Today we’d like to introduce you to Tríona O’ Neill.
Tríona, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I’m a singer-songwriter, born and raised in the small Irish town of Ballyshannon, Co. Donegal. I spent my youth dancing around the kitchen table with my mother to a smorgasbord of Irish traditional music, 90’s pop and ’60s folk music. We are a big Irish family, cousins popping out of every corner, growing up my Granny hosted weekly home talent shows in her living room, filling the house with music, poetry and storytelling. Music was at the core of my upbringing and whenever we got together everyone had to have a party piece.
From a young age, I was making up little songs as I walked to school or was playing in the house. I sang every chance I got growing up so when it came time to go to college, music was a natural path. In Ireland, education is free and open to all, so at 18 I moved away from home to study vocal performance at The Cork School of Music.
I was studying classical singing, but jazz and soul bubbled under the surface. I sang Mozart by day and Ella Fitzgerald by night. After my MA, I decided I couldn’t ignore my gut and decided to pursue my passion for songwriting, which led me to London, New York and now, Los Angeles.
Those evenings spent pouring over jazz, soul and folk records alongside my education in classical music formed a unique birthplace for my writing to come to life. I write songs that play with soaring melodies and a soulful vibrato that try to captivate you to join my world. I’ve been lucky enough to share the stage with many artists including Brit Award nominee Laura Marling and have toured around the UK, Ireland, Europe and the US. My vocals feature on the Emmy-nominated New York Times series ‘Conception,’ as well as the Salvation Army Christmas advert. This June (06/28/23), I am releasing my solo EP called ‘Haven’t Got a Title Yet’ and I can’t wait for you all to hear it!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Ha! A smooth road! As an artist, I don’t believe there could be such a thing, but maybe that’s just me. I think if you’re not pushing yourself towards change and growth, then you’re probably not tapping into that creative magic, that truth that will set you apart.
I feel my main struggle has been the fear of failure, overthinking to a point of hiding my artistry away. It takes courage to be open and belt your innermost feelings into a microphone. I grew up in a family that worked hard for everything we got, that taught me the importance of being able to provide for yourself and the ones you love. So I struggled with this, creating work that puts food on the table while also being able to express my artistry. I feel like I’m finally beginning to find peace with that and learning to tap into both but it’s always a balancing act.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I would say I’m best known for my vocal style. I’m a singer-songwriter with a good set of pipes. I feel through exploring classical music and jazz standards, I learned a lot about melody and phrasing. This is something I try to bring into every song I write.
In November, I went into the studio with my band, the most special, beautiful and talented bunch you could ever imagine. Vicky Warwick on bass, Jenny Judge on Keys, Kristen Glesson-Prata on drums, Dan Perez on Guitar, Tyler Karmen behind the desk, Riley Madincea behind the camera and Derek R Thomas producing and arranging the record. To say I had the dream team is a wild understatement. Recording this EP was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had in a studio, creativity was flowing, everyone was throwing out ideas and the room was filled with passion and drive for the music.
The EP comes out on Wednesday 28th of June and I can’t wait for you to hear it. The songs on this record are an exploration of womanhood as I know it. ‘Lean on Myself’ is a co-write between myself and Derek R Thomas that speaks to every moment I haven’t felt enough; it’s an anthem to remind yourself anytime someone tries to tear you down that “I’m a treasure, you’re a fool”. I’ve seen so many women in my life, in particular, hang their heads, they are made feel like they are not enough, this song is a message to love yourself and know your greatness.
‘Till the End’ is one of those great love songs, expressing that feeling of an epic love and never wanting to let that flame die out. Loving someone, ‘Till the End’. I first performed this song on my wedding day to my great love.
‘Haven’t Got a Title Yet’, the title track of the EP confronts the idea of societal norms and calls them into question. Why am I a Miss, Mrs or a Ms when a man can live his whole life as a Mr? Why am I expected to “take your name and let my history just trickle down the drain”? This song took me years to write, I wrote it in stages with the help of my beautiful friend Vicky Warwick. The song echoes the expectations that society places on a woman as a single woman, in a relationship and then when married. So many things we just take as the normal, the done thing. This song is there to get you to think and to ask the question, to challenge why something so widely known as “normal” is so? Is it right for you? Once you’ve thought it through, then you make the decision based on what that is right for you, not for society. To be the next generation that defines the new normal as a choice to “take fault out of the line”.
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
I don’t feel like I’ve had that “big break” moment that you see in the movies but I have been so lucky. I have a family back home and here in LA that support and love me. I have managed to surround myself with the most amazing humans, I have so many dear friends who have pushed and supported me to be my best. My husband is my rock and my biggest fan, I couldn’t do what I do without his love and support. So my luck has been in my people, my family both blood and chosen.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://msha.ke/trionaoneillmusic
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/triona_oneill/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/trionaoneillmusic
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/TrionaONeill
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7I2X_EKkV0
Image Credits
Other photos by Riley Madincea
Two live pictures are by Julia Drummond – https://www.juliadrummondphotography.com/
