About Mekenzie Zimmerman

Mekenzie Zimmerman is a singer, storyteller, producer, and the original creative force behind Rumours ATL™, one of the most successful Fleetwood Mac tribute acts in the world. What began in a flooded Smyrna, Georgia basement in 2014 grew into a decade-long journey across stages, cities, and crowds — an unforgettable whirlwind of velvet, volume, and vulnerability.

Today, Mekenzie channels that experience into Rumours ATL™ Productions, a home for honest storytelling, music-driven memory, and deeply human truth. Her podcast, Starting Rumours: My Life As A Mockstar, blends memoir, behind-the-scenes grit, and emotional clarity as she revisits the highs, lows, and lessons of life on and off the stage.

The Story Behind the Story

Long before the sold-out shows, tour routing, brand-building, and photo shoots, there was a basement. A handful of musicians. A little bit of magic. And a vision that just wouldn’t let go.

For 11 years, Mekenzie lived the momentum of life inside a tribute band — the friendships, the pressures, the creative triumphs, and the moments the public never saw. She became the voice and founding spirit of Rumours ATL™, crafting not just a band, but a brand, an aesthetic, a sound, and a story that resonated far beyond Atlanta.

But life behind the velvet curtain was far more complicated than anyone knew. Starting Rumours pulls that curtain back.

Through each episode, Mekenzie revisits the shows, the struggles, the turning points, and the deeply personal truths that shaped her as an artist, a mother, and a woman rebuilding her identity on her own terms.

It’s part memoir, part time capsule, part reclamation.

Rumours ATL™ Productions

Rumours ATL™ Productions exists as Mekenzie’s next chapter— a space built on authenticity, clarity, and the courage to tell the truth, even when it’s messy.

Here, music and storytelling collide. Here, art is born from lived experience. Here, stories matter.

The company produces:

the podcast Starting Rumours: My Life As A Mockstar
original media projects
merchandise inspired by Mekenzie’s journey
future collaborations with artists, writers, and musicians

What began as a tribute act became a brand. What became a brand became a story. And now… that story has a home.

A Decade On Stage:

This gallery chronicles the years lived under the lights— velvet, vocals, evolution, and everything in between.

From basement rehearsals to packed venues, from quick-change closets to roaring festival crowds, these images represent the heartbeat of the journey: the woman behind the microphone, the artist finding her voice, and the Mockstar who transformed a dream into a phenomenon.

Every moment in this gallery is a snapshot of a life lived at full volume.

A woman with wavy blond hair singing into a microphone on stage, wearing a fringed, sequined robe, with her right hand on her chest and her left arm extended, pointing. The stage lighting is blue and purple.

Audience watching a concert with colorful stage lights

Amsterdam Bos, Amsterdam, The Netherlands 2024

Performer on stage with arms spread, wearing a black dress and a fringed, patterned shawl, with a band and guitar in the background.

A woman singing on stage with purple lighting, wearing a black dress with floral embroidery, and standing in front of a microphone with a yellow scarf hanging from it.

Female singer performing on stage with microphone, wearing bohemian-style clothing, with musical instruments in the background, illuminated by warm stage lights.

A person with curly hair wearing a black, shiny, sequined jacket performing on stage with arms outstretched, illuminated by blue stage lights.

A woman singing into a microphone on stage under purple and blue stage lights, wearing a black garment with flowing sleeves.

The very first show…

Back in 2014, Mekenzie was building what would become Rumours ATL™. The first show was November 28, 2014 at the legendary Star Bar in Little Five Points, Atlanta, GA. Here’s a clip of the band’s very first performance— Dreams by Fleetwood Mac— featuring Mekenzie and original members Alex Thrift, Jerry Tew, Gabriel Pline, and Waylon Elsberry.

Starting Rumours Podcast

Starting Rumours: My Life As A Mockstar is the true behind-the-scenes story of how a tribute band became a phenomenon— and what it cost along the way.

Hosted by the singer and storyteller who lived it, this weekly podcast blends emotional honesty, music-driven memory, and the messy, magical process of chasing a dream.