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 ilisium who just released their latest single ‘Aisling’.
What was the inspiration behind your artist name?
We landed on ilisium as a twist on “Elysium,” which means a place of ideal happiness. We wanted something that carried that meaning but still felt unique to us — familiar, but with our own stamp on it.
You’ve just released a new single. How did it come about and what does it mean to you?
We’ve been writing constantly over the last year, really honing in on our creative process and shaping our sound. All the songs come from different emotional places, but together they feel like a hard-hitting, cohesive body of work. ‘Aisling’ is a perfect example of that — personal, atmospheric, and very true to who we are right now.
Have you any more releases or studio time lined up for later in the year?
Our brand new single Aisling came out in December and we’re buzzing for people to finally hear it. It’s one of those tracks that came together naturally but ended up meaning more to us the longer we lived with it. We’ve plenty of plans for 2026…
Tell us about your song writing process.
Our writing process is laid-back and collaborative. Someone usually throws out a bassline, a riff, or even a stray poem that can become lyrics, and we jam around it until it grows into something real. We bounce off each other creatively — that back-and-forth is where the magic happens.
Who were your favourite artists/bands growing up? Have your influences changed over time?
Our influences are all over the map — The Beatles, Steely Dan, The Allman Brothers, My Bloody Valentine, Stone Temple Pilots, Local H, Hum… the list goes on. Even though they’re so varied, they blend into something that feels modern and unique while still nostalgic.
What’s been your favourite local release from the last twelve months?
‘Satan in My Glove Box’ by Pitfall has been on repeat for us — probably our standout local single this year. And ‘Waiting for the Money’ by O.S.G is absolute fire too.
If you weren’t musicians, what line of work would we find you in?
Honestly, we’d still end up in something creative. Film, photography, painting — that whole world interests us. If we had to pick something outside of that, owning a record shop or a small gig venue would be class.
If you could collaborate with one artist or band from NI, who would it be and why?
Enola Gay would be unreal — their energy is unmatched. If we could pick someone from the past, we’d go with Scheer. Incredible band with some criminally underrated tunes.
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?
NI is doing well in places, especially with organisations like the Oh Yeah Centre giving young artists real support. But overall, we need more venues, more promotion, and more investment in creativity and networking. There’s so much talent here — it just needs the infrastructure to thrive.
What does success look like for you?
Success for us is having the resources to create freely, with nothing holding us back, and getting our music heard by people on a much larger scale — both live and recorded.
You’re going out on tour and can have anything you want on your rider, what would we find on yours?
A Fender guitar delivered to each of us would be a pretty unreal start. And we’d absolutely love Murphy’s on tap — what a smash that would be backstage.
Where and when can we next catch you live?
Our next show is in the Pavilion, Belfast on 6 February 2026 in the SONI Battle of the Bands Competition. We’re also currently planning an EP launch for early 2026, with venues like Ulster Sports Club, Voodoo, or the Black Box all in the mix — so keep your eyes peeled.
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.
