- Music
- 29 Jul 25
49th & Main’s Ben O’Sullivan on how his rare illness shaped his approach to creativity and life: "I took more risks and did things that were less popular and a bit weirder"
Read the full interview in the current issue of Hot Press
Speaking to Hot Press – in a wider interview available to read in full in the latest issue – producer Ben O’Sullivan from Kilkenny indie-house duo 49th & Main spoke about his challenges with aplastic anaemia, a rare blood disease, which led to a shift in perspective as he underwent intensive treatment.
“When I was in hospital, I wrote that poem on a whiteboard beside the bed. It was something I could draw strength from,” O’Sullivan said, referring to the William Ernest Henley poem 'Invictus', which features in the final track of their latest album Happy Tears, but in Irish.
The illness causes chronic fatigue and vulnerability to infection and came just as the band was gaining momentum.
O’Sullivan continued to create music throughout treatment, something he describes as both a coping mechanism and a motivator.
“I always think about how hard it would have been without the music. Especially in the tough times I’ve faced over the past couple years. It’s always something I can go back to, especially the response from fans,” he said.
“There were ups and downs of the illness, and during one of the downs, I remember thinking: ‘I just want to make stuff that I like, for me.’ I just wanted to enjoy life, I guess."
"That definitely changed things. I took more risks and did things that were less popular and a bit weirder.”
Bandmate Paddy King, the group’s vocalist and primary lyricist, told Hot Press about how O’Sullivan’s determination throughout treatment inspired their shared creative push.
“It definitely put us in gear to making music nonstop,” he said.
“We really wanted to work as much as we could. It was inspirational, the way Ben was powering through. I didn’t ever want to be letting him down. So I was trying to do my best.”
Elswhere in the interview, they spoke to Hot Press about their early days in Canada, imposter syndrome and AI.
The duo will tour the UK this September, followed by a headline show at Dublin’s Vicar Street on February 7, 2026. Tickets are available here.
Read their full interview in the current issue of Hot Press, out now:
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