Daithí’s LOSS is our gain

After getting huge positive response to his festival gigs over the Summer,  Daithí’s new live show is coming to Limerick.

 

 

LEAVING behind the, always on, always connected world, producer/ musician Daithi spent time isolated in another country to find the inspiration and time to begin work on his new album ‘L.O.S.S.’
Chatting to Limerick Post, the North Clare musician talked about his videos, the new live show and his mega hit ‘Mary Keanes Introduction’ which has reached the Irish community across the globe.
Daithí Ó Drónaí has brought together his love of dance with his fiddle playing and made music that is truly original with a strong sense of his home place, Ballyvaughan, County Clare.
He wrote most of the record in the Limousin region of France.
“I like to find a remote location without distractions and rent a space for writing and coming up with ideas. I drove down there to completely remove myself from Ireland.
“I can’t speak French so I spoke to just one person the whole time,” laughs.
Like most independent artists Daithí Ó Drónaí is his own PR machine with significant help from Galway record label StrangeBrew Records.
“You are constantly in contact with people.
“I’m trying to keep the Internet away when I am working. You have to make a really active decision to remove yourself from that stuff, stepping away from being online even though half the job is being a PR person.”
The new album features the fine singles ‘In My Darkest Moments’ (feat. The Sei) which explores smalltown male loneliness, and ‘Orange’ which follows a young couple through their highs and lows over three years.
The track features the wonderful vocals of Sinéad White who sang on other hits such as ‘Falling For You’ and ‘Loves On Top’.
Sinéad White is one of the country’s best vocalists and the she and Daithi seem to be able to get the best from each other.
“She has an Irish lilt in her voice. Mixing that with pop music is totally down my alley.
“We are really good friends.
“Sinéad is also very involved in community work and also works with The Joyful Noise Choir, a choir featuring disabled singers.
“She’s a saint!”
Using loss as a theme, Daithí encouraged his vocalists to engage with their experiences in completing the lyrics and songs.
Also on the album is Paul Noonan, Ailbhe Reddy, Orla Gartland, Tandem Felix, Sacred Animals and Ryan Vail.
“Loss is a very good theme because it’s a very broad theme and most people experience that. When I was talking to the vocalists we talked about their own losses and how they would bring that into the music.”
Daithí is coming up on his 30th birthday and that has given him something to reflect on after ten years, making and playing music.
“When I was about 20, all my mates would be going to the shows. We would hang out afterwards and everybody would be around. Now when I do a show, it is a different thing.
“I’ll meet people after the show and then head away home again.” Laughs.
“A lot of bands are dropping by the wayside like Otherkin. Time moves very quickly after a while. I am very lucky – the fact that I do this myself – I am not in a band and it allows me to keep doing this.”
Daithí’s best known track has gone viral across the globe. ‘Mary Keanes Introduction’ since its release in 2016 has captured the imagination worldwide, pretty much everywhere Irish people gather.
Daithí has even done a TED Talk on the track which uses an old recording of his grandmother talking and laughing about going “on the run” and finding love with a man in Kilfenora.
The track uses this vocal sample. It is full of emotion, has an unmistakable West of Ireland accent and is a wonderful love story.
With over 1.5 million streams, the piece has travelled across the world.
“It is played more abroad than here. In Instagram stories, I’ll get lads in Australia or Toronto or somewhere playing ‘Mary Keanes Introduction’.”
“That’s unbelievable. That’s such a good feeling.”
The new live tour heralds changes in the producer’s approach to gigs.
He has introduced drums and live instruments to the show – giving the live set a new intensity. He brought this show to Waterford in August to the All Together Now festival. He played to one of his biggest crowds and saw thousands knowing his grandmother’s words.
“With the live band I’m doing less on stage than before.
“It is the first time that I have been able to look up and watch what is going on.”
The line up played support to Orbital and Daithí’s uncle was at the show for the first time and was blown away by thousands celebrating his mother’s word’s when ‘Mary Keanes Introduction’ was played.
With more on stage playing, Daithí is enjoying the shows more than ever.
“It is like a gang of mates. We have been friends for years. It doesn’t feel like a job at all.”
Daithí will release his second album ‘L.O.S.S.’ on October 18 2019.

Daithí will bring his new live show to Dolan’s this Saturday September 21.

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