Tom Grennan Interview

We had the pleasure of getting to interview the incredibly talented Tom Grennan ahead of his sold out headline show in Dublin's Olympia Theatre. On top of being an outstanding talent Tom is an absolute gentleman and so down to earth. We hope ye enjoy the interview! 

Tom, it’s great to have you back here in Dublin today! A huge welcome back to Ireland! 

Tom: Thanks very much! I’m delighted to be here! 

We are huge fans of your latest track ‘Remind Me’, can you tell us a bit about the track and what was the inspiration behind the track?

Tom: Yeah, ‘Remind Me’ is mainly just about remembering good times, remembering who’s most important to you, um and to be honest with you like we live in a crazy world and I wanted people to hear that song to allow people to escape and to just kind of leave the world and just be full of color and happiness and good feels you know what I mean?

We are also huge fans of your album Evering Road, what was it like to release an album so personal during a global pandemic? 

Tom: It was mad, it was crazy but I feel like I needed to close the door on that chapter and I needed people to hear it and I think people just related to it because it was so honest and it was just an album that kind of represented things that people have been through at one stage in their lives so yeah! It was hard but also it was very kind of just cathartic and therapeutic as well.

What has the reaction been like to the album so far, and what was it like to perform those new songs live? What can fans expect from the Dublin show in the Olympia tonight?

Tom: Um, to be honest with you, I haven’t done anything live in so long, this gig in Dublin is the first one in a while! I did the UK in September but even that feels like a long time ago! So, I’m just going to put on the best show I can possibly put on and hopefully people love the songs that I do tonight! It should be good!

How do you feel that Evering Road differs to your album Lighting Matches, which is a spectacular album by the way!

Tom: Oh really? Thank you! I think lighting matches was an album that I was kind of learning, I never done music properly before, it was the first time I was thrown in the deep end, and it was that album where I was finding my feet and finding my voice and Evering Road, I was older, I also knew the songs I wanted to make and  I knew what it wanted to sound like so yeah it was a big difference and I feel like I’m on this steady rollercoaster that keeps evolving and keeps trickling to the top....even with my third one that I finished now, which will be out later on this year, just feels like a better album!! 

Your track ‘Little Bit of Love’ was certainly a big hit that a lot of people needed to hear over lockdown, it was like a gig in the form of a song that a lot of people needed to hear, so what helped you during hard times over lockdown?

Tom: Moving back in with my mum and dad for sure! I think lockdown allowed me to reset and just recharge the batteries and really nail what I wanted to do in my life and just get fit mentally, physically and figure out who was good for me and who wasn’t good for me! 

This question comes from a fan of yours called Ruth, she wants to ask how did the track ‘It Hurts’ come about and what was the inspiration behind it?

Tom: Yeah so ‘It Hurts’! There was a lot of rumors going around about me at the time and I just kind of wanted to say, look listen this is all bullshit! Um, and it does hurt when people are talking bad about your name when the truth isn’t what people are hearing so yeah, it’s all about that! 

 We must ask you about your relationship with Ireland also since you’re obviously here and your legendary dad is Irish too! So, what are you looking forward to the most about being back in Ireland and who is your favorite Irish musician?

Tom: Yeah so, for me I grew up here in the summers, all my Dad’s side of the family are from here so it’s home for me, I’m so proud to be from here and I just, I don’t know, when I come back I feel, I don’t know, it’s like I’m a part of it, you know what I mean? My favorite Irish band is probably U2, Bono is a ledge! But I’m also a fan of Dermot Kennedy too, I know Dermot well! There’s a lot of good Irish music, Hozier, there’s a lot of good Irish musicians! 

This is another fan question from Charlie Hanlon, are there any tour essentials, do you have any must haves for your rider? Any pre-gig rituals?

Tom: Not really! You know what, I’m kind of like boring when it comes to all that, I’m not a diva! I’m just straight forward you know, just snacks, waters and things like that! I warm up obviously before a show but apart from that, I’m very chill and laid back!

What has been your fondest musical memory?

Tom: I think probably my number 1 album! It’s definitely up there with my biggest achievement.

If you weren’t a musician, what would you be doing? Have your earlier dreams impacted your music?

Tom: No, I don’t know what I would be doing, I never really had a plan B so when I put my mind to something, I always kind of try to succeed in what I do so I don’t know though, I’d probably be on a building site with my dad! Haha!

This is coming from another fan called Sinéad, she wants to know what was the inspiration behind your song Alive? 

Tom: Oh, that was actually a Sia cover, I love Sia she’s amazing but I’m so glad to hear that my fans love my version! 

So Tom, that includes the end of our interview but before we let you go, is there any advice that you’d like to give to people starting out in music since you’ve had so much success yourself?

Tom: Thank you very much! Just keep doing it, keep believing in it and make the music that you want to make, there’s billions of people and someone will listen so yeah, good luck to whoever’s doing it! Thank you very much girls! 

MusicBox PR Team