Emerging Irish indie rockers Dominda have released their debut EP, Don't Mind That, and headline Dublin's Workman’s Cellar on 30 March. We asked them the BIG questions . . .
The Dublin based five-piece consist of Ruaidhrí Whelan, Stephen Curtis, Luke Cunningham, Sean Curtis and Barry Lysaght.
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
"The EP is about our attempts to deal with life, love and the seeming apocalypse," the band say. "It is about being catapulted towards our late twenties without much of a chance to fully appreciate what came before. Taking this into account, we run the gamut of emotions in all of the tracks.
"Some of the songs come from a place of idealism and expectation, others are about hopeful loneliness, while others are about simply having a good time and shooting the s*** with your mates.
"Most of the songs were written originally as solo pieces by Luke and Ruaidhrí but the band have allowed them to rise to a whole new level that we are very proud of."
Tell us three things about yourself . . .
The band name is the phonetic spelling of Don’t Mind That in a Dublin accent, which can be heard throughout the streets of Dublin today, more commonly heard as "Dominda" it sums up our carefree and fun-loving attitude that we try to put into our music, and our love of Dublin.
Seán (drums) and Ste (bass) are cousins and have been playing music together since they were young, growing up next door to each other. Their chemistry is the pulsating heart of the band.
All five of us attended secondary school together and have been playing music in various configurations since we were teenagers. We have played as duos, in orchestras, as members of other bands, and even as embryonic versions of what would later become Dominda, which finally formed in 2022. The band formed out of the immediate context of the lockdown, after two years of being unable to play live, we were all burning to finally pick up our instruments and play again, and from that flurry of excitement and creativity, Dominda was born.
How would you describe your music?
We don't just play music; we create a shared experience. Get ready to be part of the show! Sing along to our anthemic choruses, embrace the chaos with us, and maybe even catch a flying tambourine during our high-energy jams. Additionally, our songs are more than just catchy tunes; they're stories from our lives. We pour our laughter, struggles, and everything in between into our music, creating a connection with the audience that goes beyond the stage.
Who are your musical inspirations?
It’s a very mixed bag, we all have our own styles and influences but we’re strongly influenced by Ben Howard, The Cranberries, Vulfpeck, Travis Barker, Green Day, Tom Misch, John Mayer, and Geddy Lee to name but a few.
What was the first gig you ever went to?
The X-Factor Reunion Tour (2010). We saw One Direction with our parents!
What was the first record you ever bought?
Konvicted - Akon.
What’s your favourite song right now?
Citizen Kane – Kojaque.
Favourite lyric of all time?
"You’re in my blood like Holy wine, You taste so bitter, and so sweet, Oh, I could drink a case of you, darling, And I would still be on my feet." - A Case of You by Joni Mitchell.
If you could only listen to one song for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Love More - Sharon Van Etten.
Where can people find your music/more information?
Spotify/Apple Music: Dominda. Instagram: @Domindaofficial. Email: Domindaofficial@gmail.com, Tiktok: @Dominda. Twitter: @Domindaofficial.
Alan Corr
