Weekly > Interviews
Gemma Hayes
The music industry is a strange old place, while some times the least talented people in the world can be given a great set of cards to carry them onto fame and fortune, others with an abundance of talent are cruelly left to battle against the odds to try and forge a career.
Such is the case with young Irish singer/songwriter Gemma Hayes, talented, beautiful and charming, with a real ability to tap into emotions she should really have the musical world at her feet, instead she’s had to battle through label problems and release her third album The Hollow Of Morning herself.
Coming through this adveristy though and the difficulties she had in writing the second album, she now seems to be a much more confident figure, as I found out recently when I caught up with her just before the start of a short UK and Ireland tour.
Do you still look back with fondness on your debut album and the attention and acclaim it brought you or do you see it as something of a poisoned chalice in that it made it a very difficult album to followup?
I most definitely look back with fondness and huge appreciation. There are so many good artists out there so for my album to have been plucked out of obscurity was amazing. It really helped to put my name on the map so to speak. I thunk there is always a bit of pressure with the second album, as they say, you have all your life to write your debut then only a matter of months to write the second album.
Although The Roads Don’t Love You didn’t get the same level of critical or commercial success your fans were happy with it, has their support and encouragement even through your periods away given you a belief to carry on?
Although It’s not whatsustains me or fuels my desire to play music, knowing that people still want to listen to my songs is always a great comfort.
The second album was a battle for you in terms of writing, how have you found the writing process for your third album and have you done anything different to make it easier for yourself this time round?
I think i’ve changed as a writer, I feel a lot freer in how I express myself. Before I would have a fight in my head, there would be the critical Gemma that would want to edit everything, battling with the creative Gemma who would want to leave things as they were, warts and all. I’ve grown to like the warts!! Oh god something tells me i’m gonna regret that last line!!!
From what I understand your new album has been ready for a while but you haven’t been able to find the right home for it, what exactly are you looking for in a label this time round?
Well to be honest, I don’t know if now is a good time to sign a deal. Labels in general are struggling with the whole availabilty of music on the internet, file sharing etc. Having said that if I found a good team of people who believed in what I was doing and were willing to back me up, then I would jump at the chance. I just don’t want to sign my music away for years.
What can you tell us about the new material you’ve written, is it as personal as the songs from your first two albums?
Yes, It’s just as personal. My music will always be personal as I have got to feel something about the subject matter even when it’s about someone else, i’ve got to empathize with the state of mind i’m singing about. As long as I deal in the art of emotions I will always write in a personal form, I don’t know how not to.
How does it feel writing such personal songs and performing them, particularly when you play without your full band?
Ultimately It’s great. When I perform I get to switch off the nagging voice in my head for a while and get stuck into that world that is beyond all the crap. Poetic eh?
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Add to favouritesDo you write songs with a full band in mind and others knowing that it’s just going to be you and your acoustic guitar?
Yes, I usually know once I start strumming a song if it will be an acoustic number or some form of band song. Once I have decided it’s a band song, I record it on my Mbox and put down rough drum/bass/guitar and keys. I’m a dreadful engineer so as soon as it is possible I record it with a good engineer, preferably David Odlum.
Does the fickle nature of the music press and the industry in general frustrate you, you must cringe when you see some of the great female talents being put on a pedestal by the likes of the NME, when you know in three or four months time they’ll be getting slated as they aren’t today’s news anymore?
It used to annoy me a lot to see artists accepted or rejected for the most insane, fickle reasons like they are not ‘cool’ enough. I have to say though , these days it doesn’t bother me at all. I’ve had great things written about me and pretty nasty things too. There’s no point in freaking out as you can’t control what other people do or say. I prefer to just enjoy music regardless of what people think.
You’ve got some dates coming up in Ireland and the UK are you looking forward to getting out there and playing your new material to your crowd?
I can’t wait. I feel like it’s been forever since I played in Ireland and the UK. The band is made up of really special talented people. I’m delighted that they want to play my music.
Have you got any plans to play a longer tour at any point this year taking in some of the places that you haven’t played this time round (Leeds would be good!)?
I’d love to. I plan to tour acoustically the end of May then come back mis Summer to do another tour. You’ll be sick of me by the end of the Summer!
Step back in time for a minute, you’ve written your first EP, is there anything from this point onwards that you’d do different?
Ha Ha, I like this question! If it is true that everything we have done and experienced has brought us to this moment then I wouldn’t change a thing…seriously!
Final question you’ll be pleased to know…What are your hopes for the rest of this year musically?
I hope to do more shows and sell lots of records so I can do more shows and record more records. It’s as simple as that.
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