Performing sensation remembers roots

When MacKayla Hunter was growing up, she would spend her summers with her grandparents at either end of Sanders County, soaking up warm days in the Clark Fork River Valley.

“Most of my summers, I split between Trout Creek and Plains,” MacKayla said.

At 15, MacKayla now lives in Nampa, Idaho with her mom and dad and four siblings, but she still remembers the area fondly.

“I loved it there,” MacKayla said. “It was so much fun.”

MacKayla is currently pursuing her dream to be a singer and songwriter, a dream that is well on its way. MacKayla just released her first album, titled “Bitter and Sweet.”

MacKayla started playing guitar when she was 12. After being shown a few chords, she decided to continue to teach herself so she could start writing songs.

For inspiration, MacKayla draws from things she has written about in her journal, using the entries to elicit feelings and emotions, which she channels into her songs.

“I journal every night, but most of my songs don’t come when I’m journaling, they come after I’ve already written,” MacKayla said. “So, I’ll go back and read through, and take what I was writing and what I was feeling and put it into a song.”

MacKayla works closely with her dad, Duke VanCampen, who grew up in Plains and graduated from Plains High School in 1989. VanCampen not only helps MacKayla with her music, he also acts as her manager.

MacKayla had found working with her dad very beneficial to her budding musical career.

“He’s also musical, so he can give me a lot of good advice,” MacKayla said. “He keeps me in line and on track for what I need to be doing.”

For VanCampen, the experience is brand new, and one where he has learned as he goes.

“This is all new to me,” VanCampen said. “I’m musical, but by no means have I ever done anything with music or with the music industry, so we’ve really just kind of put this out there.”

The journey began when the two visited a local studio May of last year.

“They were like, ‘Wow,” VanCampen said. “So, we took her to a studio in Nashville, and the snowball had just started and doors have opened up.”

MacKayla’s favorite part of this adventure has been seeing how many people she can inspire to chase their dreams.

“I’ve had so many little kids come up to me and say, ‘I’m learning guitar and I’ve heard you sing,’” MacKayla said. “I just want to be kind of a leader and a role model and I think that’s been my favorite part.”

MacKayla has found that managing her time has been the most challenging, but has ultimately been worth it.

“I have all this crazy stuff going on, and it’s fun and exciting, but I still have school,” MacKayla said. “I want to keep doing this; this is what I love”

VanCampen has found that the most rewarding aspect of it all has been having the opportunity to support all of his five children in all of their various ventures.

“I have five kids and they all have different talents,” Van Campen said. “It’s been rewarding to help [MacKayla] share the talent that she has.”

Through it all, VanCampen has stayed connected to his hometown, and hopes that MacKayla can share here music here at some point.

“I would like to have her play in Plains. That is a hometown of mine. My grandparents still live there—we still have family there,” VanCampen said.

“That area certainly is special to us, and it’d be nice to get back there someday soon.”