by Faye Thompson
I had the amazing opportunity to interview Irish singer/songwriter EFÉ for Abyss Literary Magazine. We talked about her start-up and how she got into the music industry. “I used to kind of do, like, really dumb videos with my friends” she giggled as she went on to explain how she did random funny videos with her friends, including some rap videos on Instagram and Youtube when she was younger. EFÉ went on to say,
“Eventually I started releasing music on Soundcloud...like serious music”.
After this, she met a friend who told her that he was a producer, to which she said, “Oh cool...let’s make music”. She went on to explain, “We just started making music then in, like, 2019”, which was truly the beginning of EFÉ’s flourishing career. EFÉ explained that from then on a lot of things began to happen with her music career.
I went on to ask EFÉ what kind of help she received when breaking into the Irish music industry, if any. She replied, “I got some managers, but I felt like they just didn’t understand the vibe that I wanted”. It just didn’t seem to be working out for EFÉ at the time and she ended up working alone for a while, “navigating and figuring things out for myself” she explained. “But, when I released my song ‘Seven’ - that had been out on Soundcloud for like a year - on Spotify, this woman who worked in PR reached out and was like, ‘Hey, I wanna do your PR for free and just help out.” This agreement was huge for EFÉ as she explained how this woman helped out so much, to the point that EFÉ began to question it;
“like why are you helping me” ..“it was someone in the industry that was really just like rooting for me”.
Finding managers in the industry is really hard. EFÉ explained to us how managers tend to reach out to upcoming artists through social media. However, having many people reaching out to her, it was very difficult to find the right fit for her brand. EFÉ had even been flown out to London and Miami by a manager to make music but it “just didn't work out”. Despite all the “ups and downs and trying to find the right people who get you and your work”, EFÉ has found the right management to stick with. Since 2020 EFÉ has been working with the same managers and says that they just “get her”, although she described the process as being “like a rollercoaster”.
EFÉ told us where she believes more help and support is needed for upcoming artists. There are grants available but “it's such a competitive industry” she explained. More grants should be made available. Financially, it's a really demanding industry but EFÉ was lucky to be able to work with her friends, “we were just, like, working for free”. It's difficult to make money from music in the beginning. “When Spotify started paying me it was literally nothing”, but eventually EFÉ was able to begin to pay her friends for favours they did for her to help her while she was coming up which was so rewarding. “I was working in Bershka at the time and I had to fund, like, everything by myself at the start”.
EFÉ went on to explain changes she would like to see in the music industry, especially in Ireland.
“I wish means of exposure were more accessible”
Ireland is kind of grouped in with the UK in terms of the music market, which is great, but it made little difference to EFÉ as the ability to gain exposure was still difficult to find, “it was quite difficult just to be seen”. EFÉ says it's even more difficult because Ireland is still that bit away from the UK music market that it's hard to find the opportunities without the exposure.
Artists coming up in Ireland are so often faced with the same problems that EFÉ had and she believes it's a huge part of the reason that Irish artists tend to move abroad in search of better opportunities for their music. “The music industry in Ireland is like, non-existent. Although it's growing, it's still not quite there”.
Most of EFÉ’s listeners are in the UK or the US, “which is really cool”, says EFÉ, “because I'm expanding but, I guess the market for it here in Ireland just isn't there”. There's so much talent here but it's just a shame so much of it goes unnoticed because there is such little focus on the music industry in Ireland.
I explained to EFÉ the goal and focus of Abyss and asked her if she thinks that something like Abyss would benefit the Irish music industry and general Irish arts industry. She responded:
“I love that physical media is becoming a thing again and being able to market it online is perfect, it's a way for young artists to gain some free exposure for their talent”.
EFÉ’s latest music is available on Spotify, including her hit single: Truth☆Truth
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