Interview with Sydnee Carter

Interview with Sydnee Carter

If you haven't yet heard the voice of Australian singer/songwriter Sydnee Carter, then mark my words, you truly are missing out. Very rarely am I left speechless by lyrics and vocals but upon listening to her audition for the Australian X Factor and her debut EP, that is exactly how I felt.

I recently chatted to Sydnee (despite the time difference between Ireland and Australia!) talking about her X Factor experience, what she's been getting up to since then and what her plans are for the future.

But first... let's hear how she got involved in music!

"I guess when I was little, I always looked forward to being the centre of attention, I always wanted to just dance for my family and friends or sing or tell jokes or even hurt myself if I had to! I was at the shops one day and I saw this guitar in the window when I was like five or six and I was just like 'I need to have this' so my parents got it for me for my birthday and that's really how I got started in music."

In 2014 Sydnee auditioned for the X Factor, performing an outstanding rendition of 'Youth' by Daughter which resulted in a standing ovation not only from the audience but from all four judges and merited exceptional feedback. Sydnee explains why she applied for the audition.

"I took it upon myself to audition for the X Factor because over here in Perth I wanted to go to this University called the Western Australia Performing Arts Academy and in order to get in you have to do an audition and I had never done anything near an audition, like I had pretty much just sung in my bedroom or sung in front of my friends, so I thought auditioning would be a good way to get experience and feedback. I never really intended to get past the audition at all, I just thought I would do the audition, get some feedback and it would help me prepare for the audition for the Performing Arts Academy when I finished school."

That audition has over one million views on Youtube and rightly so, you can check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPW1znwXc_c! I put the question to Sydnee as to whether or not she had any idea of just how well the audition was going while she was on stage!

"It was a little bit weird because like, I think I was so full of adrenaline because you're so hyped up backstage because all these people who work on the show are like 'alright, you're going out in two minutes or you're on stage in thirty seconds' and then it kind of becomes real to you so when I walked on, everything went numb because I was so in the moment and I was thinking to myself that this is an opportunity I have been given here so just give it everything you've got and just do your best so that was kind of my focus the whole time, I didn't worry about stuffing up, I didn't think about what could go wrong, I just thought 'do your best and whatever happens, happens'"

Well what did happen was something that Ronan Keating described as being "really, really special" and Sydnee advanced to the live shows and she described her experience to me.

"I guess I had no idea what to expect because what you see on TV is completely different to what it is backstage. There are so many people involved in making the show and putting the show together. It was pretty intense and the schedules we had for the live shows were intense because we would be out at like 6am and back around 8:30pm so for a 16 year old, that was quite intense but I loved the experience and I met so many new people and it was pretty cool. But I felt like I didn't really get a chance to show Australia what I could really do because I didn't get songs that really showcased my potential or anything, I kept getting songs that probably wouldn't have been my first choice, getting costumes that wouldn't have been my first choice. I'm not complaining that I came 9th but I would have liked just one more week to show people that I was more than just this product they were making me into, I'm actually Sydnee Carter that can turn songs into my own version and stuff like that." 

Living in Ireland, I didn't have the luxury of watching the X Factor in Australia live so I had to do all my catching up on Youtube and I did notice a number of comments agreeing with Sydnee regarding the song choices, so I was curious when she left the X Factor did she have the determination to release her own stuff and show the country what she was truly made of?

"When I left the show I thought, 'you know what, I've got some momentum here' and I just needed to get things happening. I already had a few songs that I had already written before X Factor and when I got back I had missed out on so much school and seeing my friends so there was so much for me to write about and so when I got back I ended up writing another two or three songs and I met a really amazing producer when I was over in Sydney for the X Factor and so when the show was over, he [Ryan] was eager to do something and get my music out there by making an EP, so me and my mum flew over there and we literally had four days and in that time we smashed out all the songs, got them recorded and made the end product absolutely incredible."

The EP has got an incredible amount of plays on Spotify and the end product really is o
utstanding but Sydnee admits that the reaction to her debut EP grew gradually and her parents played a huge part in its success.

"It gradually got there, I mean it was so much hard work and I certainly wouldn't have been able to do it without my parents. My dad and mum put so much effort into keeping that exposure and momentum from the show going, trying to establish a new fanbase so like pretty much more than half of my fanbase have no clue that I was on the X Factor, they just liked me because of my new EP, like my actual music, not the X Factor and I wouldn't have gotten that many plays on Spotify or downloads on iTunes or views on YouTube without the help of my parents."

I still think it is incredible that Sydnee is only 18 years old and already has achieved what she has achieved, the future is bright for the Australian singer/songwriter and we will be hearing a lot more from her in the coming months and years.

"I ended up getting in to the Performing Arts Academy that I spoke about earlier and I have plans to release some new music in March or April so that's in the works at the moment, it's all been recorded, we're just waiting for it to be produced and mastered and stuff and that's when we will look at releasing it. Also, my parents and I are starting a record label, our own independent one, so that's really exciting and we're looking into doing a tour in the second half of the year!"

EOIN!

Interview with Rosa Nutty

Interview with Rosa Nutty

If you happen to be around the Dublin area this coming Friday (5th Feb), at a loose end and with €6 to spare, I strongly urge you to go see Rosa Nutty at Bello Bar in Portobello.

With her EP 'Bunny' released in August of last year, I can say with my hand on my heart that it is one of my favourite Irish releases in the last 6 months. I recently caught up with Nutty to talk about her gig, her EP, her pre-stage rituals and much much more besides!

"Friday's gig will be the first gig we will have done since we launched the EP last year so it is kind of our first chance to play our music live. It also has given us more time to work on our music and getting a more concrete set. August was basically a month where we launched the EP but now we really are looking to launch our live set and show everyone where we are headed."


Rosa and her band would have had a trial run so to speak on the 28th of January when they supported Paddy Hanna in Whelan's and she feels as though support slots like that will be of great benefit when it comes to her own headline gigs.

"The more you play, the better you get, so the experience has been amazing. But also, from seeing other artists perform and working with them, you get a lot of ideas and inspiration for your own performance which is great too!"

"I'm a super nervy performer so for Friday's gig I'm a mixture of nervous and excited but once I play a couple of tracks, I'm usually fine!" I then asked her about her rituals before performing - "Oh, God, mine is so lame! I always have a glass of red wine and bring it on stage with me, it's kind of like my comfort blanket!" 

As I mentioned in my intro, I truly hold this EP in the highest regard and I was interested to know where the inspiration behind the music came from. Nutty says her material is a mixture.

"Most of the stuff I wrote before the EP is very personal to me. 'Fine Print' especially is completely personal, but I am trying to branch out because I think that is important. Too much 'boohoo me' can be a bit exhausting at times. So that's the reason I'm trying to expand my music, my most recent song is about an artist called Frida Kahlo and I'm trying to look into other things too."

One question I always pose to artists embarking on a solo career is whether or not they find the promotion side of things difficult but the Dublin based singer-songwriter believes that you just have to grab every opportunity with both hands.



"One thing I learned is that you just have to be bold and put yourself out there. Us Irish people tend to not want the attention on ourselves but eventually you learn that you're going to get nowhere like that! I think the Dublin music scene in particular is very well documented, like there are so many people blogging and doing other stuff so if you send emails around, you can get included in a lot of things."

Friday's gig will certainly be her most anticipated yet but she remains humble and knows that there is quite a bit of work to be done once the gig is over!

"We actually have a good few more gigs coming up over the next couple of months with a couple of support slots starting on the Tuesday after the gig so we won't have much time to rest but I love performing so it's a good complaint to have!"

The future is certainly looking bright for Rosa Nutty and I'm excited to see what she can bring to the table. If her debut EP is anything to go by, we're in for a treat!

Don't forget the gig - Friday 5th February, Bello Bar, Dublin.

You can follow Rosa's journey in the following ways:

Website: www.rosanutty.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosa.nutty/
Twitter: @RosaNutty
Bandcamp: https://rosanutty.bandcamp.com

EOIN!

Interview with Pauric O'Meara

Interview with Pauric O'Meara

Let's just say if The Voice of Ireland was judged on first auditions, I would already have my winner. Pauric O'Meara's simply breathtaking performance of 'Maniac 2000' blew the nation away, including myself.

I recently chatted to the up and coming Tipperary native about that audition and what he hopes to gain from the show!

Firstly though, I'm always curious when I interview artists who part-take in music competitions as to how they went about auditioning - Pauric's family were a clear influence!

"For the last few years my parents and my sister have been urging me to go for it, so this year my sister didn't give me an option. I wasn't hesitant because I've been gigging for the last few years and saw this as a great platform to build myself as a musician."

"To be honest, I only remembered how the audition really went when it was on TV because I was in a genuine state of shock while I was on stage. Words can't describe how I felt after each chair turned. I walked on stage knowing no matter what the outcome would be I would be proud of myself for getting to this stage, and I knew I'd give it my best. I'm not one to suffer with nerves, but when the chairs started turning I got a bit nervous because they were all looking at me perform!"

If you haven't already seen the performance, trust me, you are missing out, so I would advise you to check it out here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MoDfPv94bIc. After his audition, with all four judges (Kian Egan, Una Foden, Rachel Stevens and Niall Breslin) turned, Pauric opted to go for Bressie.

"I chose Bressie because of his abilities as a musician and his song writing skills. My long term goal is to be a successful singer/songwriter, and most importantly to be my own artist and have my own style, and I think it's fair to say Bressie will help me strive towards this dream and make it a reality"

I don't think I'm exaggerating when I say that the internet literally 'blew up' here in Ireland after Pauric's audition was aired on RTE last Sunday week. People were quick to take to social media in order to share the video with their friends and praise his outstanding performance.

"If you ask anyone who knows me, it's hard to shut me up, but the reaction and support I received left me speechless. I had a feeling I was going to get some sort of a reaction because of the song choice, but I had no idea it was going to be extreme as it has been. The last week has been one of the best of my life so far and I'd like to thank everyone who has made it like this. From YouTube views to Facebook shares, words can't describe how much it means."

Next up on The Voice is the 'Battles' and Pauric hopes that he will receive the same level of support from the general public but admits that he is remaining grounded and living in the moment.

"Next up is the Battles. I'm not really one to look past what's laying in front of me, so I'm taking each day as it comes and enjoying it to the last, I've wanted this for a long time and I'm not going to let it pass by me easily. If I get through the battles, the live shows will begin then where I'll hopefully be looking to everyone to support me with votes, but we'll deal with that when it comes to it! I'm loving the experience so far and just hope it keeps on getting better and better for me. I'm excited for people to hear more from me, some people have been saying that I'm a one trick pony and the song choice is what saved me, but all they have to do is stay tuned to the show and they won't be disappointed."

He certainly comes across as a charismatic and determined artist but this is what he feels he can bring to the competition.

"A personality and ambition that few people have. I'm the type of person who stays grounded at all times and doesn't over think situations, I'd like to think I'm a calm person who helps keep the mood positive. As for my ambition and long-term goal for this show, I don't want to be a carbon copy of another artist that already exists. I want to be known for the type of artist and musician that I am. I'm a risk taker and will work hard to ensure that my risks pay off."

I know who my money is on already.

EOIN!

Interview with Scoops

Interview with Scoops

With their eagerly anticipated debut EP 'Scenes of Joy' set to be launched in less than two weeks, trust me when I say that big things are waiting around the corner for this band.

I recently caught up with one half of Scoops (Stephen Cooper and Stephen O'Rourke,) to talk about how the band got together, what they have planned for the future and of course, what fans can expect from the EP.

Cooper: "I started off firstly as a solo artist. I just finished college, started doing my own thing, writing my own songs and trying to get my sound right. I then got a couple of support slots with the likes of Walking on Cars and acts like that. Then Stephen [O'Rourke] joined me not too long after I started getting heavily into the original stuff and Steve has been with me for the last two years?"

O'Rourke: "Yeah, almost two years now. We actually met in San Diego of all places and I really liked Stephen's original stuff. We continued to work hard and then in the last while, the other two lads have come on board and we created the full band."

I always find it interesting when a band is formed after one of the members has kind of set the ball rolling as a solo artist. So I put the question do the guys; for Cooper, did he find it difficult adapting to other people coming on board and for O'Rourke, was it weird becoming a part of it.

Cooper: "To be honest, when I wrote the songs, I always imagined them being filled out and different instruments by different people being added like an extra guitar or drums and stuff. So it was relatively easy to adapt to it. It just felt natural."

O'Rourke: "I had played in different cover bands and stuff before I met Stephen in San Diego but from that moment I really loved what he was doing and for me, it was really easy to join a band when you love the music. And as well as that, I felt as though I could bring a lot to the band."

As I mentioned in my intro, the band are set to launch their EP 'Scenes of Joy' to a SOLD OUT Whelan's, Dublin on January 21st. And the guys are understandably extremely excited.

Cooper: "We finished recording 'Scenes of Joy' at the end of August, then of course it was all mixed and mastered and went live online on the 2nd of November. Really, it was a pretty long process. From the recording of the first song to now obviously the release, it took quite a while but we really can't wait for January 21st to come around."

O'Rourke: "Yeah I think the process was so long because we had to change songs from a solo song to a two piece song and then into a song that the whole band could perform so there was a couple of months in the studio getting our sound right and getting the songs structured the way we wanted them and we are thrilled with the end product!"

I was chatting to the guys after they supported Keywest in the Grand Social back in December, a performance that would have been worthy of their own headline show. But the lads were very grateful to Keywest for giving them the opportunity.

O'Rourke: Yeah when we heard that Keywest were looking for support on their tour, we got in contact with them and showed them our stuff and thankfully they really liked it! We have gotten on really well over the past while and they have been nothing but good to us and we have really enjoyed getting our music out there, not only here in Ireland but also over in the UK too!"

And people have obviously been impressed by what they have heard from Scoops because the EP Launch is sold out and the guys promise that it will be a night to remember!

Cooper: "Doors will open around 8pm and we will have a support act on around 8:30pm and then we will hit the stage about 9:30, and fingers crossed the place will be hoppin'"

O'Rourke: Yeah we have a few surprises lined up too. I mean, it's not just going to be your average gig. It will be exciting and fun. It's not just a gig, it's a launch night, a debut launch night and we want to really make it memorable for ourselves and the people who come along"

I hope to make it to Whelan's for the launch of the EP! But if you won't be there, I have a copy of the EP to give away, All you have to do is send me a message on Twitter with a screenshot of this blog to be in with a chance to win!

You can keep up to date with all Scoops' activity in the following ways:

Facebook: Scoops Music
Twitter: @scoopsmusic
Website: www.scoopsmusic.com
YouTube: Scoops1989

EOIN!

One To Watch: Picture This

One To Watch: Picture This

Have the pen and notepad at the ready to take down the name of these guys, because trust me, 2016 is going to be a massive year for Picture This.

Comprised of Jimmy Rainsford and Ryan Hennessy, both from Athy in County Kildare, their unique sound is incredible and blew me away upon first listen.

And it's clear that I'm not the only fan of their music! Their debut track 'Take My Hand' has clocked up over 260,000 (and counting!) views on Facebook and almost 50,000 views on YouTube since October. 

They also came up with an outstanding Christmas song entitled 'This Christmas' which received a phenomenal amount of airplay across the radio stations here in Ireland, with an exceptional response from the public. You can check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtXL4qUW4bA

Their page on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/BandPictureThis/?fref=ts is close to 5,000 likes and is rising rapidly each day, with fans commenting and posting on the page about how excited they are for the guys to release more material in the near future. 

Personally speaking, I believe there is a huge niche in the music industry for the style that Picture This have. Not only are the lyrics exquisite but the contrast in Jimmy and Ryan's voices, especially in the harmonies is nothing short of brilliant - it's no wonder they have almost 1,000 subscribers on YouTube!

This year promises to be one hell of a year for these guys so as they say, watch this space!

EOIN!

Gig Review - RTE 2FM Charity Gig in Aid of ISPCC @ 3 Arena, Dublin

Gig Review - RTE 2FM Charity Gig in Aid of ISPCC @ 3 Arena, Dublin

Hands down one of the gigs of 2015 for me, made even better due to the fact it was all in aid of such a great cause. Bringing together the incredible talent of Irish music and putting on a superb performance in front of thousands of people, this gig certainly won't be forgotten anytime soon. The acts included:

1. The Riptide Movement

This rock band formed back in 2006 got the night's entertainment up and running with a superb, energetic performance. Their first time performing at the iconic venue and it was clear from their stage presence that they loved every second of it. Their song "All Works Out" which has received a great response and a huge amount of airplay recently was the pick of their songs, with the crowd up on their feet dancing and singing along. Great opening act. 

2. Gavin James

Need I say more about this guy? I recently reviewed his headline gig in Scala, London and I have him tipped as my number 1 artist for 2016. Gavin James performed second before rushing off to headline his own gig in Whelan's. His songs were met by rapturous applause with 'For You' and 'Bitter Pill' being sung along to by virtually everyone inside the venue. James is doing incredibly well and has just announced that his three shows in The Olympia Theatre next January have now all sold out. Well deserved. 

3. Little Green Cars

These guys have always been a band I've wanted to see live and I have to say they didn't disappoint! Singer, Faye O'Rourke was actually the only female performer on the night so her vocals really stood out. They had a couple of huge fans standing around where I was standing! Personally, Harper Lee was my favourite song of theirs and I have since played it on my radio show! 

4. Ryan Sheridan

I actually cannot stress how good Ryan Sheridan was at this gig. He absolutely blew me away. I have always been a fan of his music but never seen him perform in front of a live audience but his energy and engagement with the crowd was phenomenal. 'Jigsaw' went down a treat but the stand out moment was his cover of Coldplay's outstanding track 'Fix You' as the audience held up the lights on their phones. Goosebumps. 

5. The Coronas

I don't think guest appearances get much better than this. The Coronas weren't originally down to play at this gig but when their name was called on stage, the screams were deafening. They performed some of their best hits both old and new and the crowd knew every word. Lead singer Danny O'Reilly said he was honoured to be involved in a gig for such a great cause. These guys are back in the 3 Arena on New Year's Eve where they will be joined by Ryan Sheridan, Kila, Little Hours and Fatboy Slim. 

6. Hudson Taylor

Second last act of the night were the incredible duo of Hudson Taylor. Their excitement to be on stage was palpable and the audience clearly fed off that vibe. Performing tracks such as 'Chasing Rubies' and 'Battles', these guys also put in a stellar performance to cap off what has been an extremely impressive year for them. Onwards and upwards as they say! 

7. Hozier

The largest cheer of the night came for the headline act, Hozier. A guy who really has represented Ireland globally over the last 12 months in incredible fashion. He said himself that he was delighted to be home and he gave a performance that will long live in the memories of the audience. I don't think I would be exaggerating when I say I think everyone knew every word to every song! An honour to see him live for the first time. 

EOIN!

Interview with Sive

Interview with Sive

The word "captivating" is thrown around quite a lot in the music industry these days, often carelessly. But trust me when I say that Kildare native, Sive, is exactly that. 

I first came across her music when she performed in Alice's Restaurant in Naas as a guest at Keith Plunkett's EP Launch and then again in Judge Roy Beans at an event that I hosted and on both occasions she blew me away, so much so that I had to get an interview with her!

"When I was really young I used to love pop music and when I think back to it, I always noticed the harmonies in songs and sing along with the backing vocals which I guess was a strange thing for a kid to do! I played the keyboard and then when I was 14 I began learning how to play the guitar and I suppose that's probably when I started to get madly into music!"

Her love for music continued to grow and she joined a band as a backing vocalist and admitted that she was terrified when asked to sing and often pretended her microphone didn't work to get out of it! But isn't it strange how she is now a solo artist?

"When I was in college in Ballyfermot I was writing my own songs so I kind of started singing out of necessity more than anything and I remember my friend Janet encouraged me to go for it and I thought to myself 'Okay, I'll give it a shot, and I did"

Sive is currently self employed, meaning she is not signed to anybody and she believes that there are both pros and cons to that.

"It can be hard to promote yourself especially when you're not in a band, like how do you make yourself sound cool and appealing? It's also hard to keep the momentum up. I mean, it's one thing to keep writing and recording music but then there's also the other side to it like the promotions and the releasing and stuff, it can be pretty tiring. That said I do really enjoy the freedom and I love the recording and performing and having people listen to my stuff!"

Well people will have an opportunity to listen to her new music in the New Year because she hopes to release a new album in 2016, if all goes according to plan.

"I have some of the songs fully recorded and others half recorded. All of them are written, just some need a little more time but hopefully I'm going to be finished by next February and then release it some time during the year. The hardest thing at the moment is actually choosing which songs to put on the album. I've written quite a few and had narrowed it down to 12 and then it crept back up to 13 but I would like to keep it at 12 because I find if there are too many songs, people won't listen to the last few!"

As I mentioned in my intro, the second time I seen Sive perform was at a gig I hosted - A Song For Jack and Jill Charity Album Launch in Judge Roy Beans. This was an album jam packed of Irish artists in order to raise funds for the Jack and Jill Charity. Sive explains how she got involved in the album:

"Mike Gleeson asked me about a year ago if I was interested and at this stage it was really only an idea, we were trying to find other artists to come on board too so obviously that took a bit of time but I was delighted to be a part of it and raise money for a very worthy cause!"

2015 was a pretty busy year for the Kildare artist and 2016 promises to be just as, if not busier. She has so much planned for the year ahead, with the album of course taking the number one priority.

"After Christmas the focus will definitely be on the album and getting that released as soon as possible. At the moment I don't have any gigs planned for the start of the year but I'm sure that will changed after the release of the album!"

So.. Exciting times ahead for Sive! You can follow her journey in the following ways:

Website: www.sivemusic.com

Twitter: @sivemusic

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/siveband/?fref=ts

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/sivemusic

And of course, keep an eye out for the album next Spring!

EOIN!