From a Platinum Mix Engineer to Motivation Speaker & Artist, meet Ali “AMAC” McGuire?

“Amaculent” isn’t just a name, it’s a mindset, a mission, and a movement. From platinum-certified mix engineer to motivational speaker and genre-blending artist, Ali “AMAC” McGuire has transformed her creative journey into a powerful testament to healing, self-worth, and artistic authenticity. With Philly grit, deep emotional awareness, and a unique blend of hip-hop and pop influences, AMAC brings a raw, human voice to everything she touches. In this conversation, we dive into her evolution from behind the boards to center stage, the stories behind her upcoming album On One, and how she’s using her platform to help others find peace, purpose, and their own perfectly imperfect path.

You’re credited as Amaculent, a unique stage name. What inspired that name, and how does it reflect your musical persona or vision?

When I was a teenager my friends gave me the nick name “AMAC” my name is Ali McGuire so it only made sense. I came up as an engineer and you’ll see in all of my credits I go by Ali “AMAC” McGuire I just couldn’t choose both of them were important to me but in the early days I ended up creating a group with my friend who went by Sounds and we had to figure out a group name but AMAC felt too common I knew other people would have that name so i knew it needed to be different. I still remember when I thought of it we were in the car in Old City Philly driving down the cobble stone road and I blurted out AMACULENT SOUNDS! That’s how Amaculent was born. I always say Amaculent was one of the greatest gifts ever given to me – cool enough to create any thing. It became my company name Amaculent Entertainment, then Amaculent Apparel and eventually now The Amaculent Mindset but more on that later. 

When I first started using it people would write me emails making sure I knew this wasn’t how you spell immaculate. Some went as far as to tell me no one would ever hire me or take me seriously, well, jokes on them. This is where I created a definition for Amaculent it means being perfectly imperfect. Taking from the idea of being immaculate but on a more human level and that’s really the tag line of my life. I don’t know that I have a musical persona I just want to be raw, real and vulnerable with my audience, even if that audience is a person I walk by on the street. I am perfectly imperfect and through my music, teaching and everything else I do I want others to know they are too and that’s not only ok it’s a gift. 

Your home town of Philadelphia is clearly important to you. How has the city influenced your music or your approach to it?

I talk about Philly A LOT haha but I was actually born and raised 60 miles outside of Philly in Allentown which I can promise you anyone born and raised in the city of Philadelphia is rolling their eyes at haha but Philly is my soul city. I of course had gone there as a kid but once college came around I spent almost every weekend there at Temple with my best friends. I went to audio school in Baltimore and after I finished there I moved to Philly with said best friends at 20 and that’s where I was shaped, It’s where my music career started and my life. Philly is a tough city but in a much different way than LA. Its scrappy, upfront, and will fight you to make you better, not to tear you down. It’s an honest, raw place and a lot of my art and personality reflects that. You’d never be able to take the Philly outta me! Alos GO PHILLIES!!

Listening to your songs, there’s a raw, emerging vibe. What sonic influences (genres, producers, artists) have shaped your current direction, and how do you plan to expand it?

My two favorite artists are Biggie Smalls and Kelly Clarkson. I love hip hop and I love Pop. Both of those artists are raw with their feelings and I connect to that. The other side of my sound and influence is the 1000’s of sessions I engineered, mixed and vocal produced. I had an incredible privilege in my life to work with some of the best songwriters, engineers, producers and artists from all over the world. That’s where I really learned to write and be an artist, which is honestly something I never thought I’d do. I’m grateful to everyone who shared their knowledge and let me help them along the way.

Genres and local fanbases can make a huge difference early on. Where have people responded most strongly to your music, and how are you nurturing that emerging fan connection?

Honestly, all of this is so new to me still. I mix my music with speech a lot of the time to inspired, encourage and empower others. I’ve performed at rehab centers (I am 13 1/2 years sober) I have performed at high school summits, and many open mics and showcases. I have also done a lot of one on one listening. I’ve been really fortunate to have received really positive reactions most everywhere I have performed. Mostly I am working towards building real connection with audiences but am honestly still working on how to keep nurturing it along the way but all you can do is start and try!

You recently shared that rivers bring you “peace, calm and connection to what’s bigger than right in front of me.” How does this relationship with nature influence your creative process or the emotional depth in your music? 

Rivers are the greatest! Nature is the greatest. I burned out about two years ago and nature had a huge part in saving me. These days there is always something going on, something to do. Everyone is rushing but nature does not rush. Like a river it flows. Artistically I am not in a rush. In life I am not in a rush. The songs come as they come, they finish as they should. I don’t force it and i’m not worried if I haven’t written a song in 2 months. Going into nature allows me to slow down, be present and witness. That’s how I meditate. It helps me move through my thoughts and feelings when they are ready to come out they will. Humans are nature. We often do our best to out think the process and think we are above it. I think when you realize we are part of it we gain more respect for being alive and art is about sharing the process of living.

You’ve transitioned from being a platinum mix engineer to motivational speaking and mentoring. How do your experiences behind the console inform the message you now share on stage and how does that shape upcoming projects? 

I often say I went from helping people find their voice in the studio to helping them find their voice in life. The most important job of the recording engineer is to help people feel safe so they can be vulnerable with you and leave it all on the track I think that bodes well moving into this new space. I mentioned earlier that I burned out about 2 years ago that when I started working on my new album which will drop in August called “On One” Of course I didn’t know I was writing an album at first I was just making songs and going through the process of healing from this burnout. I had to walk away from most of my career for a long time and honestly I never went back to what it was and I never will. Once I got to give myself space and unpack the last 15 years of my life but in reality my whole life I started to understand why the burnout really happened.

I had accomplished my dreams platinum and gold records, major labels, Kelly Rowland even gave me half her sandwich once! Still it wasn’t enough. I didn’t feel like enough. Success didn’t bring me worth. I stayed in a lot of toxic situations for an outcome instead of an experience and honestly the music industry mirrored the environments I grew up in pretty well. I had to find worth in myself and unpack why I didn’t have any. As I worked though that process I wrote this album “On One” The story of how I went from hating myself to loving myself. I also created what I call the Amaculent Mindset Inner Compass to help others navigate their lives and careers through self awareness and the album actually accompanies a 150 page workbook so you know you aren’t alone. I have spoken on this at Stanford, USDS, Rowan University, NAMI and more. Eventually I will turn it all into what I call a somatic musical but I won’t tell ya more on that for now. Basically without my experience behind the board I wouldn’t have any of this and I am incredibly grateful!

What’s next post-release cycle – EP, live shows, collaborations? And where do you see Amaculent in 12 months? A complete project, opening for an act, or something completely unexpected?

Once the album and workbook come out in August my plan is to speak, rap and sing in as many places as will let me. I am working on collaborating with organizations to bring unique experiences to them thru the Amaculent Mindset targeting teens to young adults in creative spaces as well as underserved communities and rehab centers. I do foresee a tour in my future as a goal is to be traveling all over the country and eventually the world. 

In 12 months I hope to be partnered with at least six organizations and have keynote speeches set up at universities and conferences. Also my first TED Talk “You’re OK even when you’re not OK”. I see a small team with me. Lots of good work life balance, nature and a life I enjoy living in the service of others. I do also have another book to write but I’ll give that 24 months. Lots on the horizon so stay tuned! 

AMAC’s journey is a reminder that music is more than a product, it’s a process, a practice in self-awareness, and a way to connect deeply with others. From studios to stages, from inner battles to outward breakthroughs, she continues to turn personal truth into universal inspiration. As she prepares to release her transformative album On One alongside a workbook and speaking tour, AMAC is carving out a lane where vulnerability meets vision. And if her story tells us anything, it’s that embracing who you are, flaws and all, is the most powerful sound you can make.