LAOISE

Deeply inspired by the theatrics of Kate Bush, the charm of Stevie Nicks and the confidence of Taylor Swift, LAOISE embodies the best parts of all these artists to constantly evolve and develop a new sound completely unique to her. Drawing from her combined influences, she thrives on being able to experiment with her music and the concepts and emotions she’s able to portray, and the LAOISE we hear today is as real as it gets.

With national lockdown hitting all corners of the UK and Ireland, like many, LAOISE found herself isolated and frustrated, questioning the direction she was heading in – almost quitting music altogether. Searching for a perspective outside of music to navigate her thoughts and emotions, she started therapy and it was through these sessions that she found the headspace to start thinking about healthier ways to approach not only her music but life in general.

‘Healthy’ is the first taste of a shift of musical direction for LAOISE and highlights her at her most authentic; she writes about a relationship that feels mature and nurturing, but it also questions how we deal with situations.

LAOISE says, “Writing this song felt so natural. Seán (her long-time collaborator) had a simple instrumental idea that brought me out of a pandemic-induced songwriting rut. During that time, I was discovering a new way of viewing the world - I spent some time offline and started listening to myself. Things like asking myself what I wanted, why I wanted the things I did and if they were really beneficial to me as a person, or if they were attempts to obtain some sort of external validation - that’s very confusing to navigate as an artist.

It was also extremely uncomfortable calling myself out like that, but I think it worked as a great act of healing, because in the long run when you rely on others to give you validation, it stunts personal and artistic growth. Now, I’ve learned to trust my instincts and give myself what I want and need where I can. For me, that’s Healthy.”

Originally from Galway in Ireland, LAOISE grew up surrounded by traditional Irish music – another world away from the sound she now commands. As a polymath, she records, produces and releases her music completely independently, and totally owns her brand of bold, glittering, gutsy pop – paving the way for Irish-born pop music. We can’t get enough of LAOISE, and neither should you.

Watch the visualiser for ‘Healthy’ below…