Multi-Instrumentalist, singer-songwriter and producer Andy Dempsey has released his debut single, Alive. We asked him the BIG questions . . .
Dempsey began 2020 as a highly sought-after session musician on the Irish music scene, touring nationally and internationally and working regularly with members of Fontaines D.C., The Scratch, and Otherkin.
Tell us three things about yourself?
Tea wakes me up way more than coffee. I've never met anyone who experiences the same thing, usually it's the other way round. I'll have a coffee in the morning, and it will get me started pretty well, but if I need a real pick me up it's a cup of tea. Such a Rockstar, I know.
I get hyper-vivid music dreams. Just at that point in consciousness where I'm either just about to drift off or kind of half asleep, I'll be in this other world where I can hear either a song, or a jam or musical texture of some sort, as clear as if it were being played aloud in the room. I have to wake myself up gently or else it'll disappear, and I won't remember it - and then quickly grab my guitar, which lives beside my bed, or run over to the piano, and get it recorded. A lot of songs of mine have come to me through sleep. That being said I have a lot of voice recordings on my phone that I listen to the next morning and they're complete, slumberish nonsense.
Entertainment runs in my family - my cousin Paul Dempsey is a Melbourne-based singer/songwriter who's very well-known down-under - he came to prominence as frontman for the band Something for Kate and is a successful solo artist in his own right. And my Dad is Fran Dempsey, an amazing actor and musician who was a TV personality in the 80s that some people might know as being part of the Live Mike alongside Mike Murphy, Dermot Morgan and Twink - other people might remember him as Fortycoats from Wanderly Wagon!
How would you describe your music?
I always find this question difficult. I think I'm very much in the pop genre, maybe with a harder edge at times, and a more organic/acoustic feel. I'd like to think that because I play all the instruments on my songs, things tend to fit together quite well sonically. And it tends to be thickly textured - I'm loving writing lush string parts at the moment, driving piano lines and beefy drums, and lots of vocals (that's probably my choral training coming through). I think my natural lyrical tendency is to be uplifting and positive - although I'm not sure how cool that is right now. Even when something sad is coming out of me, my subconscious will tend to find some positive way to spin that message. That's how I'd describe my music right now, but I'm only at the beginning of my career I guess so I'm looking forward to exploring lots of other artistic areas.
Who are your musical inspirations?
I could easily list off artists like Bombay Bicycle Club, Coldplay, Jacob Collier or the 1975, but really any Irish artist that's doing their thing right now is an inspiration to me. Dermot Kennedy is just such a hard worker and stays so true to his art. Young female Irish artists like Lea Heart are doing amazing, if you haven't checked her out you should. She's headed for the stratosphere. And really any artist within my immediate circle who's stuck it out during possibly the most difficult period for artists in living memory - my artist friends have been there to inspire me with their work ethic, bounce a lyrical idea off or give/receive messages of support - 93Acres (up and coming YouTuber), Chloe Agnew (amazing singer/songwriter), and Billow Wood (a super talented folk/pop four-piece).
How are you occupying yourself during the coronavirus restrictions?
As restrictions were first hitting, I had been gearing up to release original music anyway, so first on my to-do list was to create a proper space that I could work out of. So I spent the first few months of lockdown converting my bedroom into a small recording studio, and designing and building a huge studio desk as the centrepiece - everything's wired in and designed with ease and functionality in mind - mic on a big swivelling boom stand, a big monitor, a keyboard that slides underneath, speaker shelves etc. It took a while, but it was such a fulfilling exercise! Once I got that done, it was pretty much head down, making music non- stop, either covers/short videos online, or lately writing and demoing original material for release this year.
What's your favourite song right now?
As much as I described my natural lyrical tendency as positive and uplifting, I do love a good wallow - Really enjoying In Too Deep by Jacob Collier featuring Kiana Ledé. The melodies and lyrics are just so soft and melancholic, it's a thing of beauty.
Favourite lyric of all time?
"This is not the sound of a new man, or a crispy realisation. It's the sound of the unlocking and the lift away; your love will be safe with me". Bon Iver - re: stacks.
If you could only listen to one song for the rest of your life, what would it be?
I think it would have to be Do I Do by Stevie Wonder. It's just such a feelgood jam that I never get tired of, and it has a lot of happy memories attached to it.
Where can people find your music/more information?
You can listen to my brand new, debut single Alive and all my upcoming music on Spotify, iTunes, YouTube and all the usual streaming platforms, and for more information including more about me (and hopefully some live dates pretty soon!) head over to my Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube @andydempseyofficial, or my twitter (@andyd_official).
