BLÁNID Interview | Respect The Artist
How did you get your Artist name?
It's a slightly altered version of my real name, I've just taken out some letters to make it closer to the phonetic pronunciation!
How did you get into creating?
I first started singing as a child in choirs, and then pursued traditional Irish folk singing. From here I started to develop an interest in contemporary folk and indie music. Interestingly, I didn’t start songwriting until late 2019 – I had always believed it was something that was gifted innately, something I simply couldn’t do. Then one day a song simply came to me and I had to write it down... and I haven’t stopped writing since!
Where are you from?
I’ve been brought up between Northern Ireland and Devon.
What did you do to advance your skills/knowledge?
I have tried to perform at every opportunity I can – I think that you learn something from every live performance and that each experience shapes you as an artist. In terms of technical skills I have watched many a YouTube video and read articles to try and better understand production, mixing and mastering. From a musical perspective, I have taught myself guitar and ukulele so as I can expand the range and variety of my sets.
What does your current setup look like?
Currently I record my songs at home, so it’s just me and my instruments (mainly guitar and piano, although I play a variety of other instruments too), my laptop, condenser mic, and an audio interface.
Who inspires you?
I draw on many influences when I’m creating, from classical choral works, to traditional Irish folk, to contemporary folk, indie, and blues singers. To name but a few: Nana Mouskouri, Leonard Cohen, Jeff Buckley, Eva Cassidy, Ray LaMontagne, Novo Amor – the list is huge!
What is your goal when you create?
My ultimate goal with my work is to evoke what I was feeling when I wrote the song, and allow the audience to connect with that feeling, inscribing their own meaning and life experiences to it.
What's your go-to song right now?
The song I have on repeat at the minute is Rosyln, by Bon Iver & St Vincent.
What is your dream as an artist?
My dream is to have a concert hall singing my own songs back to me – I think the experience of sharing that level of connection with an audience would be truly incredible.
What is some advice you would give to someone with a dream?
Go for it. Keep pushing and remember that things don't come overnight. Dreams are forged.
Tell us about your most recent release
My most recent release is a cover of the song ‘You Are My Sunshine’. It’s such a bittersweet song, I wanted to cover it because I feel it has so much to give. There’s so much depth and sadness in it juxtaposed against a somewhat jolly tune – I think that’s really interesting and I wanted to explore that.
Share a link to your most recent release
Stereotype Co’s mission is to shine light on dreamers around the world. If you appreciate the work we are doing please consider supportinging our platform.
100% of your donations will help Stereotype Co offer community programming, support artists, help youth launch businesses, offer seminars and pay staff. Your support helps us continue make a difference.