Qbanaa: ‘A career in music is like a start-up business — you can lose a lot at the beginning’
Ahead of her performance at Cork Jazz Festival this weekend, we caught up with Cuban-Irish singer-songwriter Qbanaa to talk sonic inspiration, the songwriting process, and poetry as the perfect jumping off point.
Fusing influences and genres to create a sound that seems to defy categorisation, Cuban-Irish singer-songwriter Qbanaa is a name we’ll all have on our lips by this time next year.
Qbanaa frequently described as a jazzy neo-soul artist, mixes her inspirations from Erykah Badu, Hiatus Kaiyote, Kali Uchis, Khruangbin, Amy Winehouse and Greentea Peng. Based in Dublin, Qbanaa grew up travelling back and forth from Cuba where music and salsa dancing were integral parts of her childhood.
Blending her heritage with soul, jazz, and Latin rhythms, her music also takes on hip-hop, pop and folk qualities here and there, culminating in a sound that’s uniquely her. Since the release of her debut track, ‘Truth and Desire’, in 2022, Qbanaa has been captivating audiences with her versatile live performances, whether playing an intimate two-piece acoustic set or a powerful eight-piece session.
With a six-track EP coming in 2025 entitled Elisa, and a newly released single, ‘Demons in the Liffey’, this artist’s star is certainly on the rise. Playing Live at St. Luke’s on Friday 25 October as part of the Guinness Cork Jazz Festival, we caught up with Qbanaa to get the lowdown on what to expect…
Tell me about your start in the industry. Was a career in the music business always something you aspired to?
As a young one, I wanted to be the winner of The X Factor or Britain’s Got Talent. I even auditioned when I was 10. When I got older I forgot my dream and wanted to be a yoga teacher and have my own studio, then I completed my degree in psychology and when the big C hit, and I was trapped within my four walls finishing my thesis, that’s when I rediscovered my love for music, and naturally just found myself in the business.
What is your approach to songwriting?
It depends if it’s for me or for someone else. But if it’s for me: poetry, I began writing poetry from a young age. I keep a collection scattered on sheets of paper around my studio and on my phone. Then, I use them as inspiration to write lyrics. I have decks of cards with writing prompts and sometimes I just improvise and make sense of the lyrics later. It depends on the environment.
What has been the highlight of your career so far?
I’ve had too many. Donating a guitar and a trumpet that I used to record my EP, Elisa, to a conservatory in Cuba and going on my first EU tour supporting Ruby Waters, or my television debut with Other Voices. I was super hard on myself at the time but now looking back, they were such beautifully perfect moments that I’m very proud of.
Who are some of your big sonic inspirations?
Big theatrical orchestral sounds. Music that doesn’t need lyrics. Or music with heavy, good lyrical quality.
I love Khruangbin, Hiatus Kaiyote, Erykah Badu, Amy Winehouse, Hans Zimmer, Sabrina Claudio, Lianne La Havas, Masego, Kali Uchis, The Marías, Chappell Roan, Clairo’s new stuff.
What are your thoughts on the Irish music scene?
Great – cliquey when it wants to be but that’s everywhere, there’ll always be hierarchies. I’ve been lucky with my support. Going on songwriting retreats has deepened my view on the togetherness and community that is within the music scene. I’ve found a lot of love in those circles.
What is the main piece of advice you would give an up-and-comer in the industry?
Surround yourself with people you can learn from, and be a student. Try to be as self-sufficient as you can, learn your technique, learn to produce, learn how to pitch and send emails. This career is like a start-up business — you lose a lot of money at the start, especially if you have to outsource from the get-go. It’s like investing.
What do you hope your music evokes in the listener?
Deep self-reflection and inspiration.
What’s your favourite lyric from a song that you love?
‘el carino de una madre, no se puede olvidar’ — ‘Demons in the Liffey’ by Qbanaa.
Translation: ‘The love of a mother cannot be forgotten’.
Who is your dream collaborator?
Khruangbin.
Who are three up-and-coming acts we should have on our radar, Irish or otherwise?
Melina Malone, Nia Sounds, DeCartaret, and Projective.
Do you have plans for your next release?
Yes, my new single ‘Demons in the Liffey’ was released on 18 October. It’s a love song for my mam and I have a music video for it too, featuring my mam on the Liffey in 1998.
Finally, what is it about making music that sets your soul on fire?
The creative process, being in the studio, when something just clicks. When you make a demo that you listen to 1,000 times a day. When someone messages you or comes up to you after a gig crying that my music has elevated them. That’s surreal.
Qbanaa plays Live at St. Luke’s at part of the Guinness Cork Jazz Festival on Friday 25 October. The festival has been a highlight of Ireland’s music scene for over 46 years, combining electric performances from jazz legends with cutting-edge acts who are pushing the boundaries of the genre. It takes place 24-28 October.
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