Brí
Brí is the latest Irish artist to take on our Guestlist feature and chat about the 10 songs that shaped her as an artist. The Offaly singer-songwriter has been making waves in the Irish music scene since her debut single ‘Low Supply’, selling out a headline slot at Whelan's early on.
Her latest track ‘More Than’ illustrates her haunting vocals, poignant songwriting skills and her ability to hook listeners from the first note to the last.
Everybody Loves You - Charlotte Lawrence
I think a lot of us have had to balance being around a certain someone who hurt us, while it felt like everyone else was still worshipping the ground they walked on. Charlotte Lawrence’s voice is heaven-sent and the pain she captures in this song is so moving.
Slow Motion - Charlotte Lawrence
Again, I think we’ve all had that breakup where you just know that it’s going to take a really long time to move on and where everything feels like it’s moving in slow motion. Charlotte Lawrence kindly wrote the soundtrack for us. I love a good sad song!
Breathe - Taylor Swift
I recognise that I have a recurring theme here. My early writing was heavily influenced by heartbreakingly sad break up songs. There was something really interesting to me how something could feel so wrong and yet it was the right thing in the long run; ‘I can’t breathe without you but I have to.’ All of these songs help a broken-hearted soul feel like they’re not alone and serve as a good reminder that all of these feelings are normal and won’t last forever. I actually wrote my first song about loss when I was 16 years old after watching Taylor Swift on TV saying that she just 'tried' to write a song one day. I sat down with my guitar to see if that would work for me and a song just fell out. It was the biggest relief to not only express the loss I experienced but to come away with something beautiful where something not-so-beautiful was before. I've written as a way to heal from anything that bothers me ever since.
Ghosts - Laura Marling
Okay not a happy song either but it’s disguised by an upbeat tune. I have been covering this song more than any other song since I was about 18 or 19. I love the idea behind it and I think it’s helped me to internalise and verbalise some of my own experiences over the years. We all have to manage our past and learn to let go and this song shows what it can do to others if we don’t.
Night Terror - Laura Marling
I love haunting, dark songs and I love Laura Marling. There is just something so stunning about this song. I love the strings and the eerie feelings that come with it - just a gorgeous melody and I lose myself in her world when this song is on.
Your Only Doll - Laura Marling
The main influence Laura Marling has had on my songwriting has been her honesty and vulnerability. I always admired her openness in how she wasn’t afraid to show that she felt sad about something. Private feelings were shared behind poetic metaphors that left just enough mystery to want to listen to the song again and again. I admired her bravery so much. As a teenager, I really thought about this a lot in my songwriting journey.
Brooklyn Baby - Lana del Rey
I love Lana del Rey and everything she does. We all had a crush on that cool person who became our boyfriend and our friends worried that it wouldn’t work out and we insisted; ‘he’s in a band what could possibly go wrong?’ I love the melody and the beat and Lana del Rey’s enrapturing vocals and if I ever feel like being in blissful denial of anything I bop away to it.
Blackberry Stone' - Laura Marling
The lyrics in this song made me listen to them again and again as I tried to piece together what or who it was that she lost. I think Laura Marling is a beautiful, poetic, honest and transparent yet mysterious songwriter with the most beautiful voice and she can do no wrong and this song is just incredible.
Strange Birds' - Birdy
The melody of this song is one of my favourites. Paired with Birdy’s haunting, ethereal voice and the song’s lyrical beauty - it’s one of her most underrated songs I feel like. We’ve all felt like an unloved weirdo until we find our tribe and they show us that we’re even more lovable because of all those little flaws. I love the title ‘Strange Birds’, I love Birdy, and I love this song.
Lies - Marina and the Diamonds
Finally, back to the heartbreak songs! This is still one of my favourite songs and one of the most beautiful melodies I’ve heard. Marina’s voice is so stunning and she really paints the picture of what it feels like to love someone we know is wrong for us. What I love the most about music and songwriting is: it can be so difficult to explain exactly how something feels. Expressing myself with words alone often feels like I’m only telling half of a story - but when those words are paired with the right melody suddenly the song speaks for itself and I think Marina captured that perfectly with ‘Lies’.
