Hiya Phoenix and Wolfe thanks for joining us in the virtual RGM lounge today, grab a brew and take a seat.
What made you decide that music is a thing for you?
For me (Amanda) music was always going to be a part of my life. My dad was a drummer so I was exposed to his insane music collection.
His band life was part of my routine as young as I can remember some of my favourite memories are connected to that time. In school, I attended a Gaelscoil in Ennis in County Clare music was also part of everyday life and we won many competitions so it was never really a moment for me of lets do this now.
Before I met Cairo I remember seeing Lianne La Haavas though and I bought a guitar and began writing original material, so that when I met Cairo a few months later it was just a natural progression. He cleaned my new guitar and played a song I loved and I sang as he played and it was just magic.
I decided that music was a thing when I understood that I was born a musician (Cairo), which was when I first decided to try and play the guitar to externalise what was in me. I was about 15 years old then. I had been humming, and listening to movie soundtracks as a young boy and memorising them. So when I began to play it was easy the music was all there and it just came out!
Introduce us to you all and your musical history.
I (Amanda) grew up listening to Sinead O’ Connor, the Sweet, Dire Straits, Led Zeppelin and seannós, mix in disco and funk and you can see my brain was stretched to the max musically. I won awards in school with choir in Slógadh, and I sang a few tunes at some venues in London. I even had a singsong in Kumba in Cameroon in 2007.
My late husband introduced me to Brazilian musicians like Tom Jobim, and Jaoa Gilberto. I (Cairo ) grew up listening to Dire straits aswell, both our dads were fanatical about them it’s one link we both definitely share. I also listening to Brazilian pop rock, and heavy rock were what I favoured most as a young person. Later I got involved with worship music, heavy metal & jazz.
I also was schooled under the student of Gamela a renowned arrangist and composer in Brazil. He is behind some of the most famous names in Brazil like Cassia Eller, Nelson Farias and Herbert Vianna to name a few.
What musical interests do you feel you share? How do they influence your sound?
We didn’t set out discussing this but lately we did have a chat concluded we are both influenced by Dire straits a lot so now we have been studying them more. I think we also both love Loreena McKennit and The Breath. We love really ethereal music, with a sense of epic, but we also love groove and swing!
We have seen The Breath live and I would say the rawness and honesty of their style has left a mark on us when we grace any stage. As for Loreena the way she mixes Celtic and Arabic and other sounds helps us to open our minds to what big and bold decisions we would like to take as we mix two cultures ourselves. And as For Dire Straits I hear them in how Cairo plays solos and harmonies without a pic too! I love it.
I also think all these artists influence my approach as a vocalist and songwriter, in how long is a song, will we have a mighty intro. Looking at our latest release I see all these influences. We get to go on a journey each show, or with each song! I love that sense of openness as artists.
What’s the live music scene like in Ennis right now? Anyone we should be looking out for (Bar you of course)
Ennis Eccentirc Music is a new organisation making an effort to get more live music going that is not part of the trad scene which is very strong in my hometown.
There is also originality Clare and The Cosmic Garden Fest. Clare has amazing talent I have to say, so many musicians we are proud to call friends, like Apprentices Daughter, and North of Fortitude we love both of those bands so much. We have seen them both live more than once for sure.
I’ve seen a lot of people struggling for support recently online. What’s your view on the industry?
Hmmmm, in Ireland, the industry can be a little clichy to say the least and that I suppose can impact online support. In the music industry there can be a lot of ego too, now to perform you definitely need a little bit to get up and do a good job, but then if it’s over powering there is a sense of poverty mindset it definitely can create a sense of lack around support.
However I sometimes think the whole Spotify and streaming of music has made us all a little bit burnt out trying to do our best so I try to be understanding and have grace for what people are managing as artists. However there can be a sense of hierarchy to a degree and gatekeeping. However I have to say I have felt really held by those close to me, new online friends have really made my day and brightened up the whole experience because we all understand each other being in the same industry.
Where do you feel you currently sit within the music industry?
We sit in a very niche space, we straddle both the Brazilian and Irish communities melding both cultures in our music in our own way so we are knocking out a unique path so it can feel lonesome in that sense.
We are emerging and building our catalogue step by step. So we are definitely seen to some extent as fresh faces for sure. We have toured a decent amount but recording matters so much in terms of how the industry views you too.
Tell us Two truths and a lie about you.
Before agreeing to meet I gave Cairo a test to learn a Fleetwood Mac song for me.
We can sing in Hebrew.
We are fluent in each other’s language.
Do you ever worry about people taking things the wrong way or cancel culture? Discuss….
Absolutely, even if you post about Palestine you have to worry about the impact it could have on a music campaign or the like. It has become so tough to maintain your truth these days as people have become so polarised. I feel there is a lot of pressure to be perfect but part of being an artist is to use your voice for things you believe in, and to defend them. So I probably am more likely to speak up especially have been a secondary teacher for years prior to this.
Do you sign up to any conspiracy theories? If not why not?
Me (Amand)not so much but Cairo maybe a little bit more hahaha, for me I deal with so much because of PTSD after the loss of my husband in 2107 that I literally cannot take it on, I would only be overthinking it and not switch off. At least Cairo can compartmentalise it haha.
What was your best experience on stage?
Our best experience jeez, that’s hard, each show has been so unique from playing a SoFar Sounds gig in a poly tunnel in North Belfast to an ice cream parlour a stone’s throw from the Cliffs of Moher. Hmmmm for me the influence on this comes from being able to share so much with the audience so gigs like the Cobblestone where were had people from Europe and Latin America together singing our song Chuva– which means rain.
That night so many artists shared the bull and we loved getting to meet other bands and solo artists it was amazing!! The Workman’s club also Dublin was really standout for us we got to support Jayne. We also have friends who host a garden festival in Inagh West Clare and those shows are always so much fun too!
What was your worst experience on stage?
Bad sound engineer/ bad equipment. Is there any other thing that could be said? Anything that negatively impacts the sound is for me the worst. I won’t mention names but the worst experience we had was related to this, it really prevents us from relaxing and giving our best.
Tell us something about you / each member that you think people would be surprised about.
(Amanda ) I survived domestic abuse, I once lived in a refuge for 5 months with my son.
(Cairo) On multiple occasions, I had to be face to face with angry Piedmontese bulls in a field.
What are the next steps you plan to take as a band to reach the next level?
We are planning UK gigs for 2025- watch this space, we are going back in the studio in October. We want to record more and tour more.
I hear you have a new music, what can you tell us about it.
Our newest single is an Irish language track with Brazilian music, all about connecting to our loved ones and ancestors in nature. This track was produced by Bianca Fachel.
The song is called Slí na Fírinne, which translated means the way of truth. In Irish when we lose someone we say ‘Tá said imithe ar shlí na fírinne’ which means they have gone on the way or truth or to the eternal place. There is this understanding that the spiritual realm is the real place.
I lost my dad in 2011 and he made music my anchor and it guides and protects me to this day the song is a celebration of music and culture and how they look after us and ground us.
What was the recording process like?
We had a really solid pre-production phase as the percussionist lived in Rio De Janeiro so we. Did a lot to make sure he was able to engage from there easily. On the day then we had all the backing music and recorded the guitars and vocals and backing vocals in this gorgeous studio out in nature called Birdland Music studios.
Bianca was so supportive and really did all she could to look after us for that experience. She really connected to the song too. The first time I heard the percussion I cried. It brought back all the feelings about my dad and growing up with that in the home.
What was the biggest learning curve in writing the new tunes?
To connect more with other artists. It really supports you and helps you refine your ideas.
Would you change anything now it’s finished?
Not one thing! I absolutely love it with all my soul. We love it the way it was born (Cairo).
Is there anything else you would like to share with the world?
The music we record we tune Cairo’s guitar with a different frequency and people do comment on how the music makes them feel. This began because our little yorkie used to cry when we used standard tuning. Cairo checked out other frequencies and learned about 432hz as a healing sound in nature so that’s something we have maintained in our sound.
We are also really excited to record more and tour more and are really looking forward to coming to the UK.
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