Meet the Irish singer-songwriter that is a pop star on the rise.
Hailing from the small Irish town of Mullingar, Flynn moved to Bristol to study music and struggled to make ends meet. Although he soon quit college, he set himself a goal: a year of grinding away would be more than worthwhile if his songs could reach an audience. And so he’d spend a day busking then working a shift in a restaurant before sleeping on a friend’s couch. He’d also travel for writing sessions in London, adding to a challenging if also inspiring time in his life.
I chatted to Flynn about his new track ‘One Of Us’, the Irish music scene and performing at Tomorrowland
How did you first get started in music?
F- I guess I started from an early age, I used to record myself on a dictaphone my uncle gave me, one of those old school tape ones. I’ve always had a big interest in music but I suppose I started to take it more seriously and consider it as a job after I left school.
We’re loving your new track ‘One Of Us’. What was the inspiration behind it?
F- Thank you! One of Us is about family, friends and reconnecting with home. It’s about a time when I was living away from home and I kinda lost myself for a bit, I guess I missed that feeling of spending time with people that really knew me, the kind of friends you can pick up where you left off no matter how long it’s been.
What’s your songwriting process like? Do you do anything to get into the ‘zone’
F- I’m always coming up with song ideas on my guitar, not all of them make the grade! But you gotta keep writing to find the good ones. I love collaborating with other writers, I get my energy from being around people so this lockdown has been tough… I usually just get right into my head and spill out all my thoughts. I love hooks, melodies that stick in your head, and I’m always trying my best to find a new way of saying something that’s been said a thousand times.
Ireland is known for its incredible music scene. Do you think your hometown influenced the music you create today?
Absolutely yeah! I come from a small town in Ireland called Mullingar, we have had some amazingly talented musicians come out of the town and that’s always been hugely inspiring to me.
How would you like your sound to develop? Do you have a direction in mind?
I’m gravitating towards something more minimal right now. I’m learning that in most cases, less is more.
You’ve previously worked with Lost Frequencies, what was that like? Do you have any standout memories attached to making the track?
Yeah, that was an incredible experience, he’s a really sound guy. We wrote the song in London with some amazing people, we knew straight away that the song had something. You don’t get that feeling too often but when you do it’s really something special.
Who would be your dream collaboration?
Probably Pharell Williams
Once life goes back to normal, is there anybody you’d love to support on tour?
Maybe Jon Bellion? That would be pretty nice haha
What has been the most surreal experience since starting your career?
Probably performing at Tomorrowland with Lost Frequencies, difficult to top that one, there were literally 35,000 people singing our song back to us word for word, it was crazy!
What would be the theme song of your life?
“Bill Withers – Lovely Day”
