Wexford-born, Dublin-based singer-songwriter Elishka Lane has released her debut single, Home Again. We asked her the BIG questions . . .
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Elishka has performed at Anseo, Bello Bar, The Bernard Shaw's Racket Space, and The Fumbally in Dublin, supporting artists like Greg Tisdall, Barnburner, and Jamie Darcy.
Tell us three things about yourself . . .
I come from a very creative family - my parents are both in theatre and my sister is a musician (we’ve co-written a lot of songs together). My family are big readers so I feel very grateful to have been surrounded by so many stories from a young age. All the books I’ve read have really informed my lyrics.
As well as being a musician, I’m also an actor. I co-run a theatre company called Gift Horse Theatre with some very talented friends, and our show Don’t Copy Me is appearing as part of the Dublin Fringe Festival this year. I’m also a member of Broad Strokes, an all-female and non-binary comedy improv group. We’ve performed at both the Dublin and Edinburgh Fringe Festivals and regularly appear in venues across Dublin.
Creatively, I’ve never been able to stay in one lane. Whether I’m performing Shakespeare, improvising a chaotic family drama, or singing a personal folk song, I find it hard to stick to one mode of expression. Making things is how I make sense of things. Psychologists might say I didn’t get enough attention as a child. When I can afford therapy, I’ll let you know.
How would you describe your music?
Somewhere between folk and indie rock - like if you took a long walk in the woods with a head full of feelings and then accidentally tripped into a jam session. My songs lean into honest storytelling, bittersweet melodies, and the kind of lyrics that are tongue in cheek, as well as speaking to my doubts and vulnerabilities.
Think acoustic guitars, folk textures, with a little bit of grit. If Billie Marten and Big Thief had an acoustic showdown in a field somewhere in Wexford, it might sound a bit like my music.
Who are your musical inspirations?
During Covid, my music taste completely changed. Like many, I packed up my life in Dublin and moved back to my family home in rural Wexford. While trying to finish my degree, I distracted myself with long walks and new music discoveries. That’s when I found artists like Big Thief, Johnny Flynn, and Haley Heynderickx.
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I listened to Johnny Flynn’s debut album, A Larum, probably over a hundred times. That album is the reason I picked up a guitar again - I hadn’t touched one since I was ten. I taught myself his songs, and from there started writing my own. A lot of my early songwriting borrows from his fingerpicking style and chord progressions. Thank you, Johnny Flynn, for the inspiration (and the hand cramps).
What was the first gig you ever went to?
Jedward in New Ross, Co. Wexford. A park beside the Dunbrody Famine Ship. I was 12. They had just been on The X Factor. To say it was a cultural re-set would be an understatement.
What was the first record you ever bought?
Hilary Duff’s Most Wanted. I bought it with my pocket money and played it obsessively every morning while getting ready for school. So Yesterday was the soundtrack to overplucked eyebrows and many questionable hair choices.
What’s your favourite song right now?
I’m really enjoying Billie Marten’s new record. There’s a track called Swing that I absolutely love - the production is playful and full of charm. Lately, I’ve noticed a trend of injecting a bit of quirky, country-inspired energy into modern folk, and I’m all for it. I love when music doesn’t take itself too seriously. We’re all just trying to tell stories - and ideally, have fun doing it.
Favourite lyric of all time?
It’s impossible for me to choose my favourite lyric of all time, but a recent one that is always stuck in my head is a line from David Keenan’s song Radiate A Smile: "Scudders is still skulling bags of Galahad, Oh, I wish I Galahadn’t last night". It made me laugh out loud the first time I heard it. It paints such a vivid picture of a quintessential Irish character - and the wordplay is just gold. That’s what I enjoy about David Keenan (and so many Irish folk artists): they tickle you with wit and then sucker punch you with poetry.
If you could only listen to one song for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Mostly Chimes by Adrianne Lenker. It’s technically ambient, so it wouldn’t drive me mad on a loop - which feels like a smart choice if we’re talking forever. It’s gentle, a bit mysterious, and tickles the inside of my brain. Ideal background music for anything from writing a poem to contemplating whether I should attempt the Artist’s Way… (again).
Where can people find your music/more information?
My debut single Home Again is out now on all streaming platforms. I just played my first headline gig at Little Whelan's on 30 July - keep an eye out for more gig announcements coming soon! You can follow me and keep up with everything I'm doing - music, theatre, improv chaos - over on Instagram: @elishkalane. My linktree with all my links is here.
Alan Corr
