Interview with Dermot Kennedy
Ah, street busking. Some do it as a hobby, others do it for the love.
While Irish busker Dermot Kennedy undoubtedly does it for both these things, he also has an added bonus behind it - to fund his debut record!
I recently caught up with the up and coming star as he talked to me about how he got involved in music, his debut album, becoming an internet sensation and more.
"Busking is something I first did when I was about 16. I remember I didn't have an amp, which is unusual these days for buskers, so I had to make sure I was heard above all the street noise. In terms of developing my voice back then I think it helped hugely. But it was never really just a hobby. Busking can be fun, and it saves me from having to get a 'normal' job, which is great because it means I can focus fully on my music. But I do it mainly with the aim of funding my original stuff, which is where my passion is. And it's great because I just finished recording my first few tracks which will be on my debut release, and they were paid for by busking! So I'm lucky that I can make a living in that way."
"That video was taken when I was busking last year, by an American girl who was in Dublin for the Web Summit. It's amazing that so many people have viewed it. I suppose it helped that the girl who uploaded it had a pretty big following on YouTube already, and then that song was so insanely popular at that time too, so it just started racking up views pretty quickly. I got booked to play that song at a few weddings since then too, so that was a bonus. I really liked the song the first time I heard Ed Sheeran play it on Jools Holland, and so I learned it, and it paid off!"
Since then, Dermot has gone from strength to strength, continuing to busk on the streets but also sharing his own original songs which have gotten an incredibly positive response from very reputable names in the music industry. He has also worked on his debut album which he is very understandably excited about.
"I actually just finished in the studio. I was in Temple Lane Studios in Dublin recording some songs that are going to be on my first release. I recorded them with Michael Heffernan in there. He's great and I've worked with him before so it was great fun and went really well. I kind of started down the solo path last autumn, and I've had a lot of people let me know that it's high time I had my first proper release, even though my videos and live shows have gone extremely well. So early in July I set myself a goal of recording on July 20th, and then went busking a few times to raise the funds! It worked out really well, and I can't wait to be able to share what we created. "
As I mentioned, millions of people have seen his cover videos on YouTube from when he was busking but some may not be so familiar with his original pieces, so I put the question to Dermot, what can people expect from his album?
"I wanted to make songs that had a raw and earthy sound. I felt that, because I'd been gigging on my own since last year, the songs could stand up on their own. But I was also adamant that I didn't want to just make songs that were acoustic and nothing else. I think that definitely has its place, but I wanted to show that I'm capable of much more than that, and so I wanted to make songs that are strong in terms of their lyrics and their meaning, but I also wanted to make sure they were interesting musically. I had some great musicians who helped me out and who helped me achieve that. I didn't want the songs to lose their heart, but I didn't want them to just be acoustic songs either. I was trying to find a balance between well put-together and interesting music, and passionate songwriting, and I hope I did that!"
Everything happened relatively fast for the singer, between his videos becoming so popular, selling out numerous venues and working on an album, but what has been the highlight so far?
"My highlights would be a toss up between two gigs in the last while and are both actually quite closely connected.In December last year, I had invited Glen Hansard to a gig I was doing in the Unitarian Church in Dublin. He sadly couldn't make it because he was in Paris at the time, but he invited me to sing a song of my own on stage during his gig in Vicar Street a few days later. With about an hour left in his show he introduced me to the crowd and I walked on and played my song called "After Rain". The place was absolutely packed, and the crowd stayed so silent throughout the whole song, so it was unforgettable. I'll always admire Glen's generosity and his willingness to help people like me. He's a great example to musicians like myself, who will hopefully be able to do something like that for someone else someday.
But while I was backstage at that gig, I was introduced to the man who made Glen's guitar. He was a Swiss man called René Reusser, and he told me that he puts on shows once a month in his guitar workshop in Brienz in Switzerland. He invited me to go over there to play a show, and it was an incredible experience. Brienz is in the Swiss Alps, and it was the most stunning place. As for the show, René works tirelessly to promote it, and so on the night there were 80 people crammed into his workshop! Which was absolutely amazing for my first gig overseas. I stayed with René while I was there, and I'm going back to play there next year, so I can't wait."
Obviously things really are beginning to take off for Dermot Kennedy but he knows he has his busking to thank for a lot of his success. He remembers what it was like for him as a 16 year old, trying to get noticed in the industry and he has this advice for aspiring artists and buskers.
"My advice to any buskers, or even any up and coming musicians, would be to work hard, and always stay true to yourself. Don't stray from your own path by trying to imitate someone else.
For buskers I think it's quite important to find a balance between standing up for yourself and being kind. There are plenty of other buskers out there who are great people, and who will do anything they can to help you or work with you. But there are others who don't have such a good attitude, and they're are the ones you need to stand up to. There are people who are territorial, and aggressive even at times, but if you stand your ground you'll be fine. And my advice to any musician is never slow down. Never stop writing, and creating art. Always strive to be the best you can be, and always keep passion in your work."
You can find Dermot on Facebook www.facebook.com/dermotkennedymusic
And on Twitter @dermkennedy
Also watch out for his Debut Album!
EOIN!
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