Bringing the album to life!
The creative process of putting the moments shared and the feelings felt, into the music.
So here we are approaching the end of September! Can you believe it! What a year we have had. What a journey we have been on. Through the ups and the downs and the learning to adapt and become more resilient, we are here.
I wanted to write a letter to each one of you reading this because the words of support and love that you have shown to me over the last few months has shaped me into the artist that I have always dreamed of being. The feeling of being truly myself and speaking and singing about topics and things that are important to me, is the most freeing feeling of all.
Your kindness has made a safe space for me to do that. I feel very lucky for the community that we have built online and through this music. I’m so glad I documented the writing of the songs, and performing them for the first time online, and the behind the scenes in the studio, because these are special moments that make this album what it is and I wanted you all to be as much a part of that process as we are.
It was like a breath of fresh air going back into studio after months of working from our homes. I have never been so thankful to once again feel that feeling you get in the studio. The slight feeling of nerves mixed with lots of excitement and the wonderful anticipation of how the songs will develop after singing them.
We have recently been recording the vocals for the album in Gavin Murphy’s studio. Before we started the recording we would rehearse through the songs live with just myself and Gavin to really get the feel for it. We filmed some of these performances, you may have seen some clips online and I will share more with you soon. Before each song I introduced it and gave the back story to it. What I really noticed was that every single song has a story that I can feel with every word that I sing. Each song captures a moment in my life that will now be kept in the time capsule that is the music of this album. I love that!
Someone asked me recently why are you doing this? I was taken off guard with the question. They said are you doing this album to be successful and make money? My answer would have nothing to do with the success or money but it really made me think. I wake up in the morning and I think about music, and the last thing going around and around in my mind before bed is music. I am making this album because it’s the most honest expression of who I am, what I stand for and my intentions for the world that we live in. I sing to heal and it heals me too. It is the purest form of emotion that I have ever experienced, so I want that in my life every day. To be able to sing my own songs is like winning the lottery. It lifts my body and mind to a new place where I feel most like me. It’s the greatest privilege to be able to make music, and something that I want to do for the rest of my life.
For many of the songs Gavin and I collaborated remotely, during the lockdown. This is something I never knew was possible. But we did it and I’m so proud of the music that has been made since April 2020.
Lots of you have asked me questions about the songs so I wanted to give you a little back story to some of these songs.
Seas Suas - An original Irish song that I wrote when I was away touring. I missed home and my family and husband so much at the time. I wanted to write a love song to all of those who were at home and I wanted them to know that although they were physically far away, they were never far from my heart. They were with me in every thought and every note. I love this song because it really is who I am and my love for the Irish language and our tradition.
Wildflowers - is a song that will forever remind me of the women in my family. Particularly my grandmother. I am so close to her and as a child she would show me dried flowers that were so delicately kept between two sheets of grease proof paper in an old book. They were so beautiful. She told me that she found them years after her mother had passed away. Her mother, my great grandmother would tell the story of the wild flowers and I loved hearing about how they ended up in this book. I love that the flowers represent the passing of time, the beauty of nature, the love between mother and daughter, and proof that stories keep memories alive for all time.
Heartbeats - this song was written during the lockdown. With so many news stories covering stories about inequality, discrimination and fear, it really upset me to see how people can be so cruel to one another.
I wanted to write a song that we can all relate to. No matter who you are, where you are from, what you believe in, what colour your skin is, who you love, who you identify as. No matter what you may believe is right of wrong, we are all just heartbeats. No two people are the same, but we all have a beating heart and that unites us all. We are just the heartbeats of our time and my hope is that one day we can live peacefully without prejudice, injustice and discrimination. Know that no matter what you stand for, love is the only universal language. And I will forever stand for love and equality.
In The Quiet - A song of reflection. A moment of quiet and leave for anyone who has lost someone or something close to them. In a world that is so fast paced, I wanted to write lyrics that made a safe space to reminisce and remember all of the special moments that life offers us every day.
I hope to fill you in on some more very soon.
We are still busy recording for the album and I it is so exciting to see all of the pieces of the puzzle coming together.
If you want to receive up to date information on the album and process of making it, you can subscribe in the ‘contact’ section of my website.
Grá Mór
Éabha