Features : Singer-songwriter Karl McHugh Juxtaposes Real Life and Movie Romance in Latest Single “In The Movies”

Nadia Sobehart, Publicist April 24, 2023
image

Singer-songwriter Karl McHugh brings rock vibes and a dash of realism to his newest single, “In The Movies,” out April 21. “In The Movies” highlights the discrepancy between movie magic and real-life experiences, combining modern melodies with thoughtful lyricism.

Fun, energetic, and quizzical, McHugh’s music entertains while adding an air of intrigue. Is there more to his single than what captivates the ear?

“In The Movies” was created as a combination of nostalgia and necessity. “I developed this song as part of the Song of the Month Club I have going on Patreon,” explains McHugh. “I was thinking about how relationships look easier in the movies. There’s a beginning, middle and a satisfying conclusion; but in real life, things don’t always pan out that way. I was raised in a video rental store that my family owned. So, I was exposed to those romcom tropes you see in films all the time and then I had to grow up and realize that life doesn’t work like that.”

McHugh has been playing the guitar since his early teens and continued to study music to post-graduate level. McHugh focused on music and media technology, immersing himself in theory and production. He also played in bands, devoting most of his time to his passion of songwriting. Following his studies, Karl McHugh went on to write music for advertisements and television in his homeland of Ireland.

 Fueled by his father’s memories of living in the Bay Area, McHugh decided to move to the U.S. and out west to the Bay Area—just three blocks from where his father once lived. It was there he joined the West Coast Songwriters, where he found a mentor, took classes, and met many other musicians, including James Devine. Together, they started the Irish-American rock group, “McHugh and Devine.” After touring and releasing an EP and album, gaining recognition in the area, the duo parted ways (but occasionally reunite for special events). Thus began McHugh’s journey as a solo artist.

His previous solo EP, Easy Life, showcases his talent and includes the “Temptation Island” featured single, “No One Told Me About You.” Another single, “Keep Dreamin’,” won the coveted Outstanding Achievement in Songwriting award at The Great American Songwriting Contest.

This year, Karl McHugh is looking forward to releasing more singles and an EP in August. He’ll also be performing in London and Ireland over the summer and looks forward to setting up shows in the Bay Area as well.

Make sure to stay connected to Karl McHugh on all platforms for new music, videos, and social posts.

karlmchugh
Listen on Spotify
Soundcloud
YouTube
YouTube (Single)
Facebook
Instagram
Visit my Patreon

RELATED ARTICLES

Ryan Adams Interview

September 08, 2025 0 comment

Arcade Knights’ ’80s synths link past, present, and future in Neon Dreamers and Cyber Hack

​If you want to go from a 1980s video arcade to a dystopian world of 2088 with a pit stop in 2025, you can get there by riding Arcade Knights’ authentic ’80s synths on “Neon Dreamers” and the album it ends, Cyber Hack.

September 08, 2025 0 comment

AL99 releases speedy, powerful hip-hop song titled “Pop”

The amount of musical knowledge that AL99 has obtained in his 25 years on Earth is more than most people can hope for in a lifetime.

September 05, 2025 0 comment

The happiness is contagious in Tim Benson’s new ultra-positive rap single, “Smile”

Tim Benson shows this in the video for his new positive hip-hop track, where he sings that you can “choose to smile.”

September 05, 2025 0 comment

Wadena brings an R&B vibe to hip-hop and trap with new single “Glad I’m Over You”

With her rich, vibrant R&B voice, Wadena is the perfect artist to put out an anthem for strong women that fuses R&B with hip-hop and trap.

September 04, 2025 0 comment

Crystal Fighters Interview

Bast from Crystal Fighters took some time out to tell us more about their debut LP and what they have planned in the future.

September 03, 2025 0 comment

Vivek Pandya brings cultural fusion to the music world with “The Tabla Cypher”

Vivek Pandya is an artist bringing something new to the world of music.

September 02, 2025 0 comment

Ken, The Admin Brings Positivity and End of Summer Vibes with Throwback Rap Single, “A Lil Bit”

In his new throwback track, “A Lil Bit,” positive rapper Ken, The Admin serves up more than a little bit of good vibes.

August 27, 2025 0 comment

Prime time with Travis Scott: cover story

Travis Scott transformed rap’s sound and left his mark on sneaker culture. Now, as he enters a new chapter, the question is whether he can dominate everything else too.

August 25, 2025 0 comment

Kynkra announces his arrival in rap with underground single “Seigneur Des Anneaux”

Long after Juice Wrld and XXXTentacion died, Kynkra fell in love with music and realized that nobody was making the kind of music that he liked to listen to.

August 22, 2025 0 comment

Leave a comment