‘Wasters’ Indie-rock Cryfest: Daire (19) from Greenpark releases her debut ep

The debut EP by up-and-coming Clondalkin singer-songwriter Daire Heffernan promises to be an indie-rock cryfest, interspersed with moments of fun, according to the musician.

At 19 years of age, Daire, who is from Greenpark, has already released two well-received singles and lists Californian indie musician Phoebe Bridgers as a key inspiration for her music.

Daire’s skills as a musician were fine-tuned during her involvement in the Tallaght-based SubSounds programme when she was in school, an experience which said “changed everything” for her.

Having recently released her debut EP ‘Wasters’, Daire, who is a past pupil of Coláiste Chilliain, told The Echo about her time in SubSounds, the success of her first two singles, and the intimidation she felt when she started learning to play the guitar.

Your dad started teaching you to play the guitar at age 11, can you remember how it felt when you were first getting to grips with playing the instrument?

Something I specifically remember about learning guitar when I was younger is how hard it was for me.

I remember trying to play a C chord and feeling like my fingers would never stretch that way, but of course it all came with practice.

It was very intimidating learning at first, especially from someone as talented as my dad was!

When did you make the transition from learning to play guitar to then using it as an aid for songwriting, and how did it feel to make that transition?

I always wrote little songs with lyrics from when I was very young, but never actually put it into practice until I began in SubSounds.

My debut single, ‘Skeletons’, was actually one of the first full songs I ever wrote.

You developed your early skills as a musician in the SubSounds group in Tallaght. What was that experience like for you, and how has it helped you to develop as a musician?

The SubSounds experience really changed everything for me.

Having the help and resources to write and record music in the way I always wanted to really put everything into motion, and convinced me that this was the career I wanted to pursue.

Without SubSounds and my mentor and manager Hugh O’Dwyer, the EP genuinely wouldn’t have been made at all.

I’m very grateful to them for everything I’ve been able to do so far.

Your debut single ‘Skeletons’ received national media attention and radio play, how do you feel about the attention the song garnered?

I really wasn’t expecting it at all. Having released a song for the first time, I felt like it would completely fly under the radar, but the attention it received really made me believe that it was possible to continue what I was doing and find some small successes.

It was so crazy to know that people were listening to it and enjoying it as much as I did, after months of production and campaigning. It was really rewarding.

The video for ‘Skeletons’ was filmed in RuaRed by staff from SouthPaw Pictures, who have previously worked with Villagers and Pillow Queens. What was the experience of recording that video with them like?

Recording the video with Elton Mullally, Eva Carolan and Carolyn Johnson was my first experience filming.

Having planned the projector images, and seeing it in front of me along with the amazing lighting provided by Carolyn, made it feel very real.

I remember being so excited seeing it come to life. Elton really made the video exactly how I was picturing it, and I’m so glad it turned out how it did.

You recently released your well-received second single ‘Midwest Emo’, which explores the emotions of love and lust and feeling used. Why did you feel those were important topics to write about?

I felt it was something for people to relate to as, unfortunately, it’s a situation many of us have been in.

Being ignored and strung along, while you wait, and wait, and wait, is not something that has only happened to me – and I wanted to give the girlies a song to cry to! It sucks!

Where can people go to find out more about you and your music?

You can find me @daireheffernan on Instagram and Twitter, and under Daire Heffernan on Spotify, Apple music and most other streaming platforms.

The ‘Wasters’ EP is out now on all streaming platforms.