AN INTRO FROM THE CHIEF

2025 is just around the corner and I’m definitely planning some big personal changes, life really is too short and you just don’t know what is around the corner.

In the here and now I am very much in limbo, in terms of my fostering journey and house journey, the wee man has been with me just over 8 months and could be away in a matter of weeks which I know is going to be so tough and I am waiting to find out a date that I can move into my new house - have been short term renting overlooking Lough Neagh, it is absolutely stunning here, foresee this quiet life in the future but it’s just too quiet for now.

Am stressed organising the GNI MAG Awards on 23rd November though am super looking forward to it, it’s always such a great night, if you haven’t done so already pop over to gnimag.com/ awards to nominate , you have less than 7 days, then the voting for winners will open on the same page.

Have signed up for a few projects next year that I know will be a great distraction and so much fun, apart from this I don’t have much to share, I will for-sure reveal all in due course

Let’s move on to Issue 64, can’t believe we are at the penultimate edition and next week I will be working on our Christmas Issuewhere has the year gone?

This issue is a real mixed bag, I interviewed independent songstress Grace Davies, you will remember her from XFactor - It felt like I was chatting to a friend when I interviewed her, so lovely and what a talent, check out her latest single ‘A Wonderful Boring, Normal Life’, it’s soo good.

I interviewed local lad Jordan Walker, he has been living, working and studying in London though is back in Northern Ireland for the next couple of months, taking to the skies playing the title role of Peter Pan in The Grand Opera House - we had a lovely chat about how his life has went full circle and he gave loads of lovely words of wisdom.

Other interview include Paul Ryder, Kataluna, Logan Hardcore and the beautiful bear gracing our cover Johnny Donavon

Is there a Doctor in the house? Yes, Dr Bryan Murphy is on board to talk about Acne, the health and wellness continues with Paul from Soul Script as he talks about Identity, Megane explores Labels, are they needed in 2024 ? And Ellise’s column touches on Body, Mind, Fitness and so much more

We really have something for everyone, The Rainbow Project covers Gender Affirming Care, we have Weddings, Sport, Travel, Food, Music, Events, Candles tested by us, Staycation in Newcastle the list could go on and on though I wont lol.

Thanks as always to our columnists who take the time to share what they have been up to, to the many forward-thinking companies who advertise their services and of course to you the readers who without I wouldnt have a publication to produce.

Enjoy reading, have a lovely Halloween, see you at the Awards in person or back here for our Christmas issue of the Magazine

Daniel May Editor and Director

Grace Davies singer-songwriter who gained prominence as the runner-up on The X Factor UK in 2017. Known for her original songs, including “Roots,” she captivated audiences with her powerful vocals, original material and emotional depth. Since the show, Grace has continued to release music and tour independently. We chatted about all this and more.

Interview with Daniel May

I THOUGHT WE COULD GET THE XFACTOR CHAT TICKED OFF FIRST, SO IT’S 7 YEARS SINCE YOU DID THE SHOW. I DIDN’T REALISE UNTIL RECENTLY THAT YOU WERE ASKED TO AUDITION - HOW DID THAT COME ABOUT?

I’m from a very small town which does not have a lot going on. And there is no music industry there. I thought that a TV programme would be the only way to get a break, I saw that there was a psycho Talent Scout day in Lancaster, I had no idea what that was going to entail. But I turned up and did a mini audition, it went great and was asked to come to the Psycho London offices with my mum and my dad. The plan was to do Britain’s Got Talent. And I went through that process and then they said, We’re not gonna televise your audition because we’d rather you go on X Factor. I said, No, the BGT process took it out of me. For three years they asked me to do the programme, in the end I said All right, only if could sing my own songs.

THAT ACTUALLY LEADS INTO MY SECOND QUESTION. YOUR TIME ON THE SHOW WAS BOTH GROUNDBREAKING BEING THE FIRST TO SHARE YOUR OWN MUSIC THOUGH THERE WERE ALSO MOMENTS OF DRAMA WITH MRS O - WHEN YOU LOOK BACK IS IT POSITIVELY OR HAVE YOU ANY REGRETS?

I would not be sitting here talking to you and releasing these songs and stuff, if it wasn’t for that show and that process. So I can never sit here and slate it, whether I had a great or bad experience, but I did genuinely enjoy the show when I was on it though it was hard after to keep going forward for sure. But I don’t think there’s many times in life where you get to perform your own songs to Millions of people sitting at home and have someone make a backing track for something that you’ve written and go. Here’s all your dancers and here’s all your pyro and everything like that it was spectacular and so yeah. I had a fantastic experience with the actual production of the show and that kind of side of it for sure.

I HEARD RUMORS THAT IT’S DUE TO COME BACK IN 2025. DO YOU THINK THERE’S STILL A PLACE FOR THE PROGRAM?

I don’t think there’s a place for anymore. I think that was quite apparent, even in my season. And it went on for a couple years after me, but we’ve had that time of that kind of show and I think it’s had its moment and you can see it in the voice and things like that that are obviously still going on. It just doesn’t have the same kind of following or viewing numbers that it did back in the day and that’s fine, the world moves on but yeah, I wouldn’t recommend it.

LETS GET ON TO YOURSELF. YOU’RE KNOWN FOR YOUR INCREDIBLE SONGWRITING, WHAT’S YOUR TYPICAL PROCESS WHEN YOU SIT DOWN TO WRITE MUSIC? I write from my personal experience. I think I always find it easier because it’s right in the diary. I’m very much like a collaborative person, the songs that I wrote for the show and things like roots, I wrote by myself and I can do that but I love being in the room with people who are just firing things at you and you’re doing the same and you get excited in the room and I think when you’re writing by yourself, you’re way more critical. So I love to just sit in a room and go. Okay. What’s everyone feeling today? Are we sad? Or are we happy or do we want to dance?

I love to get a vibe from other people and just have fun with it. And I think I spent far too many years tearing my hair out, critiquing every single word I wrote.

Now if it doesn’t work on the day or if anyone’s not in the right mindset, it doesn’t matter we’re not saving lives. We’re just writing songs. And so it’s just to have fun really, and see whatever comes into your brain.

IS IT MUSIC FIRST OR LYRICS FIRST OR DOES IT JUST DEPEND?

I always like to get a vibe of a track and kind of feel that the melodies are at least there and exciting but when it comes to lyrics, I’m very particular. And I don’t work well with people that kind of right throw away lyrics that don’t make sense. I’m like No it needs to make sense we need to have a story

HOW WOULD YOU SAY YOUR SOUND AND STYLE HAS EVOLVED SINCE YOU FIRST APPEARED ON OUR SCREENS?

I’m a 27 year old woman, I was not when people first discovered me, I was writing songs about experiences that happened to me in school and college. I’ve been through relationships and mental health problems, struggles with my body, things that I’ve never experienced at 19 or 20. So I think my lyricism has changed. I’m much more straightforward and to the point and just tell it like it is, when I was younger I was also into and inspired by different people. Who I am as an artist has definitely changed for sure.

I FIND YOUR LYRICS VERY PERSONAL. DO YOU DRAW A LINE AND SAY I DON’T WANT TO GIVE THIS PART OF ME OR EXPERIENCE/EMOTION AWAY OR ARE YOU SIMPLY COMPELLED TO SHARE?

I put everything in I honestly do because I don’t write diaries. I don’t journal or anything like that, and I’m no good in therapy. So, I just put everything that I’m going through. It’s kind of like my way of getting my feelings off my chest and I’ve spoken to someone about that thing that upset me and I’ve just put it in a song, but it makes me feel better.

But then I also think the feeling of a listener, hearing my lyrics and feeling less alone, in whatever they’re going through is super exciting to me because I sometimes write these songs thinking, I’m the only person in the world that feels like this and then someone else hears it and they’re like, no, I completely relate. So it’s that kind of bounce back of feelings being shared. It’s always nice.

WHO ARE LISTENING TO ATM, WOMEN LIKE CHAPEL ROAN AND SABRINA CARPENTER ARE KILLING IT?

Chapel Roan and Sabrina are amazing. I think it is women’s time but then you’ve got to think we have been campaigning for this for so long. There’s been so many movements and speeches at the Brit Awards about women in music and there is that title of women in music. You don’t get that often with men in music. It’s like we’ve been pushing forward for the spotlight to be on women in music and now it’s happening. It’s great.

I READ THAT A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO YOU WERE THROWING THE TOWEL IN, WHAT HAPPENED AND WHAT CHANGED?

So I’m an independent artist which is a completely different ball game. You are funding everything yourself, that goes from paying producers, mixes, masters, PR companies, social media, photographers , music videos etc etc. You can spend so much money. So it’s that mentality of all right I’m gonna have to sacrifice everything that my friends are doing at 27 years old, buying houses, getting married, whatever, because I’m gonna put this career first and so that kind of takes a mental toll. It can take 10 years to become an overnight success. But I’ve been in this for almost 10 years now and you sort of go when is that day gonna come?

And so I was kind of over it and I thought, “Right I’ll be a songwriter or be a manager or work for a label or something. Then I wrote “A Wonderful Boring Normal Life “ in a session. I was like this is the best thing I’ve ever written in my life at the worst time in my life and I just thought I’ll make an album.

It’s the best thing that ever happened to me. I’m not saying that the day won’t come where I’m eventually, like no, I’ve had my time now, I’ve done whatever, but particularly now. I’m so glad that I wrote that song.

I THINK IT’S AMAZING. I LISTENED TO IT LAST WEEK WHENEVER WE WERE SETTING UP THIS INTERVIEW. I LISTENED TO IT AGAIN YESTERDAY AND LISTENED FOUR TIMES IN A ROW THIS MORNING AND I WATCHED THE VIDEO AS WELL. IT’S GREAT. I LOVE IT. I JUST THINK IT’S SO RELATABLE, IT TAKES YOU SUCH A JOURNEY, A VOCAL JOURNEY AS WELL AS KIND OF A PERSONAL JOURNEY. FOR ANYONE THAT HASN’T HEARD “A WONDERFUL BORING NORMAL LIFE “ YET. GIVE US A LITTLE RUNDOWN ABOUT WHAT THE SONG MEANS...

So, I think for me, I was kind of romanticizing the boring parts of a relationship. When you think about a relationship, you’ve got the honeymoon period, then you get moving together, then you get engaged, then you get married, then you have children and it’s all these big events. When realistically 95% of your relationship is boring everyday stuff like watching telly, cooking dinner, little arguments about who left your shoes at the bottom of the bed and I’ve just tripped over them and it’s pissing me off like all of that kind of stuff.

Is actually very, very lovely. And I think to share that kind of life with someone is a really nice thing to think about. And so it’s kind of the romanticizing, the mundane of a relationship and longing for that, I guess. I HAVE TO MENTION “ROOTS”, IT WENT OFF ON ANOTHER LEAGUE. I CHECKED ON YOUTUBE, IT HAD 1.1 MILLION VIEWS. THAT’S JUST ONE PLATFORM BUT ALSO IT’S GETTING PICKED UP AND USED ON DIFFERENT PROGRAMS, WHEN YOU HEAR IT, IS IT A PINCH ME MOMENT?

When it came out the reception was great. I was so happy that it finally happened, but obviously it was four years after the show so there were people that were waiting which was amazing but yeah I mean I’ve had experiences where I’ve literally been sat on the sofa with my mum and Dad watching I’m a celeb final and then there is roots is playing in the background. You just sort of look at each other and think that’s weird, isn’t it?

It’s crazy to see that song be used in such special moments. People send me videos all the time of their first dance at their wedding where roots is playing and yeah it seems to be the gift that keeps on giving.

I AM SUCH A SHANIA TWAIN FAN, YOU GOT TO OPEN FOR HER IN JULY, THAT WAS BOUND TO HAVE BEEN INCREDIBLE, DID YOU GET TO MEET ?

That was the first festival I’ve ever done. And so I was s** myself, I’m not gonna lie but it was so much fun to see your name on a lineup like that. It’s like an actual Mini Grace’s dream. I didn’t get to meet, she’s a busy lady.

HOW DO YOU HANDLE THE PRESSURE OR EXPECTATIONS, WHETHER FROM FANS, THE INDUSTRY, OR YOURSELF?

Grace Davies: Do you know what, not very well. I think it’s because my manager would say this every day and no one has bigger expectations for me than me. I am my worst critic. I always expect the worst so that when a good thing happens, it’s a nice surprise. But I think, It’s just the way that I am. I don’t know if that really answers the question.

NO NO IT DOES LOL. SO LET’S TALK ABOUT PLANS, IS THERE AN ALBUM OR EP COMING OUT. WHAT HAVE WE GOT TO LOOK FORWARD TO?

There is an album and soft launching it in a way because I’m not really doing a big announcement but I’ve been saying it for a year to my fans it’s been my dream to always make an album and if I don’t do it now I never will. Plans are in place for 2025, that’s all I know atm.

YOU’VE GOT A GIG COMING UP IN NOVEMBER IN NOTTING HILL, IS THAT THE ONLY THING YOU’VE GOT PLANNED OR CAN WE SEE YOU LIVE ANYWHERE ELSE BEFORE CHRISTMAS?

So that’s the only one so far. Maybe we’ll do a little Christmas show, I’m not sure yet. Will definitely do a mini tour or something next year, album launch things for sure, all tol be revealed

MY FINAL QUESTION. WHAT’S ONE PIECE OF ADVICE YOU WOULD GIVE TO ASPIRING MUSICIANS?

It sounds really Cliche, never ever give up. I think you’ve just gotta put it before everything and that’s what I’ve found is. It’s such a hard industry and especially when you’ve got things like tiktok that make becoming an artist so accessible for everybody, which is an incredible thing. It also means you’re a tiny fish in a massive pond, so if you don’t give it absolutely everything and Kind of put that first in your life and believe in what you do, No one else will .