08:22if there's something he doesn't like,
0:08:22 > 0:08:25or there's something that he feels is not right, he can come to us,
0:08:25 > 0:08:27but we basically want him to be happy.
0:08:27 > 0:08:29# Cos it blowed away
0:08:29 > 0:08:31# It blowed away... #
0:08:31 > 0:08:34Having a potential superstar in the house is a strange feeling
0:08:34 > 0:08:36for Owen's younger sister Shannon.
0:08:36 > 0:08:38It's a bit odd and it's a bit weird.
0:08:38 > 0:08:42Like, I didn't even know he could sing and now he's just, like...
0:08:43 > 0:08:45..famous on Facebook.
0:08:49 > 0:08:52MUSIC: Fais Do Do by Alanna Gallagher
0:08:55 > 0:08:57For this social media generation,
0:08:57 > 0:08:59their influence has come from the early days
0:08:59 > 0:09:01of Irish country and western.
0:09:01 > 0:09:04My grandad was a massive fan of Philomena Begley
0:09:04 > 0:09:08and I grew up to be, too. Like, she's my idol - I love her.
0:09:08 > 0:09:11I did Fais Do Do and it was just great.
0:09:11 > 0:09:13I was like, "I'm singing a Philomena Begley song!"
0:09:17 > 0:09:20But even Philomena in her heyday didn't have access to the kinds
0:09:20 > 0:09:24of technology that 13-year-old Alanna Gallagher has -
0:09:24 > 0:09:26all thanks to dad Paul's day job.
0:09:26 > 0:09:28I film weddings for a living.
0:09:28 > 0:09:30Having to jump into this music video thing,
0:09:30 > 0:09:33it gave me a chance to play with my wee toys,
0:09:33 > 0:09:35cos you know what us boys and our toys are like, so I say,
0:09:35 > 0:09:38"Oh, you know, I'd need to buy a new lens for this."
0:09:38 > 0:09:39Then, Alanna reaps the rewards,
0:09:39 > 0:09:42because we can make something visually and appealing
0:09:42 > 0:09:44for everybody to hear through YouTube.
0:09:46 > 0:09:49Alanna's videos, with their high production values,
0:09:49 > 0:09:52have proven hugely popular on social media
0:09:52 > 0:09:55and the family are preparing for her biggest shoot yet.
0:09:55 > 0:09:57This new one we're doing,
0:09:57 > 0:10:00we just want the music video to keep Alanna in her own comfortable
0:10:00 > 0:10:03surroundings, which is, she is a wee country girl at heart.
0:10:03 > 0:10:05Hopefully, it'll all go to plan.
0:10:07 > 0:10:09Alanna's hoping that this new video
0:10:09 > 0:10:13will help propel her to untold fame and riches.
0:10:13 > 0:10:15I would like to become famous,
0:10:15 > 0:10:19because more people know you, you've got your own fan group and, like,
0:10:19 > 0:10:22I know I'm not supposed to say this, but you could get rich.
0:10:28 > 0:10:33You don't have to be rich to sign up for jiving camp in Sligo.
0:10:33 > 0:10:34Laura, how are you?
0:10:34 > 0:10:37And 30 eager young dancers are looking forward
0:10:37 > 0:10:38to learning some new moves -
0:10:38 > 0:10:40including six-year-old Cora.
0:10:40 > 0:10:44I don't really know how to do the girl part,
0:10:44 > 0:10:47because I was boy a few times and...
0:10:53 > 0:10:58When you hear a beat you can, like, jive to it and it's fun.
0:11:02 > 0:11:06Despite their age, some kids already know their stuff -
0:11:06 > 0:11:08like 11-year-old Gerard.
0:11:08 > 0:11:11If you wear, like, runners, they don't look right with the outfit,
0:11:11 > 0:11:14so you had to wear, like, a fancy shoe and it's better to wear
0:11:14 > 0:11:17a fancy shoe, because then it'll be easier to move round the floor
0:11:17 > 0:11:20and in runners, you'd just be hopping there.
0:11:25 > 0:11:29And now, it's time for the boys to meet the girls.
0:11:29 > 0:11:31These are 16 euro.
0:11:31 > 0:11:33Best friends Cora and Maeve
0:11:33 > 0:11:36are partnered with cousins Oisin and Jack.
0:11:36 > 0:11:40First, we were dancing, then we were, kind of, talking
0:11:40 > 0:11:43and then I, kind of, got to know him and then,
0:11:43 > 0:11:46we started dancing again and I got to know him.
0:11:48 > 0:11:49My partner is Maeve.
0:11:49 > 0:11:54She's a good dancer and fast to dance with.
0:11:54 > 0:11:55Just good to dance with.
0:11:58 > 0:11:59At the end of the week,
0:11:59 > 0:12:01they'll have to showcase their dancing skills at
0:12:01 > 0:12:05a country barn dance, so it's important they master the moves.
0:12:06 > 0:12:09- Yes!- I've got it.- We finally...
0:12:09 > 0:12:12Most of the kids have been brought up in the country tradition,
0:12:12 > 0:12:14but not everyone.
0:12:14 > 0:12:17And when I'm their age, I'll be professional.
0:12:17 > 0:12:20Nine-year-old Madeline has just moved from Cheshire with her family
0:12:20 > 0:12:24and she's been partnered with country aficionado Gerard.
0:12:24 > 0:12:27It's very different coming from England to Ireland,
0:12:27 > 0:12:30because in England, it's more classical and waltz,
0:12:30 > 0:12:32cos that's really the only dance you can do to it,
0:12:32 > 0:12:35because it's very...mostly slow.
0:12:40 > 0:12:44Madeline is keen to learn as much as she can.
0:12:44 > 0:12:47What would you say is the coolest country star?
0:12:47 > 0:12:52Well...Derek Ryan, Nathan Carter.
0:12:52 > 0:12:53They're the two tops.
0:13:00 > 0:13:04Owen Mac has hopes of becoming the next Nathan or Derek -
0:13:04 > 0:13:06and it all starts with his debut album.
0:13:06 > 0:13:11It is my first day in the recording studio and it's going to be quite
0:13:11 > 0:13:14nerve-racking, but, yeah, I'll get through it.
0:13:17 > 0:13:20But a professional recording studio
0:13:20 > 0:13:22is a step up from mum's YouTube videos.
0:13:22 > 0:13:25# So I set my sight
0:13:25 > 0:13:28# On a life back home in Ireland
0:13:28 > 0:13:31# Where the streets of promise drew me in. #
0:13:32 > 0:13:35Oh, wait. Sorry, I messed up there on the chorus.
0:13:35 > 0:13:39- Yeah. Sung a different word, did you?- Yeah.- Yeah.
0:13:39 > 0:13:41Take the start of that chorus again, OK?
0:13:41 > 0:13:43Despite his nervous start,
0:13:43 > 0:13:46engineer Paul is impressed with Owen's talent.
0:13:46 > 0:13:48# On a life in... #
0:13:48 > 0:13:50Sounded good.
0:13:50 > 0:13:53Most kids of that age, the pitching and the timing might be suspect
0:13:53 > 0:13:55and it would be the biggest problem you'd have with them.
0:13:55 > 0:13:58But it's very natural for him, you know? Very natural.
0:13:58 > 0:14:00'# So I set my... #'
0:14:00 > 0:14:02# So I set ... Maybe it should be...
0:14:02 > 0:14:03# So I've set. #
0:14:03 > 0:14:05'# So I've set. #'
0:14:05 > 0:14:07# So I've set. #
0:14:07 > 0:14:09- It's much nicer, I think, you know?- Yeah.
0:14:09 > 0:14:12I think he's getting known as The Baby of Country Music.
0:14:12 > 0:14:16On the social media, I'm reading wee bits and pieces, you know?
0:14:16 > 0:14:18And I think that's what he's being known as.
0:14:20 > 0:14:22Mum and Dad are making huge sacrifices
0:14:22 > 0:14:24for their baby of country music.
0:14:24 > 0:14:26# It took me time to realise... #
0:14:26 > 0:14:28Yeah, we're making a lot of sacrifices, to be honest.
0:14:28 > 0:14:32I suppose we could have been on a lovely holiday and changed the car,
0:14:32 > 0:14:35but the money's going into Owen this year, anyway,
0:14:35 > 0:14:37and, hopefully, it'll pay off in the long run, you know.
0:14:37 > 0:14:38# So I set my sights
0:14:38 > 0:14:40# On a life... #
0:14:40 > 0:14:43But Owen hopes to repay this faith in him.
0:14:43 > 0:14:45I think it sounds great.
0:14:45 > 0:14:49I do hope to make it big in the music scene.
0:14:49 > 0:14:52Obviously, my sisters aren't too happy about no holiday this year,
0:14:52 > 0:14:55but hopefully, if I get enough money from the album,
0:14:55 > 0:14:57I'll be able to take them somewhere nice.
0:14:57 > 0:15:03# You're crazy and I'm out of my mind... #
0:15:03 > 0:15:07In Tyrone, the Gallaghers are assembled for a production meeting
0:15:07 > 0:15:08ahead of the big video shoot.
0:15:08 > 0:15:12- So we want water, so water's a plus. - I would like water in it, yeah.
0:15:12 > 0:15:14And, as well as being the star,
0:15:14 > 0:15:17Alanna seems to be the director, too.
0:15:17 > 0:15:20I like a wee bit of wind, but I didn't like as much wind as that.
0:15:20 > 0:15:22It's kind of...crazy, wasn't it?
0:15:22 > 0:15:24- Please God, we'll not have wind. - We want a bit of it.
0:15:24 > 0:15:26- We like slight breeze. - Slight breeze?
0:15:35 > 0:15:38Dad Paul is well used to Alanna's demands,
0:15:38 > 0:15:42and he knows just how lucky they are to have stunning locations
0:15:42 > 0:15:43right on their doorstep.
0:15:43 > 0:15:46I live out in the country myself
0:15:46 > 0:15:48and you can go out for a walk, you can head off on your bicycle,
0:15:48 > 0:15:51and anywhere you go, the scenery's beautiful,
0:15:51 > 0:15:54so we just want the music video to keep Alanna in her own comfortable
0:15:54 > 0:15:57surroundings, which is, she is a wee country girl at heart.
0:15:57 > 0:15:59Hopefully, it'll all go to plan.
0:15:59 > 0:16:02- There, Alanna. Isn't that brilliant?- That's amazing.
0:16:03 > 0:16:05With the location high up in the Tyrone hills,
0:16:05 > 0:16:09Alanna's hope of a good hair day might be in jeopardy.
0:16:09 > 0:16:12I think the location for the music video's class,
0:16:12 > 0:16:16but the only issue is I asked Daddy for a slight bit of a breeze,
0:16:16 > 0:16:18but I take that back now - I don't want any.
0:16:20 > 0:16:22Look at that lake and this here. Look at that there.
0:16:22 > 0:16:25Look at the colours on that. Isn't that lovely?
0:16:25 > 0:16:28- Wee cutaway to that, look.- Yeah, you love your cutaways, don't you?
0:16:28 > 0:16:29Really, really do.
0:16:29 > 0:16:33The song's first-class, the location's first-class,
0:16:33 > 0:16:35so it's just down to me to deliver the video, so...
0:16:35 > 0:16:37- No pressure.- No pressure, no.
0:16:39 > 0:16:41In Sligo, nine-year-old Madeline
0:16:41 > 0:16:44is one of 30 under-12s learning to jive.
0:16:44 > 0:16:48She's just moved from Cheshire with her family and she's still getting
0:16:48 > 0:16:52her head around Ireland's obsession with country music.
0:16:52 > 0:16:55It gets very awkward when you say, like, "Who's that singer?"
0:16:55 > 0:16:57They look at you as if you're mad, cos everybody knows
0:16:57 > 0:17:00almost every country singer and they're just like,
0:17:00 > 0:17:03"You don't know?" "Well, no, I don't exactly know."
0:17:03 > 0:17:06"Well, he's so and so, the one who does that song."
0:17:06 > 0:17:12"What's that song? I still don't know who on earth he or she is."
0:17:12 > 0:17:14They'll say, "Well, that's a person who went, you know,
0:17:14 > 0:17:16"down in Dublin, did a show there."
0:17:16 > 0:17:19I said, "No, no, still not getting it."
0:17:25 > 0:17:27She may not have all the knowledge,
0:17:27 > 0:17:30but Madeline seems to be mastering the basics of country jive,
0:17:30 > 0:17:32thanks to partner Gerard.
0:17:32 > 0:17:36My favourite singer, as I told you, is... My first favourite is Derek,
0:17:36 > 0:17:39then Patrick and then Nathan.
0:17:39 > 0:17:43She loves learning, cos I know straightaway
0:17:43 > 0:17:45that she knows everything since Monday
0:17:45 > 0:17:47and she's nearly as good as me now.
0:17:47 > 0:17:49So, that's...
0:17:49 > 0:17:51She's really good at jiving, so.
0:17:56 > 0:18:00And it's just as well, because all 30 kids will have to showcase their
0:18:00 > 0:18:04new moves at the end of the week with a massive country music dance.
0:18:04 > 0:18:10There's 150 people going to turn up and I'm wearing a chequered shirt
0:18:10 > 0:18:12with, like... It's a little top.
0:18:16 > 0:18:18That's him there, so he's one of the big country singers.
0:18:18 > 0:18:20When the kids take to the floor on the final night,
0:18:20 > 0:18:23jive teacher Sandra want them to be knowledgeable
0:18:23 > 0:18:26in all aspects of country music.
0:18:26 > 0:18:29Derek Ryan, Nathan Carter, Jimmy Buckley,
0:18:29 > 0:18:32Michael English and...
0:18:32 > 0:18:34Declan Nerney.
0:18:34 > 0:18:36- Well, you seem to know your stuff anyway.- Patrick Feeney!
0:18:36 > 0:18:38Yeah? Do you know him?
0:18:38 > 0:18:40Daniel O'Donnell.
0:18:40 > 0:18:43- Jimmy Buckrey.- Buckley.
0:18:43 > 0:18:46With all this interest in the stars of country, teacher Sandra might
0:18:46 > 0:18:49have a tough time getting these kids back dancing.
0:18:49 > 0:18:51- Girls, who are you watching? - Derek Ryan.
0:18:51 > 0:18:53- Is it good?- Yes.
0:18:53 > 0:18:55- Do you like Derek?- Yeah.
0:18:55 > 0:18:58We're watching this till go-home time.
0:18:58 > 0:19:00You're watching till go-home time?
0:19:00 > 0:19:02OK, well, good job it's a big long DVD,
0:19:02 > 0:19:05so you keep watching that, so, until go-home time.
0:19:06 > 0:19:10# That's why I call her every day
0:19:10 > 0:19:15# If I'm near or far away
0:19:15 > 0:19:18# For I know some day... #
0:19:18 > 0:19:2113-year-old Owen Mac from Coleraine is still working hard
0:19:21 > 0:19:23on his debut album.
0:19:23 > 0:19:26For the past year, he's been on the road performing live,
0:19:26 > 0:19:29to help fund the recording sessions.
0:19:29 > 0:19:31Some day, you might have a studio of your own.
0:19:31 > 0:19:34To record an album is not cheap and Owen was doing wee gigs
0:19:34 > 0:19:37here and there and he was getting paid for it,
0:19:37 > 0:19:38believe it or not, at 13,
0:19:38 > 0:19:41and gets away with it from the taxman, as well.
0:19:41 > 0:19:42Which is a good thing!
0:19:47 > 0:19:49Every penny counts and, tonight,
0:19:49 > 0:19:52Owen will be putting some euros towards the album,
0:19:52 > 0:19:54as he makes a guest appearance in Monaghan.
0:19:54 > 0:19:58I really love these shoes, because they were my first pair of shoes
0:19:58 > 0:19:59that I went on stage with.
0:19:59 > 0:20:02So, I'm not looking forward to running out of the size.
0:20:02 > 0:20:05But, hopefully, I can stay in them as long as I can.
0:20:06 > 0:20:08As well as an appearance fee,
0:20:08 > 0:20:11Owen makes extra money selling his home-made singles.
0:20:12 > 0:20:15Dad Dessie is in charge of the merchandise.
0:20:15 > 0:20:18Owen would display his CDs out there and then he would stand behind
0:20:18 > 0:20:21the table with a pen and, if anybody wants a wee CD,
0:20:21 > 0:20:25they can just get it autographed and he's just like an old pro.
0:20:25 > 0:20:27I'm standing back there thinking, "Well, that's our wee boy.
0:20:27 > 0:20:30Basically like a star." You know?
0:20:34 > 0:20:36He may be the teenage version of Nathan Carter,
0:20:36 > 0:20:38about to take the stage in Castleblaney
0:20:38 > 0:20:42in front of a big crowd, but he's still his mother's son.
0:20:43 > 0:20:44Mum!
0:20:45 > 0:20:47Owen doesn't like me doing that.
0:20:48 > 0:20:51Here's a sensation. Would you please put your hands together
0:20:51 > 0:20:54for the young fella himself, Mr Owen Mac!
0:20:54 > 0:20:56Give him a big round of applause.
0:20:56 > 0:20:59If you haven't seen him, check out social media.
0:21:01 > 0:21:04# My Oklahoma home, it blowed away
0:21:06 > 0:21:07# It looked so big and fair
0:21:07 > 0:21:11# When I built my shanty there
0:21:11 > 0:21:14# But my Oklahoma home It blowed away... #
0:21:14 > 0:21:17I just love singing to everyone and
0:21:17 > 0:21:19it makes me feel really happy when they show
0:21:19 > 0:21:21that they enjoyed every song,
0:21:21 > 0:21:24so I suppose it's almost as if it's just me, sort of, like,
0:21:24 > 0:21:26communicating with the crowd.
0:21:26 > 0:21:28# We planted wheat and oats
0:21:28 > 0:21:30# Got some chickens and some... #
0:21:30 > 0:21:34- The single, which is You And Me And Time, that's the duet.- Perfect.
0:21:34 > 0:21:37As Owen entertains onstage,
0:21:37 > 0:21:40dad Dessie is out in the car park flogging his old CDs,
0:21:40 > 0:21:44because Owen's new album won't fund itself.
0:21:44 > 0:21:48# When this world It seems unfair... #
0:21:48 > 0:21:50As Owen performs his viral YouTube hit,
0:21:50 > 0:21:54he has the mostly female audience in the palm of his hand.
0:21:57 > 0:22:01And no-one is more moved by it than his own mum Michelle.
0:22:01 > 0:22:03SONG FINISHES
0:22:03 > 0:22:05CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
0:22:07 > 0:22:09Very proud of you.
0:22:09 > 0:22:11Ladies and gentlemen...
0:22:11 > 0:22:12My Mother song -
0:22:12 > 0:22:16I just feel like I have to go up and give him a wee kiss on stage.
0:22:16 > 0:22:18I'm not a stage person, but just that song,
0:22:18 > 0:22:22I just think it deserves a wee kiss.
0:22:29 > 0:22:31Mum isn't the only one impressed with Owen.
0:22:31 > 0:22:34Post-gig, he's meeting and greeting his fans.
0:22:35 > 0:22:40Sometimes people would come up to me and asked me for a little comment
0:22:40 > 0:22:41on the CD just to say
0:22:41 > 0:22:45to the person's name and then from Owen Mac and then my signature.
0:22:47 > 0:22:50And, to perfect his technique, Owen's done his homework.
0:22:50 > 0:22:53I would sometimes practise my signature at home
0:22:53 > 0:22:55just to get it right, yeah.
0:22:59 > 0:23:03Having thousands of dedicated fans is something Tyrone singer Alanna
0:23:03 > 0:23:05is hoping her new video will deliver.
0:23:05 > 0:23:08This could be really, really big for you, Alanna.
0:23:08 > 0:23:10Like Nathan Carter's Wagon Wheel?
0:23:10 > 0:23:14- Would you like your video to get views like that?- Yeah.
0:23:16 > 0:23:20Alanna's parents film weddings for a living and the benefit of
0:23:20 > 0:23:23having Mum and Dad as a bespoke video production team
0:23:23 > 0:23:25isn't lost on her.
0:23:25 > 0:23:27I'm just realising just how lucky I am
0:23:27 > 0:23:30to have you and Daddy make music videos from me,
0:23:30 > 0:23:33because other people have to pay so much money to get it done.
0:23:33 > 0:23:36- Yeah.- And even then, no offence to some people,
0:23:36 > 0:23:38but, like, mine's better.
0:23:41 > 0:23:42Alanna might not be paying for it...
0:23:42 > 0:23:46This is the lens. That'll cover nearly every scenario, that.
0:23:46 > 0:23:49..but Dad Paul has bought new gear especially for the shoot.
0:23:49 > 0:23:51And with so much expensive equipment,
0:23:51 > 0:23:53it's important to handle it with care.
0:23:53 > 0:23:56- CLATTERING - Oh, God!
0:23:56 > 0:23:58Trust me! Nothing happened.
0:23:58 > 0:23:59Nothing broke!
0:24:04 > 0:24:07Paul's having a nervous breakdown with me dropping something!
0:24:11 > 0:24:14Working with your family can sometimes be more stressful
0:24:14 > 0:24:16than the weddings of strangers.
0:24:16 > 0:24:19Do it again. Her head's all leaning forward, Lisa. She's not relaxed.
0:24:19 > 0:24:22Need her shoulders back and her head up. Go again, Alanna.
0:24:22 > 0:24:24Now, shake it out.
0:24:24 > 0:24:28We decided to use walking along paths as sort of a metaphor
0:24:28 > 0:24:31for the song, because I don't think they literally mean
0:24:31 > 0:24:33walking along a path, but we're going to do it that way.
0:24:42 > 0:24:43Brilliant.
0:24:43 > 0:24:47After a long five-hour shoot, they're on their last shot.
0:24:47 > 0:24:49Oh, you're on a roll now, Alanna.
0:24:51 > 0:24:53The day went well.
0:24:53 > 0:24:56I hope we got all the shots. We'll see when it's edited, anyway!
0:24:59 > 0:25:00Thank you.
0:25:00 > 0:25:03As Alanna waits on her final product...
0:25:03 > 0:25:04Oh, my word.
0:25:04 > 0:25:06I can't believe I'm holding my own CD.
0:25:06 > 0:25:10..Owen's debut album has just been delivered to his home in Coleraine.
0:25:10 > 0:25:12Say, "Thank you, Mum."
0:25:12 > 0:25:15The feeling that you get when your face is on an album
0:25:15 > 0:25:18is just unbelievable, and I'm so happy.
0:25:18 > 0:25:21- Well done, pet.- It's unreal.
0:25:21 > 0:25:24- Good boy. - Well done, wee man, well done.
0:25:24 > 0:25:26You've come a long way from the wee video.
0:25:26 > 0:25:29- Yeah.- We haven't even heard the CD yet, come on!
0:25:29 > 0:25:30The album might look the part.
0:25:30 > 0:25:33The real test is in how it sounds.
0:25:33 > 0:25:35Come on, Owen.
0:25:35 > 0:25:38MUSIC: Streets Of Promise by Owen Mac
0:25:38 > 0:25:39What about me?
0:25:42 > 0:25:45I'm very, very proud of him.
0:25:45 > 0:25:48It's actually unreal, you know, how far he's come in such a short time.
0:25:48 > 0:25:51MUSIC CONTINUES
0:25:56 > 0:26:00Yeah, Mummy and Daddy have honestly been, like, the most supportive.
0:26:00 > 0:26:04They've put in everything to make this album possible
0:26:04 > 0:26:06and I can't thank them enough.
0:26:09 > 0:26:13As Owen and his parents jive the night away to his new album,
0:26:13 > 0:26:16in Sligo, the Jiving Juniors are preparing to show off
0:26:16 > 0:26:19their new moves, dancing to Stuart Moyles playing live.
0:26:21 > 0:26:23They're a bit hesitant at first,
0:26:23 > 0:26:26but it doesn't take them long to fill the floor.
0:26:31 > 0:26:35And a solid week of jiving practice is really showing in their dancing.
0:26:39 > 0:26:41- We've been at jiving.- Yeah.
0:26:41 > 0:26:42That's what we've been at.
0:26:42 > 0:26:45Yeah, that's what we've been at, jiving.
0:26:49 > 0:26:52And Madeline has become a country convert.
0:26:52 > 0:26:55I really like the country music,
0:26:55 > 0:26:58and jiving is such a thing which is done everywhere,
0:26:58 > 0:27:02so it's good to know, so I think I really am going to keep jiving.
0:27:06 > 0:27:09The plan for the rest of the night is to keep dancing,
0:27:09 > 0:27:11because I'm having a great time.
0:27:17 > 0:27:20I'm going to keep jiving, cos I love the jiving.
0:27:24 > 0:27:27But it's not just the Jiving Juniors who are enjoying the music.
0:27:29 > 0:27:32Mums Aoife and Vera are converts, too.
0:27:35 > 0:27:37I dare anyone to sit there on their bum for the night
0:27:37 > 0:27:39and not want to get up and not tap their foot.
0:27:39 > 0:27:42- Not move.- Not move...- No, no. - ..for the night. It's infectious.
0:27:46 > 0:27:50And it seems like the kids have caught the country music bug.
0:27:50 > 0:27:54There's going to be many years for jiving.
0:27:56 > 0:27:59With a generation of new jivers on the floor,
0:27:59 > 0:28:01Owen Mac's new album hitting the shelves
0:28:01 > 0:28:05and Alanna's latest video racking up hundreds of thousands
0:28:05 > 0:28:06of YouTube hits...
0:28:06 > 0:28:09# It's all part of a grander plan... #
0:28:09 > 0:28:12..the future of country music in Ireland is looking bright.
0:28:12 > 0:28:16# And every long-lost dream
0:28:16 > 0:28:20# Led me to where you are
0:28:20 > 0:28:24# Others who broke my heart
0:28:24 > 0:28:28# They were like northern stars
0:28:28 > 0:28:32# Pointing me on my way
0:28:32 > 0:28:36# Into your loving arms
0:28:36 > 0:28:43# This much I know is true
0:28:43 > 0:28:47# That God blessed the broken road
0:28:47 > 0:28:52# That led me straight to you. #