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Every Monday we will be bringing you interviews with unsigned UK or Ireland artists for Independent Music Monday. Recently we caught up with unsigned Irish singer Paul Caldwell to find out more…

Where are you from and how did you first get into music?
I’m from a town called Buncrana in County Donegal, Ireland. There was always music around my home, I was singing along with the radio since I can remember. My family played music and hosted some amazing bands at their venue so I was always around music in some form. That got me into music, I eventually picked up a guitar at the age of 19 and have been playing ever since.

Who were your musical influences when you were growing up and who are your influences now?
Growing up I was into all the big bands you’d hear on the radio, Queen, David Bowie, Thin Lizzy. Bigger Irish bands, we always had these cassettes laying around our house. But at that time I was also into country and folk music. I loved the songwriting and the story telling involved. I sometimes found it easier to get into the story. Now I’m influenced by most things I hear. Songwriters, poets, Tom Waits. Leonard Cohen. Brandi Carlile. Song writers that have the ability to take you right Into their story. That’s what I’m influenced and inspired by now.

How would you describe your sound?
This is always a hard question to answer for me, but I always go back to “Folk music” but I don’t write songs with a specific style or sound in mind. And I’d always try to be open to where it’s going. Sometimes I can sound country, sometimes it’s blues inspired, sometimes it’s jazz or rock. I try to go where the song tells me to go and I write with a Folk music approach. Hence the reason I always come back to “Folk Music”. Have a listen and let me know what you think!

What is your latest release called and what was the influence behind it?
My Latest song released is called “Monday”.
It was influenced by a whole host of feelings.
Loneliness, isolation, insecurity and the feeling of driving to work on a dark, dull Monday morning in an infamous Vancouver rain storm.
Remembering the past, considering what happened and wondering about the other side of the story. Thinking about where I am now and what’s to come. But at the same time, you have to go to work and get on with a regular Monday morning.

What’s your local music scene like?
I live in Vancouver on Canada’s west coast, the music scene here is great. It’s multi generational, diverse and at a really high standard. With so many amazingly talented musicians and singers and songwriters. At this time not many of them had the chance to play or perform for over a year. This pandemic has taken its toll on the local music scene and the venues that host them. As I imagine the same is happening in most places people are reading this, it’s a tough time for the music scene these days and It will take lots of work to get it back to like it was before. But I’m looking forward to that day.

What do you have planned for the next 12 months?
In this weird and uncertain time it’s hard to plan that far ahead. On the performing side I’d love to say that I’ll be traveling across Canada and playing in and around Ireland within the next 12 months, but that’s not how things are looking right now. So what I have planned for the next 12 months is writing and releasing some more music, making some videos wherever possible.
Currently I’m working on a video for my song Monday, and finalising my next release, it’s called “Every Time”.
There’s always lots of background work that goes into these releases so I’m mostly planning that and the next few singles as part of my current EP titled “Headlines”.
You can listen to Monday and Headlines on Spotify and any other streaming platform.

Is there anyone you’d love to collaborate with?
I love collaborating with other songwriters, talking about the shared and personal experiences we go through in our daily lives. I’d love to collaborate with some Irish artists and musicians. Too many names to mention, but you might hear something in the near future.

Any funny stories surrounding your live performances?
Most recently my friend Brian O’Brien and I played for the Celtic Fest in Vancouver, a live streamed show from a tv studio. Really great set up with really professional people. A few thousand people watching. And here’s the two Irish lads walking in to do the headline slot. So we got ready to do our set, with a few well known Irish songs thrown in there. And being the last band of 3 that day, there was a potential of some songs already being played. And low and behold, the first band played one we’ve been practising. So we had to cut it from the set and rearrange the list last minute.
So we got a call, 8 mins to live, we go out on stage, set up get ready. I notice Brian setting up for a different song. The event producer shouts, 2 mins. And Brian and I debating with each other as to what song was first. 1 minute call, the producer shouts, and asks guys are you ok? Do we need to do anything? Worried looks all round. “No all good” we say. 30 seconds to go, two last minute song changes. Final agreements made. The producer asks again, are ye ok? Both of us look at the same time and say, “ah we’re grand”. Have a wee laugh to ourselves and jump straight into an Irish song broadcasted live. Both of us holding in the laugh as we played.

What is the one thing that you want readers to know about you?
I’d want them to know that I love what I do and that it’s music first and foremost. Be it writing one simple line written in a way the stops to make you think. Or listening to a song that takes you right back to a time or place, maybe to a place you’ve never been before. That’s what love and what I live for. I’d want them to know that I’m grateful for every place or stage that music has taken me to, I’m grateful for every listening ear, every conversation surrounding music, and grateful for this opportunity to speak to you. Thank you!

You can find out more about Paul on his website or via Apple Music, Instagram, Spotify, TikTok or YouTube.