Written interview with singer, songwriter, guitarist Monaghan woman Grainne Duffy – What Am I Supposed To Do.
Jazz Blues European Union: – Thank you for taking the time to have this interview with Jazz Blues EU. Tell us about your music. When did you start performing?
Grainne Duffy: – Thank you for having me in return.
I started playing when I was quite young. I sang in my local choir and then I started playing in a band with my sisters. We were like a R’n’R cover band. I really enjoyed it and learned a lot playing classic rock song, singing and playing guitar and doing lots of gigs. Then I had a cover band with my then boyfriend, now husband and we did loads of rock stuff too in that and recorded an album of our own songs. While I was in that band I started learning a lot of blues songs and playing more lead guitar. Which lead to me recording an album of my own songs which was the start of my career as an ‘original’ artist really.
What do you consider to be your hometown and how does that affect your music?
Hometown is Castleblayney, Co. Monaghan. It’s a small rural town but it was the home of the show bands in Ireland which was a central music scene in Ireland in the 1960’s. A lot of the bands set up shop and lived here. There was also a record label in the town so there is a good history of music here and we had our own Johnny Cash living here too, he was called ‘Big Tom’. He was very much loved and that really has left its musical imprint on the town. A lot of the people I grew up with were children of these show band musicians and therefore we also had our own rock scene going in the town amount the younger generation which was so brilliant to be part of growing up. I loved it. The town had a real live music scene which was so important to me as a developing musician.
What performers have been your inspiration?
Oh so many. I mean the greats of course like Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Fleetwood Mac, The Faces, Thin Lizzy and Rory Gallagher. Of course as time went on I fell in love with early blues too like Rosetta Tharpe, Memphis Minnie, Chuck Berry, Howlin’ Wolf… I could go on forever. But my father loved country music so I listened to a lot of that too like Linda Rondstat, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Patsy Cline …. I mean those guys can write songs and give them real meaning.
What do you find most challenging about being an independent artist in today’s music industry?
Where do I start, being viabl. Finding a way to actually stay alive in this industry is getting harder and harder. How to make money when everything is getting squeezed, the online platforms robbing people of their art. The way the industry is set up at the moment really is not sustainable for artists. The price of living is increasing all the time but the money artists makes in decreasing all the time. That’s the hardest part for me atm. I love playing live and want to deliver the best show possible but it’s harder than ever to achieve this.
What do you base your success on?
Really on how I feel when performing my music, how am I connecting with the audience. Are they feeling the music and can they understand the message. Then I feel I am doing my job as an artist to the best of my ability.
Can you talk about your experiences collaborating with other artists or musicians? How does it influence your creative process?
It can be very challenging as everyone hears music in their own way. Yet with maturity I think I am getting better at knowing if you connect with people and feel that natural creative flow happening, then collaboration feels natural, then it is easy. Calling it before it becomes really draining iswhat I feel is the key to making it wok well for me. I really do enjoy it when it feels good even if it is challenging – with the right people that challenge is healthy and worthwhile.
What was your latest musical release?
I just released my new album ‘What am I Supposed to Do’. It was released in May and I am really happy with how people have received it.
Do you have any news to share? Could you share the story behind your latest new CD Grainne Duffy – What Am I Supposed To Do what inspired its creation?
It was an album of songs that had been brewing for a year. It really captures my love of 60/70’s rock music. I think it tells the story of a few things from the crazy world we live in to the crazy world of love. But everyone has to listen to decide what they take from it themselves.
How does your latest album fit into your creative path? Is this a goal you wanted to achieve?
Yes, it really has solidified my love of R’n’R music. I think it has a nice mixture of ballads with pumping rock tunes mixed in and some blues rock too.
How do you approach the process of songwriting, and are there any specific themes or emotions you tend to explore in your music?
I do tend to write about what I know-typically emotions, relationship and just life. I do like being a bit of an observer in my music. I usually either write a little guitar hook part and build from they or record a little voice memo and build around that.
As an indie musician, how do you navigate the balance between creative freedom and commercial appeal?
Well, I should lean into the commercial appeal bit more, I’d never make it as a pop star. But I am aware in my writing about the live show and having songs they work live.
What role does technology and social media play in promoting your music and connecting with your audience?
Well today it feel like social media is the music industry. It’s the new magazine, new tv, the new radio, the new record/cd collection. Everything is online. It has changed so quickly and so much in the last 5 years even. It can be hard to keep up with all the changes but I do think it’s also good at reaching a wider audience but I do miss some of the old school things like late night djs playing your music on the radio and the old magazine culture. It can hard to even catch an audience these days as people are overwhelmed with the amount of music they can consume online. I like real life connections, but this is the digital age.
Could you describe a memorable live performance experience or tour that has had a lasting impact on you and your music?
Yes for sure. Playing Glastonbury was and still remains iconic as it’s such a cultural event to be part of and playing there was simply amazing.
Recording my last album with some brilliant musicians whom I greatly admire was also very special to me.
Sometimes just hanging and chatting with musicians on the road which is like a travelling family can be sometime I love them most. I’m a devil for the Irish ‘craic’!
In an era of streaming platforms, how do you feel about the changing landscape of music consumption and its impact on independent musicians?
It’s really tough. It’s so fast and music is really like a cheap commodity now. Even music fans find it hard to listen to a full album. But it is what it is and there is no turning back now.
It’s handy I get it, but I think the lack of attention span of people now is the most negative impact of modern day streaming culture.
Musicians often have a close relationship with their fanbase. How do you engage with your fans and build a dedicated community around your music?
I post regularly and try to keep up my engagement and how and when I reply to people and comments etc. I do chat a lot to people at the merchandise stand after gigs.
How can fans find you? Lastly, please share some final words with the fans.
I’m on Instagram, Facebook (which was recently hacked so I’ve started a new one) and my website too
I would just like to say I’d love to see some of you at a show or pick up the album and let me know what you think! Always love hearing from new fans…!!!!
By Olivia Peevas
