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 Penny’s Band who just released their latest single ‘Green Eyes Red’.
What was the inspiration behind your artist name?
Alex: The band was named after a girl—Penny was a big part of the band’s earliest days and, in many ways, the reason we started the band. But who Penny really is, and the role she played, is something we prefer to keep to ourselves.
Is she the muse behind our songs? A secret collaborator? A close friend? Maybe. Or maybe she’s not even called Penny at all… Guess you’ll never know.
You’ve just released a new single. How did it come about and what does it mean to you?
Alex: Releasing our new single, “Green Eyes Red,” felt like the natural next step for us. Our first release, “That’s Not The Girl I Met,” was a massive milestone—it was the first time we had the chance to take a song from something written in a bedroom to a fully realized track in the studio.
At the time, we were just a two-piece band, but by the time we returned to the studio to record “Green Eyes Red,” we’d grown into a five-piece. Each member brought their own unique talents and perspective, and that made the whole experience even more exciting and meaningful.
For me, as the songwriter, there’s nothing quite like seeing a personal idea transform into a finished track and knowing that people are connecting with it. Our first song has been listened to over 27,000 times, which is just surreal. This new single feels like a step in the right direction, and we can’t wait to keep going.
Have you any more releases or studio time lined up for later in the year?
Alex: We’re aiming to make 2025 a big year for us in terms of releasing music. While we’re still figuring out exactly what that looks like, we’re already planning the next single and hope to have at least a few more tracks out before the summer. It’s an exciting time for us, and we’re focused on building momentum and sharing as much music as we can this year.
Tell us about your song writing process.
Alex: When it comes to song writing, I can really only speak for myself, though Ewan (Guitarist) and I share the load pretty evenly. For me, the process is never exactly the same – it’s not predictable or set in stone. Sometimes, I’ll just be messing around on the guitar, and within 20 minutes, a full song seems to just ‘happen’. Other times, it’s more of a slow burn. I’ll bring a rough idea to band practice and then we’ll spend weeks or even months shaping it into something that feels right.
That being said, the songs I personally connect with the most are often the ones that come to me quickly. They feel less like something I’m “writing” and more like something I’ve just discovered. In those moments, it’s as if the song already exists, and I’m simply uncovering it. That sense of flow and natural creation is something I really chase in my songwriting.
Ewan: For me, it’s nearly different every time sometimes i put some chords together and work from there, sometimes i get some lyrics that i really like then find chords together work with the melody I like, then I’ll bring it to the band and we’ll hack out an idea for the instrumental
Who were your favourite artists/bands growing up? Have your influences changed over time?
Alex: When Ewan and I (Alex) first started the band, our biggest influences were groups like The Academic, Two Door Cinema Club, and The Strokes. Their sound really shaped the music we wanted to make early on. As time has gone on, we’ve explored a lot more music and now find ourselves drawing inspiration from a wide range of artists, from The 1975 and Sam Fender to Joshua Burnside. And while the rest of us don’t really listen to them, our bass player, Benjamin, is absolutely obsessed with Muse—so I suppose that influence sneaks in whether we like it or not!
What’s been your favourite local release from the last twelve months?
Ewan: For me my favourite single released was Esmeralda Road with “Esmarelda” and I’m actually going to go for an EP in “Lackluster Writing Makes Fundamental Reading” by Makeshift Art Bar which is just nuts in the best way.
If you weren’t musicians, what line of work would we find you in?
Ewan: Well, for the most part, we all have jobs. Alex sells farming machinery, and I work in retail—but we’re both also full-time students, juggling work to help keep the band going. Benjamin works in car sales, Noah is a Software Engineer, and Xander’s still in school, so he doesn’t have a job just yet.
If you could collaborate with one artist or band from NI, who would it be and why?
Alex: At the moment I’d have to say SOAK. There are so many unbelievable artists from NI who’ve not only massively influenced and encouraged us like the Florentinas, Brand New Friend, General Fiasco but I’ve been listening to SOAK a lot recently, especially songs like ‘Bleach’ and ‘B a noBody’. I just love the way they tell stories through their lyrics, and on top of that, they have one of the best voices in the country right now, in my personal opinion. It would be cool to collaborate with them.
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?
Alex: One of the biggest challenges is definitely funding. Recording and releasing music to a high standard is financially tough, especially for young people who, like us, are still in full-time education.
The Arts Council does a fantastic job of supporting emerging talent, and more of that kind of backing would really help boost the chances of homegrown artists succeeding here. It’s crucial that more opportunities are created to make it easier for artists to focus on their craft without the constant financial strain.
What does success look like for you?
Alex: For us, success would be reaching a point where we can release music that we’re truly proud of and have it connect with people on a deep level. It would also mean being able to share those songs with an ever-growing audience, playing to more and more people in venues not just across this island, but internationally as well.
The ultimate goal is to create something that resonates and to see it reach as many listeners as possible.
You’re going out on tour and can have anything you want on your rider, what would we find on yours?
Ewan: We haven’t reached diva level yet so maybe a few beers and some crisps but Alex would need at least 40 fisherman’s friends
Where and when can we next catch you live?
We’re excited to be supporting Pauric O’Meara at The Black Box on February 26th! After that, we’ll be taking a short break to focus on some new studio material. Then, we’re hoping to announce our second self-organised headline show – keep an eye on our socials for updates when it goes live. Looking forward to seeing you all there! Until then, take care! x
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.
