Meet the Music Chameleon: 14 Aliases, Millions of Fans, One Epic Journey

Liam McCay, a 20-year-old musician from County Donegal, Ireland, has become a rising star in the music world, but not in the usual way. Instead of sticking to one stage name, Liam has created music under 14 different aliases, each representing a different style or mood. His most famous project is called Sign Crushes Motorist, which is known for its slowcore sound—a type of indie rock that is slow, simple, and often has a sad or thoughtful feeling. But Liam’s creativity doesn’t stop there. He also releases music as Take Care, Dead Calm, Miserable Teens Club, and several other names. Liam’s journey began in his teenage years, making music in his bedroom in Buncrana. At first, he used the name Moon Water, but as he experimented with new sounds, he felt that each project deserved its own identity. He explained, 'My plan was I would just keep the one name and then I got kind of bored and I started making this other wee thing. And I was like, God, this doesn't really fit the sort of the vibe of the other one. So I says, I'll not put it under that, I'll do it under a new name. ' This approach led to a collection of different musical projects, each with its own unique style. Liam’s music covers a wide range of genres. While he is best known for slowcore, he also enjoys making acoustic songs and even tries rapping from time to time. He said, 'To me, they're all kind of different, they all have their own different vibes and stuff. But I have everything. I love making different types of music. ' At first, Liam was shy about sharing his music with people he knew. Instead, he posted his songs online, joining forums and servers where new musicians could share their work and get feedback. He admitted, 'It was a bit embarrassing because it wasn't cool music, and I was also like whingeing about this girl or whatever. So, I wasn't really wanting to show people. ' However, his music slowly gained attention, and by 2023, several of his tracks had become popular on streaming platforms. His project Sign Crushes Motorist now has about 2. 2 million monthly listeners on Spotify, while Take Care has about 2. 4 million. Despite his growing success, Liam was content to keep music as a hobby for a while. Even when he started earning money from his songs, he didn’t rush to make it his full-time job. 'I didn't go mental or anything and buy like a sports car,' he said. 'I was making a decent amount of money. I could have lived off of it, but I said no, it'll sort of lose the magic. It'll just be a nice hobby to do in the evenings. ' After finishing school, Liam went to university in Belfast to study computer science. He enjoyed university life and did well in his studies, but he realized that making music brought him more joy. A few trips to the United States, where he collaborated with other artists, convinced him to pursue music as a career. 'So after that, I was like, this is good craic. I really want to do this as much as I can,' he said. Liam has since moved to Los Angeles, where he performs live shows and continues to release new music. His latest album, released under the name Dead Calm, features more acoustic and upbeat songs, which he enjoys playing at gigs. He has received offers from record labels but prefers to remain independent, enjoying the freedom to create music under different names. Some people in the music industry have advised him to use just one name to become more popular, but Liam likes the challenge and fun of having multiple aliases. 'I'll never put them all under one, but I'll definitely slow down in making new ones,' he said. For his fans, searching for all his different projects is part of the excitement. 'It's not like I hide them but it sometimes takes people a while to find them. The idea of having to go and search them out, it definitely adds a wee something. ' Looking ahead, Liam wants to keep exploring new creative paths. He dreams of trying acting or filmmaking one day, but for now, he is focused on making music and sharing it with his growing audience around the world.