After America’s Got Talent success, Cork's Stephanie Rainey opens up about dark period

Singer-songwriter Stephanie Rainey, who recently wowed judges on 'America's got Talent' with her poignant song 'Please Don't Go', reveals her career has not always been stellar

Stephanie Rainey's song 'Please Don’t Go' was described by the reality show’s head judge Simon Cowell as the best original song he had heard this year. Picture: Instagram

A Cork musician who wowed America’s Got Talent judges has spoken about the dark period that followed being dropped from her record label in the hope it inspires other struggling artists.

Stephanie Rainey has appealed to other singer-songwriters who have become disillusioned with the industry not to give up, after finding herself tempted to quit the industry before her viral moment in front of Simon Cowell and the America's got Talent judging panel.

The 36-year-old from Glanmire said it took her eight months to break the news to her brothers she had been dropped by her record label. She eventually decided to channel her pain into applying for America's Got Talent in a bid to crack the US.

Her song 'Please Don’t Go', inspired by her nephew’s death from meningitis a day before his first birthday, was described by the reality show’s head judge Simon Cowell as the best original song he had heard this year. 

The judging panel, made up of Howie Mandel, Heidi Klum, and Sofia Vergara, voted her through to the next round with effusive praise.

It hasn't always been plain sailing, she said.

'Please Don’t Go' racked up one million views in 2015 after just a day of its release online. However, Stephanie’s confidence took a nosedive in the wake of its success after she was dropped by her record label.

“Even when it's the right thing — and it was the right thing at the time — it still hurts," she told the Irish Examiner. 

"You feel like your dreams are being shattered a little bit. I got really down about it — I literally couldn’t even get out the words to my brothers until eight months after it happened. Now, I have no problem telling anybody because I know there are so many people going through the same thing.” 

Stephanie Rainey received a standing ovation on 'America's Got Talent'. Picture: Instagram

Stephanie compared the experience to being fired from a job.

“It’s kind of unceremonious in a lot of ways. I can fully understand why musicians who have a chance of success opt for nine to five jobs. There was a big part of me saying that I didn’t want to do this anymore because it was just too hard."

She recalled feeling “very down” during these initial few months.

“There were a couple of people around me that really kept me going and pushed me. I always had faith that this song would come back around again and be done in the right way. I felt like it wasn't done exactly in the correct way the last time after I signed but now it’s come back around. 

We just have to try and take the opportunity as it comes. Hopefully, I’ll become the poster girl for people who are thinking of giving up because they absolutely shouldn’t. You just have to keep going.

Stephanie said she was glad to have her best friend and keyboard player Sarah Power be part of the America's got Talent experience.

“I always thought the shows were for other people who just had more guts than me. I was genuinely caught off guard by how emotional it made Sarah and I. It was a profound experience. You see these things on TV all the time but it's different when you are up there in front of the judges. 

"We've been on such a long journey where at times we were made to feel like it was never going to work, but we still kept going all the time. Sarah was the person who was always there for me. We have been best friends for so long now. I don’t think I’d still be doing this if it wasn’t for her. When I told her that I needed her to come with me she was like 'let’s get on a plane'.

"Over the years she has given me an awful lot of strength so we are absolutely together in this. She knows me better than anyone else so I couldn’t think of a more perfect person to be on this absolute crazy journey with.” 

Stephanie Rainey: 'If it doesn't go any further than this, it has already been an absolutely mind-blowing experience that is going to change a lot of things for me regardless.'

The pair are looking forward to the next stage of the contest.

“If it doesn't go any further than this, it has already been an absolutely mind-blowing experience that is going to change a lot of things for me regardless. Of course, it would be absolutely incredible to get another go on it because I feel like all the nervous tension that we had would be gone and we’d be able to relax into it a little bit more. We definitely have a lot to offer.” 

She spoke about her reasons for pursuing a music career in the US.

“I wanted to take a step to do something in America which is why I applied for America's got Talent. It wasn’t a possibility for me to start trying to take on America. Funding a tour wasn’t an option but I still wanted to see if the music could connect over there. I didn’t know what the reaction was going to be like but there has been nothing but love. 

"Since the first day, I’ve ever had any success I’ve never had to deal with any kind of negativity from the public. It’s been so lovely and I’m super grateful. Being on America's got Talent was the best 48 hours of my career. I think next to my son Jackson being born it’s been one of the most amazing experiences of my life.” 

Stephanie said she had been humbled by the way in which people have connected with her viral hit 'Please Don’t Go', which is set against a music video by photographer Miki Barlok.

"I love that people can come to listen to it and have that little layer of connection to feel like they’re not going crazy or they’re completely on their own. The fact that someone can listen to the song or watch the video back and see a bit of themselves in there is profoundly humbling.”