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Mae Stephens: TikTok star's 'dream' new song with Meghan Trainor

Fraser Taylor Mae StephensFraser Taylor
Mae Stephens had a hit with her viral song If We Ever Broke Up earlier this year

A TikTok star who was working in a supermarket when one of her songs went viral said it had been a "dream" to work with singer Meghan Trainor.

Mae Stephens racked up millions of views for her song If We Ever Broke Up.

The 20-year-old, from Kettering, Northamptonshire, signed a record deal earlier this year and her new single - Mr Right - is a joint release with the American superstar.

"She's so kind and so humble and I've a lot of respect for her," Stephens said.

Meghan Trainor
Meghan Trainor has had seven top 40 hits in the UK and two top five albums

Trainor had a worldwide hit with her debut single All About That Bass in 2014 and won a Grammy in 2016 for Best New Artist.

The 29-year-old has also featured as a judge on The Voice UK in 2020, and Australian Idol this year.

Stephens said: "When we were talking we realised how similar we were and it's just such a dream to work with her."

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Stephens had been working shifts in a local supermarket, but quit her job to work on her music full-time when she signed her record deal with EMI.

If We Ever Broke Up peaked at number 13 in April on the Official Singles Chart and spent 16 weeks in the Top 40.

The song went viral on video sharing site TikTok after a snippet of it was posted on New Year's Day.

"I've gone from working in customer service to having a global record, which is amazing. It is just from one social media platform and an account I created in 2020," she said.

Elise Michely Mae StephensElise Michely
Mae Stephens was a regular on BBC Music Introducing in Northamptonshire

She began writing songs at the age of 12 as a "massive coping mechanism" from bullying, she said.

"I keep working as hard as I do, because I'm trying to be the artist that I wanted to be when I was 12," she said.

The singer said since having her hit song she had some "big milestones in my life", such as moving into her own home and getting two cats, "which I love".

She said her home town of Kettering had "such a supportive circle of artists, but there's never been an amazing performance area".

"So that's one of my things I want to try and help achieve, because I think that'll be magnificent," she said.

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