Stephen McAll
Stephen McAll is a Scottish songwriter and producer based in Stirling, best known as the lead of the Experimental Folk music project Constant Follower. Under that name his album Neither Is, Nor Ever Was was shortlisted for the 2022 Scottish Album of the Year Award, and subsequent releases drew international press, further SAY Award nominations and UK chart positions. He is a dual ambassador for the Featured Artists Coalition and Attitude is Everything, advocating for accessibility in the music sector.
Early life
McAll was born in Glasgow and grew up in East Kilbride, later living in Glasgow before settling in Stirling. As a teenager he survived a violent assault that caused severe head injuries and long-term memory problems. Accounts differ on his exact age at the time, with reports stating 16 and 17 years old.Career
McAll formed Constant Follower in Stirling in 2016. The debut album, Neither Is, Nor Ever Was, was released on Shimmy-Disc and received positive coverage in UK media, leading to a 2022 SAY Award shortlist place.In 2023 McAll and guitarist Scott William Urquhart released the collaborative LP Even Days Dissolve, which reached the 2023 SAY Award Longlist.
His second Constant Follower album, The Smile You Send Out Returns To You, co-produced with Dan Duszynski, entered multiple UK charts, including No. 2 in Scotland, No. 1 on the Official Independent Breakers Chart, No. 14 on the Official Albums Sales Chart and No. 10 on the Official Vinyl Albums Chart, and was longlisted for the 2025 SAY Award.
McAll’s interviews cite Scottish poetry, especially Norman MacCaig, and the aesthetics of Talk Talk and Mark Hollis as touchpoints for his writing and production approach.
Advocacy and public work
McAll is a dual ambassador for the Featured Artists Coalition and Attitude is Everything through the Next Stage initiative, which campaigns for accessibility and inclusion for Deaf and disabled artists. He has worked with the charity Help Musicians and has discussed recovery, access and artist welfare in media profiles and interviews.In late 2025, McAll organised an open letter signed by over 300 professional Scottish musicians and industry bodies including the Musicians Union calling on BBC Radio Scotland to pause planned changes to its late-night specialist music programmes and consult with Scotland’s music sector. In January 2026, The Herald reported that McAll submitted playlist analysis to the Scottish Parliament’s Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee comparing late-night output from 1 to 15 January 2026 with the same period in 2025.
McAll and Constant Follower have appeared on industry and showcase programmes such as Wide Days and SXSW.