When Chordblossom came into existence, it was always our aim to shine a spotlight on the artists and bands that make up the music scene in Northern Ireland. We’ve been doing it for over ten years now and one of our favourite methods is our Introducing feature.
Put the kettle on, curl up on your sofa and and join us for a quickfire Q&A with some of our favourite new musicians. Who knows, maybe you’ll even discover your new favourite artists.
This iteration of Introducing features the musical talents of RUÁ who just released her new single ‘Healing’.
What was the inspiration behind your artist name?
I started playing live again last year after a 3 year break and wanted a rebrand to mark the new sound and direction I wanted to go. It was also the first time I was playing with a band and our live sets and new recordings feature a lot of trad elements (whistle, flute, mandolin and bodhran), so I wanted the name to reflect this. I still wanted something that felt like my own name (Rebecca), and I had been using Ruadhán as a drag name for a few years, and so RUÁ felt right – short and familiar and is close to the Gaelic word rua (red) to reflect the Irish sounds.
You’ve just released a new single. How did it come about and what does it mean to you?
The lyrics of my most recent single ‘Healing’ are a letter written to an old lover, written in retrospect with the clarity provided by time and distance. Through writing the song I was able to express gratitude for what was and apologise for what went wrong. The song helped me process the breakup and to feel secure in that I was making the decision that was right for me. It’s a deeply personal and honest song, and I hope that makes it relatable and provides some reassurance to those listening who have been in a similar position.
Have you any more releases or studio time lined up for later in the year?
My debut original EP ‘The Healing’ will be released in July. I had been sitting on the songs for a few years and I’m so glad they’ll finally be out in the world, thanks to the PRS Foundation’s Women Make Music Fund. The record was beautifully produced by Orri McBreaty and with each track featuring the incredible Laura McFadden on cello.
In August I’ll be releasing a single with Jacob Cunningham-Bell, produced by Graham Maree. This one was very out of my genre comfort zone and my first co-write! I had a lot of fun making it.
I’m currently recording my second EP ‘The Magic Theatre’, supported by Help Musicians, which should hopefully be out before the end of the year.
It’ll be accompanied by a short film ‘Step Inside the Magic Theatre’, and will be shot by the incredibly talented Niall Murphy. It will be my first time (co)directing and writing music for film. I’m super lucky to have Orri, on board again for this record – he’s an award-winning film composer as well as producer and so can help guide that process in this unchartered territory for me. The film is supported by Youth Music and is due for release before the end of the year.
Tell us about your song writing process.
It normally begins with sitting down at the guitar late at night and finding some new chord shapes / picking pattern and playing them over and over just listening and becoming familiar with it, humming some melodies. I pay attention to how the music makes me feel and what imagery / emotions come up. Then usually some words come out, and something sticks. I use these words as my anchors and then normally go back to my writing (journal entries or poetry) and try to find something around the topic, picking some lines out and rearranging to fit the metre.
I normally crave writing when I’ve been busy or preoccupied and haven’t had much time to myself. It’s a way to slow down, check in, reflect.
Recently I’ve been writing less about personal experience, it’s been more of a storytelling output. I’ve always used music and songwriting as a tool for catharsis… but recently I think playing with the band has made me appreciate the light heartedness and joy it can bring.
Who were your favourite artists/bands growing up? Have your influences changed over time?
As a teenager I absolutely loved the classics such as Joni Mitchell, Jeff Buckley and Leonard Cohen. I loved the rawness and vulnerability of their lyrics and how they were unapologetically honest about their views on the industry.
Other big influences have been Laura Marling, Lianne La Havas, John Martyn, Adrianne Lenker, David Keenan, Nina Simone, Half Moon Run, James Vincent McMorrow, Bon Iver, Matt Corby… lots! In recent years, I’ve become more interested by psych-folk, genre-bending and world sounds, loving the likes of Lhasa De Sala, John Francis Flynn and Kíla.
What’s been your favourite local release from the last twelve months?
This is a difficult one to narrow so I’ll mention a few I’ve had on repeat – Polar Bolero – Portrait; Dander – Knees Must; Tomcat – It’s Not Always Gonna be Like This & Declan McGoran – Tomorrow Will Be Different.
Album wise, it has to be Arborist’s An Endless Sequence of Dead Zeros. Just gorgeous.
If you weren’t a musician, what line of work would we find you in?
I’m an Environmental Science graduate, and for a while I worked in sustainability research. I love ecology and all things food/farming, and have spent some time travelling working in farms, so I would probably be getting my hands dirty in some soil growing food or doing ecology data collection / research.
If you could collaborate with one artist or band from NI, who would it be and why?
There are so many, but I think it would have to be Joshua Burnside. He has a really unique way of storytelling, and I love his experimental sound – how he uses samples and how the influence of travelling comes out in the sound, such as the Colombian influences in ‘Under the Concrete’. It’s great how he uses collaboration to explore new sounds, pushing creativity and merging the strengths of each artist to create something that is outside what either would create individually. I really respect how he keeps the tradition of folk music (community, sharing) alive through his folk / song club nights in Belfast which I’ve yet to make it up for!
It is intensely difficult to be successful in the music industry. What does NI need to do to invest in/develop to boost your chances?
I think there is a large gap between the music scene / opportunities in Belfast and the rest of NI. Growing up and playing in Derry it would have been beneficial to have more of a cross-over between the two cities, such as sister events, gig swaps, conferences / gatherings aimed at networking between the two. I think things as simple as later buses between the two cities that would allow people to travel to events without having to sort accommodation would massively encourage people to go to gigs outside of their town / city.
What does success look like for you?
I think success for me would be constantly pushing my creativity and challenging myself to explore new genres, subject matters and visual elements. I think a big way to keep pushing those boundaries is through collaboration – with other musicians, visual artists, producers – and so to be successful I think having those networks is crucial.
I’d love to explore other musical avenues also such as writing for film, producing and sound design as well as merging music with my love for visual art such as creating installations, film pieces.
You’re going out on tour and can have anything you want on your rider, what would we find on yours?
Buttery pastries, all kinds of bread, hummus and crackers…and pickled onion space raiders for those late-night munchies!
Where and when can we next catch you live?
I play the Black Box in Belfast on 20 July 2024 – Further information here.
If you enjoyed this feature and fancy discovering some more new artists, we suggest you jump on over to our archive of Introducing pieces.
If you are a band or musician based in Northern Ireland interested in taking part in our Introducing feature, we recommend submitting new music to us via our Contact page and if we enjoy it, you’ll no doubt hear from us.
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