Sinners: Jack O'Connell on the traditional Irish music in the acclaimed thriller

In a recent interview with Hot Press, Jack O'Connell and Ryan Coogler discuss the traditional Irish music used to score Sinners.

Directed by Coogler, the film arrived in cinemas on April 18, starring Michael B. Jordan as Smoke and Stack and O'Connell as Remmick. The soundtrack was produced by Ludwig Göransson, known for his work on films like Oppenheimer, The Mandalorian, Black Panther and Creed.

“We recorded in Clarksdale, in old churches, under porches,” said Coogler. “You can hear the dust in the notes.”

Darren Holden and Brian Dunphy of Irish band The High Kings are featured in the score, with ‘Rocky Road to Dublin’ and ‘Will Ye Go, Lassie, Go?’ Both tracks rank among the four most-streamed songs from the film across all platforms.

“The music was the key,” said O'Connell. “It’s not often you get a script from America that incorporates traditional Irish music – not just popular Irish music, but the real deal, the genuine stuff. So, I had to read that page six or seven times before it sank in – where ‘The Rocky Road To Dublin’ is being sung by Remmick… that was quite surreal.”

O'Connell’s character uses music to lure his victims. In one scene, the actor sings and plays guitar in his rendition of ‘Rocky Road to Dublin.’

“We were working with the best of the best,” he said. “We had Ludwig Göransson and Serena Göransson, just experts at what they do with music in film.”

Read the full interview in the latest Hot Press issue below: