SHIRLEY CALLAGHAN- Interview

Shirley Callaghan Talks To Fanbase Music Magazine, About Her Music Career, Upcoming Music, Collaborations & More

Intro

Shirley Callaghan is an amazing singer-songwriter from Ireland, who writes beautiful, sometimes haunting, but always amazing songs that I find so great. Whenever she releases something new, I look forward to hearing it because I know it’s going to be amazing

I catch up with Shirley and get to know her and her career, and talk about upcoming music and colabs, enjoy the read!

Hi Shirley, welcome to Fanbase Music Magazine. How long have you been involved in music, and did you always want to be a singer?

I have been into music and singing for most of my life, but my earliest memory of wanting to be a singer was when I was about 5 or 6 years old.   I was fascinated by all the singers in the musicals on TV when I was a child.  I remember making a ‘big announcement’ to my mom, like a moment of awakening at such a young age lol.  I already knew what I wanted to do.

I was in and out of music through the years and sang with different bands, also playing solo gigs and open mics. I got back into music during COVID when my dad came to live with me. It was during this time that I signed up for a songwriting course with the Songwriting Academy of London, and where I met Producer Paul Statham, who has produced most of my songs. I had been writing since I was a teenager, but signing up for this course taught me how to craft and structure songs better, and it gave me more focus. My dad always encouraged me to keep going.  He was probably my biggest fan. 

How would you describe your sound? 

I think it’s difficult to describe your sound.  It has been described as Irish Indie/Folk, but then again, my last single called ‘Fake Love’ is a dance track, so I like all different genres of music.  It has been said that there is an Irish feel to what I’m doing, being Irish, I guess that is to be expected. 

Do you write your own lyrics and what is your writing process?

I leaned into writing as a teenager when my parents separated.   It was a very difficult time.   I remember getting myself a notebook and just writing words.  I guess looking back, it was a kind of therapy, but I loved it.  I then started to come up with melodies to what I was writing, so I learned some chords on the guitar to save the melodies.  I think that’s when my songwriting began.

My writing process varies.  For most songs, the lyrics and melody come together; sometimes the song comes together quite easily, while with others, depending on the subject, I tend to write a lot of verses and then edit them down, but the melody is always part of the process.    

What’s your favourite song you’ve written so far? 

That’s almost impossible to say.  Songs are like your children, so we tend to love them all lol  For me, when I’m writing a new song, that’s most likely my favorite song at that moment.   

How long have you played guitar for? 

I started learning the guitar when I discovered I could write songs, and later picked up the piano, which I really love writing on too.  

Will you be releasing an EP or an album?

I was planning to release an EP/Album in December 2024 when we released ‘Flower in the Winter’, but I thought about it a bit more and decided to wait.  I am planning to release an album with, hopefully, a couple of unreleased songs to give people something new to listen to rather than putting out an EP of singles.    

Any shows/events coming up soon? 

I recently played at Cosmic Gardens Festival, which is a cool festival in Inagh, County Clare, and I really enjoyed being part of that. It has such a chilled atmosphere and some really lovely people there.   I have another festival coming up next month with Ennis Eccentric Music Society at Lucas in Ennis, County Clare.    I’m looking forward to getting out and playing more gigs, and have spent a few months putting a live set together.

I just came back from a Songwriting Retreat in Malaga, Spain, where I spent a week writing with some talented singers, songwriters, musicians, and producers.  It was such a great week, and I met a lot of great people.   Shelly Poole and Paul Statham run this retreat in Spain every year with SPPS Songwriting.   Each day we would write in different groups with a different approach, and then perform the songs at night, so it was a lot of fun.   I was really out of my comfort zone at times, but I learned a lot.  Outside of it being such a great week, we have also written some great songs, so I’m looking forward to recording them too.

Do you have any new music coming out, and are you collaborating with any other artists?

I have a new song called ‘The Altar’ which features Belfast Band ‘Spirit of Dignity’ coming out on the 3rd July.    David Pepper played guitar on the track and also produced it, so it’s a really good track, and it was a lot of fun putting it together.     I started writing the song the evening before my dad passed away, and I must have finished it after the funeral, as the song reflects that day (which is a bit of a blur). I’m currently working on a video which should be out hopefully next week.

‘It Will Be Burned’ was part of a co-write on another Songwriting Retreat with SPPS Songwriting last January in Chichester, England.   I wrote this song with Ross Bell and Peter Scott during one of our writing sessions, and it was also produced by Paul Statham, who has also worked with some big artists in the music industry.   This should also go out shortly, so I’m looking forward to that.   

There are other collaborations in the pipeline, including a song with producer Chris Spierer from Space Angel Music Promotions, which I am really excited about, too.  Chris has also worked with some major artists and co-wrote ‘I was Born This Way’ for Lady Gaga, so I am honoured to be working with him.   Another track with a great artist and friend from South Africa called Sipho, which I have been working on, and a track with a friend/producer Stephen O’Malley here in Shannon.   Steve and I previously worked together on an EP with our friend Abraham Silva a few years back. Abraham sadly passed away recently, which was very sad news, and I was honoured when Steve asked me if I would be interested in collaborating on a track he and Abraham had been working on before he passed away.  It is to honour Abraham, whom we all loved dearly. Lastly, I have a track with L.A. Producer Joshuah Wiehahn, which I also need to get to, so there is a lot to do.   

Who’s your music inspiration?

On discovering different genres of music as a teenager I guess artists like Blondie, Kate Bush, Tori Amos, Fleetwood Mac, Pink Floyd and of course my all time favourites, Bob Dylan and REM, but I did listen to lots of different genres of music growing up, so it is impossible to list them all lol I am also a big fan of a lot of Irish artists.  There are a lot of great bands coming out of Ireland right now who are not afraid to speak up.

At the moment, I’m not listening to a lot of music as I am either writing or recording so I don’t have a lot of free time.

Finding inspiration to write songs is not something I have ever really struggled with, so far.   I think you can find inspiration all around you, especially with so much going on in the world; it is difficult not to write about it.  The ongoing wars in Gaza, Sudan, and Ukraine are just monstrous, and we are seeing no end to them is so upsetting that money is still more important than people’s lives.     It is a form of insanity.   I came across a quote recently along the lines of ‘we will be the first species to destroy the planet because it wasn’t profitable’.   My mother has also been a huge inspiration to me and has, on many occasions, crept into my songwriting, so I do have some songs inspired by her, too.

What’s your favourite genre of music?

I love lots of different music, but perhaps folk would be my favorite. My all-time favourite way to listen to music is to have an album cover in my hand, headphones on, and read the lyrics as I’m listening.    For me, that is how I like to listen to music.  I think there is nothing quite like holding an album cover in your hand and indulging in the music, lyrics, and song.   

Social Media links

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shirlcallaghan

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shirleycallaghanmusic

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/shirleycallaghanmusic


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