Janet Devlin Talks New Album, Her Hometown And More

Northern Irish singer-songwriter Janet Devlin is making a vibrant return with her new single, ‘Back To My Senses,’ which is out now via OKGood Records. As she gears up for appearances at C2C editions in Berlin, Belfast and London we felt that now would be the perfect time for a chat:

 

 

Apparently when I was around 5/6 years old. I say apparently only because it’s a memory of my grandmother’s. Most days when she’d pick me up from school, I’d be singing little ditty’s on the walk back to her house. When she’d ask what song it’s was, more often times than not, it was a song I’d “made up in my head” that day at school. I definitely remember writing from around the age of 7. Actually putting pen to paper and writing them down.

 

 

 

 

When I was around 5 years old, My parents had gone to a wedding. My grandfather was babysitting my brothers and I that night. Bless him, he didn’t have the best of hearing. So I used this as the perfect time to steal my brother’s tin whistle and teach my self to play it. Important detail – it sounds horrific when you don’t know how it works haha. But after a while I figured it out and taught myself how to play “Twinkle Twinkle”. After proudly showing my grandfather, he let me stay up to play it to my parents when they came home! It wasn’t long after this that I ended up joining a local céilí band.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I dated too many dudes that were walking red flags. I got out of a 3 year relationship that was littered with red flags… but I still stayed. So when that ended I decided to manifest a “good guy”. For a change haha So this was just me writing my itemised list for the universe to give me one!

 

 

 

 

I wrote it with Kaity Rae and Jamie Sellers who I’ve written with before, they’re two fantastic writers! I’m genuinely a massive fan of all their works. If you’re a music nut – go check out their discography’s! You’ll be spoilt for choice.

 

 

 

 

Yes, but only through the circumstances! We only had an hour or two to do it and unfortunately we didn’t finish it in the first session, just the verse and chorus. I also helpfully had no voice on the day we were writing so Kaity sang the demo! I ended up finishing the second verse while I was on tour in Australia, and the middle 8 a few weeks later with Jamie. I just knew it needed to be done because I loved it too much for it to stay in the ‘unfinished’ pile.

 

 

 

 

I just wanted to have fun. It sounds so silly but after the emotional heaviness of the last record, I wanted this to be a bit of craic. So I worked closely with songwriting/musician mates of mine mostly. Which definitely worked in my favour for the writing. There was ballads I wouldn’t have written had my friends not known what I was going through. But also the freedom to be my silly, unserious self when it came to the uptempo tracks as well. In the spirit of “fun”, naturally I had to go to Nashville to record it. Not only for the world class musicians but also because of the atmosphere! I alwaysssss have fun when I’m stateside haha

 

 

 

 

So I recorded it out in Nashville Tennessee in Blackbird Studios. Which is an absolutely amazing studio – 10/10 on trip advisor haha It was produced by my old guitar player “Roo Walker”. Who has known me since I was 17 and just starting out in music.

 

 

 

 

I think making the head of the label go into the vocal booth to sing the “Who the man?” “YouTube da man” lines from the track “Daddy”. I was absolutely in stitches but in the best way, because it sounded great! It’s a silly moment in a rather silly song. But having Jurgen singing them was the icing on the cake! It really made my day that he would let his hair down to do it.

 

 

 

 

 

If anyone is familiar with John McBride – the owner of BlackBird studios. They’ll know he has one of the largest collection of microphones in the world. So I was absolutely spoiled for choice when it came to laying anything down. I couldn’t possibly list all of what we used in Nashville. But I got to buy a Shure 520DX harmonica microphone for some of the vocals I did in London. I tell you, I’ve wanted one for yearssssss!! It’s great for doubling vocals or for recording ad libs. It makes the voice sound like it’s coming out of an old timey radio. I absolutely love it!

 

 

 

a) happiest – emotional rodeo

b) angriest – funeral for my best friend

c) most reflective- cigarette sweets

 

 

 

1, I want people to feel like they got their moneys worth! That a babysitter, train fare, hotel etc was all worth it to see the show. I make sure to stay behind at the end of every show to say thank you, take photos, have a chat etc. because it’s not a simple task for most to go out for the evening. I’m also just overwhelmed that they would do through the effort just to see me. So I do want to say thanks personally.

 

2, I want them to have felt something. Happy, sad, anything at all. For me that’s what music is all about. It’s a vessel to letting you feel your feelings. Especially the ones that need a little help on coming to the surface. So the idea that we as a collective, in the room, get the be on an emotional wave length is something truly special.

 

 

 

 

 I could bore you with gear but honestly… I think a good old handclap does something magical in a room. It’s an instrument we can all get involved in together. For something so small it does something mighty to the vibe of a show!

 

 

 

 

The nearest town I grew up to was Omagh in County Tyrone. I’d say: Scenic, quiet, homey, creative and charming.

 

 

 

 

I should be better! I try not to talk to much on the day of a show and Do my warmups! But I also have a Dr Nelson’s vocal steamer – which is a godsend if my voice is dry! It does suspiciously look like a bong haha but if you’ve not hydrated your vocal chords enough it’s much easier than trying to steam up a shower room haha

 

 

 

 

“Under the Hawthorne Tree” or any book from that series. My mother read them to me when I was a child. It covers a lot of darkness as it takes place during the famine in Ireland but the stories are beautiful, painful and important.

 

 

 

 

I’ve have too many but I’ll list a few country/bluegrass ones!

The Steeldrivers, Kenny Rodgers, Dolly Parton, Hal Ketchum, Chris Stapleton, Joy Williams, Kacey Musgraves, Blake Shelton, Blackjack Billy

 

 

 

 

Yip! As always I do two online shows a month on Lounges.tv  which is awesome for international folks who can’t make it to an in person gig!

And more that I’m forgetting but there on my website:

 

 

 

 

 

It was shot by Emma Jane Lewis! Though some people think it could be ai – it’s not! I am actually riding/rearing the beautiful palomino haha

 

 

 

 

What makes me happy is getting to do what I love every day! Being an artist, making music and playing shows. What makes me unhappy is watching the news.