Grammy winning singer-songwriter Aoife O'Donovan has released the title track from her forthcoming album, All My Friends, and plays Tradfest at the National Stadium, Dublin on 27 January. We asked her the BIG questions . . .
All My Friends is out on 22 March 22 and is Aoife’s first self-produced release. It’s described as a "meditation on the evolving landscape of women's rights in America".
We need your consent to load this Spotify contentWe use Spotify to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content.Manage Preferences
On the nine-track album, she draws on speeches and letters by suffragist Carrie Chapman Catt to write original songs with a modern perspective and her own experiences as a woman and mother.
Speaking about the title track of the album, Aoife says, "The seeds of this song predate the entire project as a whole.
"This song is about camaraderie, companionship, people united in common struggle against oppression. I imagine the women literally marching in Tennessee as the dawn lifted over the fields.
"I imagine the struggle of needing just one more state to ratify, and just how much weight that final vote held. I imagine the collective longing for the country of our birth to open her arms.
"The opening, featuring my voice in harmony with The Westerlies, sets the tone for the record. Slowly, the strings enter, enveloping the chorale in rich tones, and then when the band kicks in after that first verse, we hear the gorgeous aching sound of the San Francisco Girls Chorus."
Tell us three things about yourself . . .
I love to be outside, rain or shine. Most days this involves going for a run or a bike ride, and if I’m lucky, I’ll make time to kayak on a waterway here in Central Florida, where I live. On tour, running and walking are my favourite ways to discover new places. You always find the coolest spots by accident.
Another hobby is reading - luckily, I spend quite a bit of time in transit, on planes and trains, while on tour. This makes it easy to get through books. I’m currently reading A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara and loving it, and just finished Foster by Ireland’s own Claire Keegan - I cried so hard! I love when books stay with you for days and weeks afterwards, getting stuck in your head like songs.
I made a new record. It's called All My Friends, and it’s coming out March 22. Initially a commission in honor of the passage of the 19th Amendment, I started writing this in the fall of 2020: it’s the sister songburst to Age of Apathy. pic.twitter.com/CkVb7vOJmF
— Aoife O'Donovan (@odonovanaoife) January 9, 2024
I’m the oldest of four kids and very close with my siblings. I feel so lucky to be a part of a tight knit family. All of them are excellent singers - there even some videos on YouTube if you do some digging.
How would you describe your music?
I play folk music, firmly rooted in the traditions I grew up around: Celtic music, bluegrass and old time, rootsy bands from my parents’ generation, etc. There are probably some influences from my time at New England Conservatory in Boston too, where I listened to free jazz and world music, but I would still say my music is primarily folk.
Who are your musical inspirations?
I’m hugely inspired by my peers and bandmates. It’s so gratifying to be a part of such a rich music scene. I also find a lot of inspiration from classic older music that I listened to as a child. Suzanne Vega, Joni Mitchell, Paul Simon, Crosby, Stills, & Nash, Neil Young. Those songs - that songwriting still rings true. Lately I’ve been listening to a lot of Fruit Bats, Hiss Golden Messenger, Bonny Light Horsemen, Nickel Creek, and LOVE the new Bleachers song Tiny Moves that just dropped (especially the VIDEO!!!)
What was the first gig you ever went to?
My parents took me to the Steel Wheels tour when The Rolling Stones came through Boston in 1989. I was almost seven. I have a child who is that exact age now, and I’m not sure what she would make of a Stones show. She’s excited to see Taylor Swift this summer, though! I also saw a few New Kids on the Block concerts right around that same time. I love concerts, always have, no matter if I’m on stage or in the crowd.
What was the first record you ever bought?
I have a vivid memory of riding the T (Boston’s public transportation system) from Newton Centre to Newbury Street and going into Tower Records to check out new music. In those days, they had the new releases spinning in these private booths with headphones. My dad had turned me on to Shawn Colvin a few years previous, and I was a huge fan. When A Few Small Repairs came out, I was first in line to buy it for myself.
What’s your favourite song right now?
Waxahatchee released a single last week, the same day as I did. It’s called Right Back To It and it’s a duet with MJ Lenderman. I have listened to it probably 75 times in the past week, I can’t get enough of their voices together.
Favourite lyric of all time?
Richard Thompson writes a lyric like nobody else. On the forever perfect song, 1952 Vincent Black Lightning, the words bring the entire story to life. I’ve always loved the line "he was running out of road, he was running out of breath" as a way to describe the dying boy, James Adie. Tragic and gorgeous.
If you could only listen to one song for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Hearts and Bones by Paul Simon. The ultimate travel song - a story, heartbreak, love, a journey - this song has it all. And that BRIDGE!
Where can people find your music/more information?
Alan Corr
