Featured Photo Credit: Emily Barker
Throughout his turbulent childhood, Irish artist Cian Ducrot found comfort and release in music. Now an accomplished songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist, Ducrot is sharing that solace with his half a million Spotify listeners.
His latest single “Crocodiles,” co-written with collaborator Bill Maybury, is pulled straight from the pages of his own story and addresses the heartbreak he felt when his close friends were not there when he needed them the most.
We chatted with the pop artist about “Crocodiles,” his upcoming EP and more!
What first got you interested in music?
My mother was and is an amazing classical pianist and flautist so from a young age I was so inspired by her and fell in love with music straight away
Did growing up in Cork have an effect on your music?
Definitely…but not sure how. I guess how anywhere would affect it.. I did a lot of traditional Irish music and a lot of busking and gigging which definitely helped form the musician I am today but really a lot of it comes down to my family.
How has music helped you process things throughout your life?
Ah… in every possible way… I’m lucky that not only do I get to listen to music to help me through my life like anyone else, but I also grew up listening to my mom play and also was able to create my own music from a young age to help express my emotions and feelings! Music also saved my mom, my brother and I from a rough time when I was a kid. My dad was very abusive and music was something that helped the three of us find comfort and what allowed my mom to put food on the table and give us a beautiful life despite the difficulties.
How would you describe your sound?
Big classic raw and real pop songs with a sense of timelessness.
You’re a classically trained flautist. Do you find any elements of that training in your music today?
You tell me? I sure hope so, it’s very much who I am!
What has kept you inspired during Quarantine?
Life! How can you not be inspired! There is so much to talk about!
What inspired your new single “Crocodiles”?
My friends let me down when I needed them the most and it hurt.. a lot.
How did you get connected with your co-writer, Bill Maybury and what was writing with him like?
Bill and I met in LA, although we are both born and raised in Cork, Ireland we somehow never met! We wrote “Crocodiles” on our first-time meeting in a beautiful home studio in Laurel Canyon and I think from that moment I knew Bill would be a frequent collaborator. For me, it’s rare that I find people I enjoy writing with or letting into my music making process as its very personal, but when they’re as talented as Bill and also know when to let me do my thing it’s a great experience!
Where did the concept for the video come from?
It’s as close to the true story as it gets really.. probably was even more traumatic and dramatic in real life and it was actually based over two countries but we set it all in London for filming sake!
What was it like to film the video with the director, Harry Law?
Harry is fantastic, the kind of guy always trying to make things work for you! I give him my idea and all the scenes and timeline that I want, he works his magic and makes it whole with beautiful detail!
If you could set fans up in the perfect environment to listen to your music, what do you imagine it looking like?
Lying down under a dark starry sky…
What can fans look forward to next?
So much music straight from my heart!
What can we expect from your upcoming EP?
My favourite music I’ve ever made.
How has your music evolved since your first mixtape?
I’ve really leant into what makes my music authentic and me and I’ve tried to capture that more and more!
What is one quote that you have heard or that you go by that you want to ECHO out to the world?
“You could fail at what you don’t love, so you might as well take a chance on doing what you do love.”