Artist Of The Week #229 - Ailbhe Reddy
This week’s Artist of the Week is Irish talent Ailbhe Reddy - who has just released her new album ‘Endless Affair’.
‘Endless Affair’ is constructed as a document to endings and achieving closure, addressing the challenges we face in letting go and accepting finality. It exists equally as a poetic reflection on the aftermath of youth, when the party is over, and - in its more sobering second half - as a story of more certain endings and the letting go of life. Across a spectrum that covers the playful and up-beat to the sombre and heart-wrenching, the album’s path is plotted in a way that mirrors life’s own evolution from the care-free to the serious.
She took a moment to talk to us about how the album came together.
Hey there Ailbhe - how are you? So your album is out now - how does it feel to have it out there in the world?
So far I’ve released a few songs from the album into the world and it’s been lovely seeing peoples’ reactions to the new songs and sound. I’m really looking forward to seeing how people connect to the full album as a whole too.
It is called ‘Endless Affair’ - what is the meaning behind that?
Endless Affair is in the first line of the first track, ‘Shitshow’.
“Tell me how did I get here? Some endless pitiful affair”.
After I had finished writing the album I saw a common thread running through of talking about being at parties, and not letting things go. The first half of the record deals with a kind of youthful wildness, the duality of being a bad girlfriend, a good friend, fun or a pain in the ass. That all of that can exist within one person. And the end of the album talks more about relationships, and the real things that define me as a person. The affair is with parties in the first half and relationships in the second.
Where was it recorded? Any behind the scenes stories from the creative process you are happy to share with us?
It was recorded in 2021 in Donegal, where I recorded my first album ‘Personal History’. We had a really tightly knit team working on it, Tommy McLaughlin and myself co-produced it. We had James Bryne with us for a few days recording the drums which brought so much life to the recordings, as he always does. We had Sarah Corcoran from Pillow Queens come for a few days to do backing vocals which was really fun. We had my friend Rafino Murphy do trumpet and my friend Ross Hannon doing piano. So it was a gorgeous experience. The studio is in the wilds of Donegal so it’s great to be somewhere we can truly focus with no distractions.
What are the key themes and influences on the album?
Parties, drinking, fun, self-discovery, relationships, learning to let go.
If the album could be the soundtrack to any film - which one would it be and why?
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. I think some of the songs would suit Clementine’s character a lot.
Do you have a favorite lyric on the album - if so, which one and why?
‘Do I look like my mother, in that old picture, taken by my father, some forgotten summer. My sisters and my brother, all images of her.”
I like it cause I manage to mention everyone in my family and that feels like a nice ending to an album that ends with 2 songs about grounding oneself.
Now the album is out there - what next?
Touring and hopefully recording a third album as soon as possible!
