Eleanor McEvoy is one of Ireland's most revered singer-songwriters and next year she'll be in Australia for a special run of shows.
Originally a session musician, Eleanor has been a staple of contemporary Irish folk music since the release of the 'A Woman's Heart' compilation album in 1992, which featured her title track 'Only A Woman's Heart'.
The album turns 25 this year and has sold over 750,000 units, making it the most successful Irish album of all time.
It's been a busy year of touring for you. What have been some of the highlights from your travels?
[Eleanor] Well, as always, the islands off the coast of Scotland have a huge place in my heart and it’s always a joy to tour there, but I had a fantastic time on the Germany tour too and I loved playing Bavaria in particular.
Your new album is 'The Thomas Moore Project'; what makes Thomas Moore such an interesting figure to you as an artist?
As a person he is incredibly interesting. This is a guy who in Ireland was best friends with Robert Emmet (an Irish rebel and fellow Trinity College student who was executed for his part in the Irish 1803 uprising).
He then moved to England where he was best friends with the great poet Lord Byron. Extraordinary that the same man could be best friends with both of those people.
He was also quite a character socially. Once when he got a bad review, he challenged the reviewer to a duel! With pistols! I’d love to have gone for a pint with him.
As an artist, he wrote searingly honest and achingly beautiful lyrics and poems. Part of me really disliked the versions I knew of Moore’s Irish Melodies as a child, because they seemed artificially sweet to my ears, insincere and dated. I wanted to bring them into the 21st century. I wanted to perform them as I would one of my own songs.
How did you approach interpreting Moore's extensive work?
I looked at around 200 of the songs he’d written. I got manuscripts from various libraries and read the sheet music. The ones that spoke to my heart were the ones I recorded.
What was the biggest challenge while making the album?
The biggest challenge was wanting to be true to the songs, while altering them to be amenable to modern ears. I was often dealing with 6/8 time or 3/4 time which is very common in Irish music, like for ‘Erin, The Tear and The Smile In Thine Eyes’, where I altered the groove completely by moving it into 4/4 time.
Lyrically, I was sometimes tempted to turn 'Thou' into 'You' or 'Thine' into 'Yours', I mostly resisted this, but in one song ('At The Mid Hour of Night') I did change it. It’s a stunning song, a conversation with someone who’s passed away. The version I’ve recorded, in my opinion, could have been written in 2017.
'Only A Woman's Heart' turns 25 this year; is it a point of pride for you that it's still Ireland's highest-selling album?
You know, I don’t think I quite took on board how big it became until the 20th anniversary. But yes, I am very proud and grateful for everything that has come my way as a result of it.
It was released at a particular time in Ireland, a time that was maybe difficult for women, so I think it probably resonated with a lot of people male and female as a result of that.
How are you feeling about your upcoming Australian tour?
I am excited and I am looking forward to some much needed sunshine!
What can audiences expect from these shows?
I’ll be doing some material from my recent album 'Naked Music', some music from 'The Thomas Moore Project' and some of the old stuff too. I walk on stage and tailor the show to the audience that’s there.
I don’t just get up on stage and sing a bunch of songs, I try to tune into the mood of the room and capture some magic. While I touch on some dark subjects, it’s a very uplifting show. Music should be life affirming, and I aim to do that every time I step on stage.
Will you be performing solo or with a band?
I’ll be performing solo. It gives me a freedom that I adore. I can alter things as I go, I don’t need to walk on stage with a set list. There’s nothing to get in the way of me and the audience. It’s performance in its purist form, in my opinion.
What are you looking forward to most about coming to Australia?
The mangos. I LOVE your mangos. They’re hard to get here in Ireland and they don’t taste like yours.
Apart from the tour, what else is on the cards for you next year?
Well, I’m making a TV documentary on Thomas Moore, so that’ll be something different for me. I’m also looking at doing a new album project that I can’t talk about yet!
I’m in a new band called Prosecco Socialist with ex Beautiful South guitarist Dave Rotheray and Mike Greaves from Hull in the UK. That album 'Song’s From Behind Bars' is out late February.
I’m also on the board of the National Concert Hall here in Ireland, and I’m chair of the board of IMRO (Ireland’s APRA). So that should keep me out of the pubs.
Eleanor McEvoy plays Woodford Folk Festival 29-31 Dec & 1 Jan; Cygnet Folk Festival 12-14 Jan; and Illawarra Folk Festival 20-21 January. Click here for Eleanor's other Australian tour dates.
