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We've interviewed a lot of people at Essentially Pop this year, and we'll be talking to a lot more. Most of our interviews have been via email question and answers, but some have been face to face. We've been to a lot of concerts, listened to a lot of music, and discovered a lot of very interesting people from all over the world, who are passionate about their craft, and deserve to be heard. Back in September we hooked up with Kitty Brucknell, who was the catalyst for a lot more interviews. What we've discovered is that the music industry is very complex, and there are a lot of artists who make very fine music, but through no fault of their own, encounter a lot of difficulties along the way. One such person we spoke to was Teddy Michaels, a singer from Chicago, USA. Teddy is a 23 year old unsigned independent pop artist. His musical influences include Madonna, Michael Jackson and Britney Spears. Let's revisit some of our interview with Teddy. EP: You describe yourself as an “independent pop artist, singer, songwriter dancer, actor, phone case designer” which one of those, if any, is your first love? Yes I’m a man of many trades lol. Well my first real true love is music and singing. So I have to say being a singer. Either if I’m performing at Madison Square Garden or singing at a small bar in Ohio or even singing in my shower, I will be singing no matter what. EP: Like so many people in the industry, you were bullied as a child, how does this influence your song writing/performing, and do you feel it has given you an extra determination to succeed? Being bullied as a child and as a teenager was one of the hardest times of my life. I used to hate waking up everyday to go to school because someone was going to call me the f word when I walked past them in the hallway. I had a constant fear of being called the n word everyday at school. Being bullied has influenced my music in so many ways. All the pain and aggression that built up in those years I use to my advantage when I’m recording at the studio. I let it all out. It also gives me a extra boost to want to pursue my dreams even more to prove my haters and bullies wrong.
In November Lisa went to Dublin to catch up on the thriving music scene over there. She checked out the buskers on Grafton Street, went to the Childline Cheerios Concert, and checked out a gig by up and coming psychedelic pop act, Fanlights. Lisa got to chat with lead singer, Unamae Cahill, before the show. Let's revisit their interview: EP: Give us the potted Fanlights story. Are you a democracy or does one person do more than the others (and if so what)? How did Fanlights come together? U: When I was growing up I was always involved in music and I loved it. For example my first gig was in the National Concert Hall when I was around 8 years of age. I was involved in orchestras, Irish traditional Grupa Ceoils and choirs. By the age of ten I could play piano, violin, viola, mandolin and concertina. I knew as a teenager that I was going to form a band. At around fifteen I started to compose melodies on the piano and then I added lyrics. I met a lot of great musicians whilst studying music in college. I formed the band
8 in the summer of 2013. We played gigs all over Ireland, London and some festivals in 2014 such as Youbloom and Indie week. Some members have come and gone. They have other projects in their lives that they have to focus on. Once in Fanlights your time is very well documented. There is a bit of history behind each member just like behind all the doors which have Georgian fanlights above them in Dublin. Everyone who has been in the band has contributed and that’s really important. I write the songs but everyone has an input…even if that means booking a gig! It is very important to recognise everyone’s efforts. For a band to succeed it’s better if everyone has the same vision. EP: How would you describe your music? What genre? U: I listen to a lot of piano based musicians such as Rufus Wainwright, Tori Amos, Tom Waits and Fiona Apple. I suppose the song structures are influenced by those artists. The genre is very pop based. The chorus has catchy lyrics and the theme is usually universal. I love music from all genres so the music is a bit of a mix really. I have a soft spot for 60s psychedelia bands. You can make up your own mind about the genre. I think its good to keep changing and pushing the envelope for the style. The genre is Fanlights. EP: Who do you take your inspiration from and would you most like to collaborate with? U: I love The Cure’s early records and the songwriter Robert Smith. He started off very alternative with an anti image however as time went on The Cure broke onto the mainstream market in the mid 80s. I say he would be very interesting to work with as he is so prolific and still writes to this day. I would love to take a time capsule back to 1968 and write some songs with Marc Bolan. I am a big fan. EP: Where’s your favourite place to perform? U: The Grand Social, it is where we played our first gig for The Jack Of Diamonds music festival. I like the little tables with the red candles under a tent like canopy. I also think Sweeney’s is a great venue for independent bands. You can always catch a band playing a set there almost every week. I mention the venue Workman’s in a song as well. There is a YouTube video recorded of “Superstar” being performed there in March 2014. That’s a pretty well known music venue in Dublin. I have seen a lot of Irish and International acts perform there. EP: What’s a surprising fact your fans might not know about you? U: I have a radio show called The Fluffy Noise. It’s every Friday for an hour between 3-‐4 pm. The studio is based on South Williams Street in Dublin. The Show is part of Radiomade.ie, which is a new Independent station. Every week I play my favourite songs. I also have a band or a musician coming in to perform a few acoustic songs and to talk about their music. The reason I started The Fluffy Noise was because I felt that bands need a platform to promote their music especially in Dublin. I don’t care how many likes the band has on these social networking sites. Its not about popularity with me, its about music.
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In April John and Edward took a whirlwind trip to Rome, which they used as a very effective background to the video for their song, "Free Spirit". The song, written in February, was inspired by US figure skater, Gracie Gold, whom the twins watched during the Winter Olympics. An inspirational and empowering song, it set the tone for what was yet to come -‐ songs which operate on more than one level. Touring in 2014 was restricted to Ireland, but the twins did pop over the water to perform at two summer festivals: Guilfest in July and Total Access Live in August. John and Edward took many by surprise, and gained a lot of fans at both events. Fans haven't had much of the same "hands on" contact with Jedward as they have enjoyed in previous years, as much due to their intense work schedule as anything else -‐ but the twins did introduce some unique experiences to their concerts, including access to their soundchecks on their Irish tour in October, and "intimate" Christmas concerts in mid-‐December, which included a "selfie-‐session" and chat with John and Edward. In November the duo performed as part of the lineup at the Cheerios Childline Concert, an event they've performed at every year since 2010, with the exception of 2013, when they were on tour in Australia. It was a brilliant concert, with the twins singing three of their new songs, including the debut of "Make Your Own Luck". Now we're into the new year and John and Edward have announced that Make Your Own Luck will be released on 30 January. The artwork is exceptional, has a real art deco, "Great Gatsby" feel about it! We're certainly looking forward to seeing a lot more of them this year!
SPEAKING ABOUT MAKE YOUR OWN LUCK LATE LAST YEAR, THE TWINS SAID THAT THE SONG IS ABOUT MOVING FORWARD AND FULFILLING YOUR DESTINY. WE THINK THEY'RE CERTAINLY GOING ABOUT THINGS THE RIGHT WAY.
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Grafton Street, right in the middle of Dublin, is a mostly pedestrianised shopping area, stretching down from St Stephen’s Green to College Green. As a result, it attracts a lot of people, and makes a fantastic base for Dublin’s many buskers. On any given day, and particularly on the weekends, you can hear high quality music on Grafton Street that you wouldn’t hear anywhere else. It was on such a day that we visited, and we found ourselves caught up in the crowd surrounding The FitzaFrenic, a ska act based in Dublin. Stripped back and simple, the band nonetheless were able to go through all the tracks from their album, “Chew The Fuse”. The 10 track album, co-‐produced by Mark Healy and NDT Productions, was on sale during the gig. Consisting of Conor McGrath (Lead Vocals and Sax), Cian Lernihan (Lead Guitar), Mark O’Connor (Bass Guitar), Trav Keogh (Drums), the FitzaFrenic have been together since 2008 and it shows. In 2010, they appeared live on TG4’s Pop 4, 98FM and Spin 103.8. Of the songs on their album, we enjoyed the quirky and very fun “One Can Van Damme” most of all.
Essentially Pop visited “Proud Camden” for the launch of Effie’s new EP, “Conquer”. Effie has been called “a female Frank Ocean”, and compared to Jessie Ware. “Conquer” is the result of a chance encounter with Rhett “Kidforce” Raha, an artist and producer based in LA. The songs on the EP are written from the point of view of someone who’s been in and out of love, but is now on the other side, better and stronger. “Conquer” is a cathartic collection of bitingly refreshing songs, and we really enjoyed hearing them. Just after 8, Effie took to the stage, opening with “Biggest Regret”, the third song from “Conquer”. Soulful and moving, she sings about the turmoil she’s been through in love, but she’s now moving on. Effie gave it her all, and the audience clearly enjoyed it immensely. She rounded off an amazing night with her single, “Addicted”, which she released in May.
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