Offaly's Anna Carmody discusses pandemic heartbreak and her newest releases

Newcomer Anna Carmody is making waves in the Irish music scene.

The Galway-born, Tullamore-raised singer-songwriter wrote her first song in 2019 and has since gained attention for her singles, 'Million Pieces' and 'Summer Air.' Taking influence from artists like Lana Del Ray, Dolores O'Riordan, Amy Winehouse, and Villagers, Carmody's songs embody a certain sound that many refer to as "haunting".

In 2020, Carmody performed as part of the Hot Press Lockdown Sessions' Y&E Series, which she mentions was her first real experience of doing a big gig.

"It was great to put some of my songs out there, but it was tough as well because I'd only just started really finger-picking, so I was way too ambitious," she admitted about the performance. It was a big confidence booster early in her career, evident in the way that she now chats easily about her music while sounding assured and certain.

Now, she has been cultivating her craft – an endeavour that isn't going unnoticed. Last week she was named as one of the Local Heroes for Midlands 103 FM for Irish Music Month.

"They told me as well while I was in with Ann-Marie doing the Roadhouse Café interview, so I had no idea. I had literally just applied for it two days before, so I just wasn't expecting it at all," said Carmody.

"It was just so nice to be able to get my music played on radio," she added. "Especially daytime radio, it's hard to get your songs onto it. That was a really big deal to me. To represent Offaly as well is really nice. I was delighted about that."

Today Carmody is back with a double single, 'Gone Away Dear' and 'Hangover.' Released together and written about the same person, the two tracks go hand-in-hand and reflect the experience of a relationship breaking down as well as its aftermath.

"I performed them live at the Superior Sessions at the Thornton Pianos, so they're very much stripped back with just my vocals and piano," said Carmody. "'Hangover' was the song that I wrote first. It was just the breakdown of the relationship. Everywhere was closed [during the pandemic], we were living in a really small place, and it was like a relatively new relationship as well, so it just didn't work out. I moved back home and I wrote 'Gone Away Dear.'"

While the piano ballads differ from her previous releases due to their stripped-back nature, they still showcase her melodic voice, exposing her raw tone that makes the songs feel even more vulnerable. Listeners can hear the emotion behind every phrase, allowing them to really connect with the personal subject matter.

The latest release is in no way the last we'll hear from Carmody. In fact, she has a whole catalogue of songs that may somebody be released.

"Ever since I started in 2019, I've written nearly over 100 songs," she admitted, laughing. "Yeah, it's quite a lot – where are they all coming from? It's like I'm just catching up on the rest of my life that I didn't write, so they're all pouring out of me."

She's been writing these songs in preparation for her debut album, which she hopes to launch next year. An EP may even be on the horizon before the album, promising lovely tunes to fans as they await her album.

"I'm really pushing myself," she said. "I'm full time on my music as well, which is not easy because you're trying to figure out how to make ends meet with it, but it's just exciting to throw myself fully into it and give it the chance that it deserves."

Listen to Carmody's double single, 'Gone Away Dear' and 'Hangover,' below: