Tyler McGinnis – “Like Make Believe”

Tyler McGinnis is an independent singer-songwriter out of Tacoma, Washington, and his new single “Like Make Believe” is exactly the kind of song that reminds you why acoustic folk music still hits so hard when it’s done right.

Tyler wrote this in 30 minutes while on vacation in Hawaii, months before proposing to his now-fiancée. It shows. The song has that unguarded, almost surprised-by-itself energy that you rarely get from something that was labored over in a studio for weeks.

Recorded in a single day at Bear Creek Studio in Woodinville, WA, the production is bare-bones in the best way. Acoustic guitar, harmonica, vocals, and a rhythm section handled by Jesse Gallaway on drums and bass. Tim Graham co-produced alongside Tyler, and together they kept everything honest.

The song is about rediscovery, the kind of love that pulls you back to a version of yourself you thought you’d lost and Tyler has said this is his first actual love song, and you can hear that in how open it sounds. It’s not trying to be clever. It’s personal without being self-indulgent, which is a harder balance to pull off than people think.

For anyone who gravitates toward indie folk and Americana, artists who actually mean what they’re singing, this one is worth your time. Tyler plays upward of 15 to 25 live shows a month, so this isn’t someone sitting on the sidelines. He’s out there working. Give “Like Make Believe” a listen, and make sure you’re following Tyler McGinnis on his socials to keep up with whatever he has coming next in 2026.