Berlin-based Irish artist Wallis Bird plays the Bulmers Live stage at Leopardstown, Dublin on 13 July. We asked her the BIG questions . . .
Wallis has released seven albums since 2007, for which she's won two Meteor Awards and a prestigious 2017 German Musikautorenpreis (Music Author Prize), and two nominations for the Choice Music Prize.
Speaking about her upcoming gig, she says: ""I've heard from friends that Bulmers Live at Leopardstown is great fun to play so I've put together a really nice trio band: Leo Geisler on Bass and Paul Kenny on drums. We'll don our best hats and tunes - see you at the races!"
Tickets are on sale here.
Tell us three things about yourself . . .
I'm happiest making people laugh. I want to die on a stage. I'm fascinated by life and learning.
How would you describe your music?
In a nutshell, it's folk-rooted rock. But I think it's actually a dinner party with close friends where you proper talk and bawl laughing through the night and end up cry-dancing together on the table and in the morning you're all packed into a bed being nostalgic and eating all day. It's more moods than genres.
Who are your musical inspirations?
Tina Turner, Sun Ra, Oval, Hundreds, Sam Vance-Law, The Roches, Ani DiFranco, Björk, Radiohead, Sharon Shannon, Fiona Apple, Charlotte Brandi, and Anaïs Mitchell to name a bunch.
What was the first gig you ever went to?
Roly Daniels at Enniscorthy Strawberry fair. I was about six on my Dad's shoulders. He was wearing a white suit and was charming and sang like a star.
What was the first record you ever bought?
Blur's The Great Escape. 1995. Up to that point I'd rinsed my parents and siblings’ collection. The feeling of going up to that counter as a 13-year-old and buying my own music with the money I saved was huge!
What’s your favourite song right now?
I cannot stop listening to Galileo by Indigo Girls. I'm on an intense teenage road trip at the moment and this one has been on repeat. Like six times a day kind of thing.
Favourite lyric of all time?
"You're so vain you probably think this song is about you" - Carly Simon.
If you could only listen to one song for the rest of your life, what would it be?
My Mam sings to the radio, I could listen to that all day.
Where can people find your music/more information?
Shops, sites, socials, gigs, and, of course, Crimeline.
