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Photo – Gian Carlos Maitelli

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Photo – Gian Carlos Maitelli

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Have you always wanted to be an artist? When did you get the songwriting bug?
I started writing not long after I learned my first few chords at 8 years old. Thankfully there’s no record of the songs that were written at that stage but I always had the itch to create something. Since then, the bug comes and goes, sometimes at very inconvenient times! But thankfully it comes back around often enough.

How would you describe your sound? Why do you think fans resonate with your music?
In the last few years I’ve been really inspired by people like Bon Iver, Andy Shauf and Ethan Gruska. But I had a realisation recently that a lot of early to mid 00s music has crept into my sound. Although I wasn’t necessarily really big into bands like Snow Patrol and early Coldplay, I feel like that era of pop/rock music is embedded in what I do. So I think that 00s nostalgia element might be appealing to some people.

Which artist’s music and/or performance, past or present, inspires you today?
Andy Shauf is really inspiring to me at the moment. He has the ability to come up with beautiful, full concepts for his albums, and writes and performs them in a really special and unique way. He also played everything and produced on all his own stuff so I think all of the above makes him one of the most inspiring around.

Your latest single ‘Icy Blue’ was just released! Describe its origin and evolution.
Icy Blue came about straight after a trip I took to Canada with friends in February 2022. We all travelled around together in an SUV, blasting a healthy mix of 80s power ballads, hard rock, country and everything in between, depending on who was on DJ duty. Boys of Summer by Don Henley really sticks out in my memory because it’s probably the perfect cruising song, it’s kind of impossible not to imagine you’re in a music video, or a montage scene in a movie.So when I got home I had the urge to write a driving song of my own, and so I created a new Logic session and named it Boys of Winter. Needless to say, I was pretty certain that title wouldn’t be sticking around.I had met someone in Canada, and I wasn’t sure if I’d get to see her again. So that worry, combined with the comedown from a trip of a lifetime, resulted in Icy Blue.

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Photo – Gian Carlos Maitelli

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Is there an EP or ALBUM on the drawing board?
An EP is definitely in the not too distant future. The itch to create an album is a strong one though, so maybe that’ll follow.

What tours and events are coming up? What are you looking forward to, and what can the fans expect?If you could perform with any music artist, Alive or Dead, who would you choose? And why?
James Brown, dead. Because that’s the only way I’d outperform him.But serious answer, maybe I’d say Andy Shauf again. Seeing him live was a really incredible experience, and I’m sure sharing the stage with him would be too.

What are your long-term aspirations as a music artist and how are you progressing towards them?
To keep making music that excites me, that I’m proud of. So much of my journey so far was searching for my voice as an artist. I feel like I’m finding that now and my main aspiration to just stay true to that.
A goal I would love to hit is to headline Vicar St, my favourite venue in Dublin. But that’s a bit away yet, so I’ll keep writing and releasing music I’m proud of and hope it takes me there.

With that in mind, what piece of advice would you give to an artist starting out?
Try not to get caught up in what you think people want to hear from you. Trust your taste, trust your gut.

Finally, just a  few questions for some quick answers -FAVOURITE:
Album – Lately it’s “Two Star & The Dream Police” by Mk.gee.
Artist – Andy Shauf
Movie – I loved Mistaken for Strangers. Maybe not my favourite but it’s a great watch.
Place to visit – Berlin, for the beer, food and good friends. Or anywhere on the Irish west coast.
Food – An amazing pasta is kind of unbeatable for me.
Drink – Guinness
Tattoo – (If you don’t have one, what would you get?) I have one planned. It’ll be the outline of my dog’s ears on my forearm.

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HONAS – ‘ICY BLUE’ AND BONUS TRACK ‘SOMEONE OF A KIND’

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Follow HONAS
Website – Instagram – Facebook – Spotify

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Photo – Gian Carlos Maitelli

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Press Release 5th April 2024 (below) HERE

HONAS
announces release of
‘ICY BLUE’
with bonus track
‘SOMEONE OF A KIND’

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AMNPLIFY – DB