Donegal singer-songwriter Seán Molloy has released his debut single, It's Not Your Fault. We asked him the BIG questions . . .
Born with albinism and legally blind, Seán struggled during his secondary school years, facing bullying and discrimination for his appearance and sexual orientation, with his early adulthood years shaped by addiction, grief, and personal loss.
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Music became an escape and a lifeline. Through it, he began to untangle the threads of identity, eventually coming to understand that he was transgender.
After graduating secondary school, he moved to the UK in search of belonging, where change, mistakes and growth defined his early adulthood. Unfortunately, a traumatic experience in college left Molloy broken and pushed once again to the edge he fought so hard to run from.
His return to Donegal in 2022 proved a surprising positive life decision, inspiring the artist to begin recovery, counselling and start anew.
Tell us three things about yourself . . .
I have a wizard frog tattoo. Very random, I know.
Thanks to my friend Rian, I now listen to ABBA when I clean the house. There's a time and a place for everything.
I starred as a singing sheep in a national school play. The only albino in the school. It was meant to be.
How would you describe your music?
I would describe it as emotionally driven and inspired by indie music.
Who are your musical inspirations?
Musicians who tell it how it is. Who speak about the hard topics or are generally the underdogs. Growing up, PINK definitely was an inspiration - typical underdog story. Hozier also inspires me as his music speaks from the heart, along with Eminem for the same reasons, also definitely an underdog story. Most recently, my friend Ross, or as more people know him, Throwing Snow, gave me the confidence to tell my story which I have hidden for years.
What was the first gig you ever went to?
Depends what you class as a gig, I mean, me and my cousins dressed up as KISS as kids and sang our hearts out. But my first ticketed gig was actually Kylie Minogue in the O2 in Dublin, when my auntie couldn't get anyone to go with her.
What was the first record you ever bought?
Busted’s debut single - What I Go to School For.
What’s your favourite song right now?
Not Getting Better by Ashleigh Singh. The lyrics hit on a beautiful level.
Favourite lyric of all time?
"I think I'm starting to lose my sense of humour, Everything's so tense and gloom, I almost feel like I gotta check, The temperature of the room" - Eminem.
If you could only listen to one song for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Cyclone by Sticky Fingers. Random but it brings back so many memories of the good, bad and the ugly times.
Where can people find your music/more information?
@seanmolloymusic on Instagram and TikTok, and Seán Molloy on Spotify.
Alan Corr
If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, please see RTÉ’s list of helplines.
