Curating the line-up of and performing at the inaugural Jameson Black Barrel Selects at Whelan’s on Tuesday, October 22, Cruel Sister’s star is burning brighter than ever. Meet the artist behind the act, Faith Nico.
Hypnotic and ethereal, having the wave of Cruel Sister’s music crash over you is an extremely pleasurable experience. The act’s shoegaze sound comes with a riot grrrl edge thanks to the depth and darkness of the lyrics, and it’s this unique artistry and approach to the creative process that continues to set Cruel Sister apart.
Faith Nico is the artist behind the act, a Dublin native who’s been making music since the tender age of 11 and producing her own sound since she first learned she could. Since releasing the debut track, ‘my forever’, to the Turgid EP just last year, Cruel Sister enjoyed a three-night stint at The Telegraph in Belfast supporting Two Door Cinema Club.
Now, Cruel Sister have been tasked with curating the line-up for the inaugural Jameson Black Barrel Selects, a brand-new series featuring Irish artists as they take a journey through the cities and sub-cultures that have helped shape their sound. Bringing a unique blend of sounds from the city to Whelan’s in Dublin on Tuesday, October 22, indie-pop acts Cable Boy and Hotgirl will be playing support on the night.
Ahead of the performance, we caught up with the artist behind the act to get the lowdown.
Tell me about your start in the industry. I know you had a very musical upbringing, writing songs from the age of 11 — was a career in the music business always something you aspired to?
Actually my initial interest was art! Since I was a toddler I would be drawing and painting constantly. Up until I finished secondary school I was determined to be an animator, but then one day I discovered what music production was and that was something I was always curious about doing. I had always dreamed about performing live and being a rockstar though, but it felt more like a fantasy to me rather than a reality I could actually achieve, so it’s pretty cool to be able to do that now!
Do you continue to produce your own music? What is it about that process that appeals to you?
I do, yes. I’m definitely open to working with another producer in the future if I find someone who I have good “sonic chemistry” with, but at the moment I’m sticking to self-produced. To be honest, the way I’d write a song is very production-focused. I’d sit down at Ableton with my guitar and jot down ideas and then go from there. Of course, sometimes that doesn’t always suit the song, and so I’d take it to the studio to record with an engineer, but having control over the song’s production is as important to me as the songwriting.
What is your approach to songwriting? Is it a cathartic release for these deeply personal feelings, or does it feel quite revealing?
It’s a bit of both really. As with most artists, even if I don’t realise it at the time, my life situation, my interests, and whatever I have going on when I’m writing a song kinda creeps its way into my lyrics and imagery. It’s very cathartic singing those lyrics on stage if it’s about something particularly painful, and it’s even better when people sing them right back to me.
For your writing process, are you a music-first, lyrics-later kind of person?
It really depends on the song, I’d say it’s about fifty-fifty. A couple of years ago I would have said music first definitely, but lately, I’ve been really enjoying lyric writing a lot more, which is something I didn’t used to love as much.
You were tasked with curating the line-up for Jameson Black Barrel Selects — tell me about your picks, Cable Boy and Hotgirl.
These guys are some of my favourite artists on the Irish music scene right now. Hotgirl I’ve known since I started doing Cruel Sister and seeing them evolve into this wicked grunge act has been so sick. Also a funny bunch of dudes. Ashley’s such an amazing vocalist, I’ve heard nobody sing like her.
I saw Cable Boy for the first time two years ago and was blown away. They write these really romantic indie rock songs with beautiful ethereal synths and guitars and are just super, super tight. They’re class.
What has been the highlight of your career so far?
Opening for Two Door Cinema Club in Belfast for three nights in a row was a big one. The Telegraph is huge and I’ve never played to that many people, so it was fairly intimidating but also very rewarding. I kind of still haven’t been able to process that me writing little jams in my bedroom could have led to doing that.
Who are some of your big sonic inspirations?
Oh god so many, but at the moment my main ones are PJ Harvey, Sonic Youth, Throwing Muses, and My Bloody Valentine.
What are your thoughts on the Irish music scene?
I think it’s absolutely incredible right now. It feels like every year there are more and more incredibly cool and interesting acts coming out, and what I also love is that it’s still a fairly small country and scene, so it doesn’t take long to get to know everyone. I’ve made some lifelong friends because of music.
What is the main piece of advice you would give an up-and-comer in the industry?
Listen to your gut and don’t let anyone make you compromise your artistry for the sake of a potential profit. And if you’re a singer, for the love of god wear a scarf when it gets cold!
What do you hope your music evokes in the listener?
I want them to feel very cool!
What’s your favourite lyric from a song that you love?
I think “My Hands Carry All of My Good Thoughts” is pretty interesting.
Who is your dream collaborator?
Wolf Alice maybe? I’d love to do vocals on a track for an electronic producer that I love like Four Tet or Flume!
Who are three up-and-coming acts we should have on our radar, Irish or otherwise?
Echo Northstar, Spooklet, and Shark School.
Do you have plans for your next release?
Oh yes! The new stuff is some of my favourite songs I’ve written, I’ve played some of them at shows and can’t wait to finally put them out.
Finally, what is it about making music that sets your soul on fire?
The feeling I get when me and my live band create a big wall of earth-shattering noise onstage.
Grab your tickets to the Jameson Black Barrel Selects event in Whelan’s on Tuesday, October 22 on Eventbrite.
Also Read
