Daithi moves to the beat of his own synths

On the release of his new album, music pioneer Daithí Ó Drónaí talks to Owen Sweeney about the expectations put on modern electronic musicians 

In the era of TV talent shows, there are few success stories worth noting once another rotation of the X Factor or Britain’s Got Talent comes to an end. The exception of this rule is electronic artist and graduate of The All Ireland Talent Show, Daithí Ó Drónaí. Although the short-lived formulaic reality series is now nothing more than an origin story for Daithi, it was the vessel that first delivered his hybrid performance of synthesised fiddle and electronic dance music to the Irish masses.

Equipped with loop pedals, his trusty fiddle and a strong heritage in traditional Irish music, Daithi soon found himself as a talent show contestant again on Sky’s music-centric offering  Must Be the Music. Despite the short turn around time between TV shows, the outcome from this opportunity would set Daithi on the path to success, one he would travel on his own terms.  

“It was going to be an absolute kick up Britain’s Got Talent’s arse and that’s how it was going to work. That’s how he sold it to me,” recalls Daithi. 

“I went down there and I saw that they had a really good way of doing the show. Once I started getting through the rounds, they were bringing me to studios in London and letting me record my own music. They would help you record the single that you would play on the show, and then it would be available on iTunes the night of the TV performance. They even gave all the proceeds of the song to me...that gave me the money I needed to build a studio which was used to record my first EP.”

Four years on and Daithi is signed to a major label and has cemented himself as an act synonymous with the Irish music scene, thanks in part to manager and mentor Eoghan ‘Gugai’ MacNamara and the rest of the Róisín Dubh family. 

“The Róisín is where I came from. Gugai is my full time manager and he has been for a long time. I think it’s really important to keep someone there who is looking out for you more than they are looking to make money or anything like that. That’s more important. He’s been great to me,” explains Daithi. “When we started having talks before we signed with a major label it was interesting because they had never signed up anyone before who knew the industry so well...We had a set idea of where we wanted to go with it and they seemed delighted that we were so much ‘in the know’ and very forward thinking.” 

For Daithi the accomplishment of signing with a major label is not an invitation to sit back and declare himself a star. Once signed, he explains, the label assists with financial assistance similar to a bank loan and the all-important radio airplay, while Daithi handles the majority of PR and promotion himself.  This month the electronic artist, who is now based in Galway, launches In Flight via Sony Music Ireland, a record that combines synthesised loops, an array of guest singers including: Elaine Mai, Senita and Jesse Boykins III and his indispensable fiddle.

Despite an abundance of undeniable talent there isn’t an ounce of music snobbery present in Daithi. Citing numerous inspirations, covering everyone from Final Fantasy (AKA Owen Pallett), Arcade Fire, John Hopkins to Kendrick Lamar and Beyoncé, he happily admits that he loves making pop songs. The high quality production work audibly resonating from the already-released singles Have to go and Chameleon Life have the ability to change the music tastes of even the most cynical of music writers. Quite humbly, Daithi professes that the album might not be where it is today without the tutelage of Young Wonder’s Ian Ring who though him how to record and produce “properly”.           

For any music professional working in the electronic space, one obstacle that must be overcome is the migration of the studio magic to the live show format. In a time when some of the world’s greatest electronic acts face criticism for contributing little to their live shows other than pressing the play button, Daithi knows how important it is, for the audience and himself, to be constantly working and creating something on stage whether with live fiddle or synths to avoid what he jokingly calls, “feeling like such a cop out”. With the 2014 line-up even stronger than last year, there will be no shortage of hard working acts on the Róisín Dubh stage.  

“I think that the Róisín Dubh stage is perfectly set up to be the kind of the ‘off-kilter’ stage, slightly different from the general line-up at the Westport Festival and that’s what makes it very special,” says Daithi. 

He continues, “Those acts are part of a proper Irish music scene that people might not get to see a lot. It’s a family orientated crowd, but that’s a good thing because we don’t get to play to that kind of person a huge amount either. I think people get a good buzz out of that and if you can get a good crowd there then you are doing something right.” 

Daithi performs on the Róisín Dubh stage Sunday 29 June, and by the sounds of things there’s nowhere else he’d rather be. Look out for the ’Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man’ that marks the entrance to the Róisín Dubh stage.