Polly Barrett
Polly Barrett is a well-known name on the Irish folk scene. After releasing 2 albums, 2011’s Mr Bookshop and Probably Me in 2014 she took a break from music to focus on family. While she remained musically inactive for 6 years, the experience of motherhood, surrounded by the beauty of living in the wilds of West Cork continued to inspire her. During the Covid-19 pandemic Polly quietly recorded and released “Dark Garden”, an EP of four new songs, one of which, 'Thinking About You' was chosen for a Discover Ireland Campaign for West Cork. Since then, Polly has been fervently writing songs and experimenting with new musical sounds instilled by her own experiences and magic of the natural world. Using a loop pedal, bodhrán, guitar, tongue drum and low whistle, Polly has developed an exciting new sound which is as compelling to see being created on stage as it is to listen to. Polly performed an Official Showcase at Folk Alliance in the US in 2023 and plans to return to the US to perform at Milkwaukee Irish Fest alongside the Coronas, Wallis Bird and a host of other Irish acts. She has also played alongside Jack O'Rourke and Caoimhín O'Raghallaigh and recently wowed of Tradfest.
Polly follows up the success of her 2021 single ‘Thinking of You’ off her “Dark Garden” EP with brand new single ‘Huge Mistake’. ‘Huge Mistake’ is the first single in the lead up to the release of her third album later this year and offers a taste of Polly’s brand new sound. ‘Huge Mistake’ is out July 6, 2023.
“I may not have done the things I thought I’d do // I may not have reached the heights I wanted to” laments Barrett in the opening lines of ‘Huge Mistake’. What begins as a retrospective look at life choices bobs and weaves with the realisation that while plans did not work out the way she thought they weren’t all huge mistakes. In fact, you could say ‘Huge Mistake’ is an ode to finding beauty and one’s peace in an unexpected place. Infused with her own very personal experiences of motherhood, love, and loss ‘Huge Mistake’ offers an intimate look inside the life of the Cork singer and a glimpse of what to expect from her upcoming album. Polly’s signature finger picked guitar is layered with cello, double bass, mandolin and low whistle to create an uplifting and evocative love song. Recorded in Polly’s living room in West Cork ‘Huge Mistake’ captures the warmth of Polly’s storytelling. ‘Huge Mistake’ was mixed by Chris O’Brien and mastered by Richard Dowling.
I'm heavily inspired by what I've listened to in my childhood and what I'm listening to at the time of writing a song as well. So there's a real mixture here of songs that inspired me both then and now.
Urge for going - Joni Mitchell
I can remember the first time I heard this song, on a Joni Greatest Hits album and it just stopped me in my tracks. I was tidying my teenage bedroom and I think at the end of the song I found I had been frozen in the same position since the start! The imagery here is so vivid. I love the way she finds patterns in nature that mirror the scenarios in her life. I definitely tried to emulate that in my own songs.
Don't Want to Know - John Martyn
I used to busk this song a lot. And I always loved the way you fall into this hypnotic loop with the chorus, you can just keep going and going and it keeps getting better and better. I love the simplicity, vulnerability and honesty in the song. It's almost like a mantra, keep singing it to yourself and it'll come true.
Smalltown Boy - Bronksi Beat
TUNE!!!!! This choice may surprise people as it's not folky at all but it's definitely inspired me musically. Especially in my new album. That repetitive synth going round and round in the chorus is just heaven and I've used a similar sound in my song 'Sapling be...'. It was after writing that song that I realised how much I'd been inspired by Bronksi Beat, I had to go and look up this song to make sure I hadn't actually ripped it off. But I think I'm in the clear!
Remember To Be Brave - Molly O'Mahony
Molly's an amazing song-writer and wrote this song to herself. But I listen to it like it's for me. A reminder to stay the course, don't let the demons in and believe in myself. The music industry is a tough place sometimes and this song helps me to believe others are on my side and I'm doing good.
Send me a River - Sinead Lohan
Ah Sinead, what can I say. She's one of the reasons I became a singer-songwriter. Her voice is so pure, honest and effortless. This is my favourite of her songs although they have all shaped me as a musician.
No Place To Hide - Declan O'Rourke
The Since Kyabram album was the soundtrack to a certain time in my life. I rediscovered it recently and listening to this song brought back so many memories of an old friend that I lost years ago. Shortly after that I wrote the song 'Old Wound' and I think a huge credit is owed to Declan for that!
Johnny Don't Go To Ballincollig - John Spillane
I love this song and John Spillane so much. He showed me that you can say things EXACTLY as they are, and it can be a brilliant song. This is pure folk music like. It's honest, it's got colloquialisms and references to local places. And it's a banger. I've always found this song so inspiring. I think it's also a good reminder for me to enjoy my songwriting when I'm taking myself a bit too seriously.
Who Knows where the Time goes - Fairport Convention
Sandy Denny's voice is another one that I love for its purity and honesty. I used to listen to this and some of her other songs a lot when I was starting to write songs. I love the way the song takes its time and lulls into a receptive space before communicating its message.
Undertow - Lisa Hannigan
I think there's a really unusual and interesting melody in this song that kind of took me by surprise. It definitely made me consider being a bit more playful with the melodies in my own songs.
Mébh's Tune - Kíla
I don't know which member of Kíla wrote this melody but I think they must have the key to my soul because when I heard this tune, it felt like coming home. And that's a very inspiring thing, that music and melody has that power. It's worth experimenting and feeling around with melody until you find something that really turns that key.
