Aimée: “I’m definitely a reincarnation of my mam – I get my confidence, and wanting to empower women, from her”

She’s spent the last few years jetting between London, Los Angeles and Sweden, rubbing shoulders with some of the biggest names in the pop business – but Aimée’s current location doesn’t quite meet such glamorous standards:

“I got stuck in the queue for the car wash!” the Dublin artist laughs apologetically down the line, over the faded whirring of the machine.

All in all, it’s been a busy week for Aimée, in the run-up to the release of ‘Hurt Like Hell’, her first new single since her hit ‘Nobody Else’ in February 2022. The success of that track helped the Universal Music signee secure the momentous honour of becoming the most-played Irish female artist on radio last year – as well as earning spots on popular Spotify playlists like New Pop Revolution and New Pop UK. She’s since signed a worldwide publishing deal with BDi Music in London.

Her new track is imbued with steadfast confidence, and a defiant message about reclaiming your power.

“It sounds cheesy, but the older I get, the more unapologetic I become,” she reflects. “I really want my personality to come across in my songs, but I also want the person listening – singing into their hairbrush at home – to feel the confidence that I feel as well.

“I’m definitely a reincarnation of my mam – so I get my confidence, and wanting to empower women, from her,” she adds. “That’s what drives me.”

Of course, she now occupies a unique position in homegrown music, as the highest-ranking Irish woman on the 2022 radio chart – despite not initially believing the news.

“I made them send me proof, because I didn’t believe them!” she laughs. “But I was delighted. I was not expecting it. It just shows the longevity that ‘Nobody Else’ really got on radio, which was amazing.”

Credit: Ryan Douglas

She plans to continue using her voice to ensure other women in the industry are being afforded a similar platform.

“I get such amazing support from radio, so I’m not really in a position where I can complain too much,” she says. “But there’s definitely room for improvement. We can see slow improvements, but we need things to take off quicker. At this point there’s no excuse for it. You really don’t have to look too hard to find Irish women that are releasing good music – because it’s everywhere. There’s no argument where they can say, ‘Well, there’s just no good music…’ Fuck that! There’s so many amazing Irish women releasing music all the time.

“I’ll never stop championing other up-and-coming Irish women that are releasing music,” she adds. “I’ll never stop talking about it – ever. As you move up in the world, and get a better platform, you have to use it for good. You have to be the person who can speak on behalf of people that might not be heard.”

In some respects, Aimée’s just returning the favour – having been supported in the early days of her own career by RuthAnne.

“She opened doors for me,” Aimée says of her fellow Irish pop singer-songwriter. “I got to write with people in LA that she had contacts with. And, because she was the one who obviously started Irish Women In Harmony, she really opened my eyes to what can be done when women come together and work.

“I was literally only talking to her 20 minutes ago – she’s always on the other end of the phone,” she continues. “She’s so supportive, and she’s the most ‘girls’ girl’ you’ll meet. She’s definitely been a really good influence for me – both personally and professionally.”

When it comes to her career, Aimée admits that, over the past year, it feels like her “feet haven’t touched the ground”, between writing and recording sessions around the world. Her trips to Sweden, she says, have been particularly special.

“I definitely lived there in a past life or something,” she remarks. “It must be because I’ve been so connected to their music since I was literally in nappies. If I’m in a session in LA or wherever, I have to go in and play them examples, like, ‘This is the old-school pop I want, but I want to make it more modern’. I have to really explain it. But in Sweden, I don’t. They just get it, because it’s in their nature. That’s where that pop music came from.”

 

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Surprisingly, those early Swedish influences didn’t include Abba.

“I actually wasn’t allowed to listen to Abba when I was younger!” she laughs. “I think my mam had a next-door neighbour that never stopped playing them or something. Even on holidays, I remember there was nighttime entertainment in the hotel, and there was a show one night where they did Abba – and she made us go out, because she didn’t want to listen to it!

“So when I went to Sweden, I went to the Abba museum, because obviously as an adult I can make my own decisions!” she adds. “And I can really appreciate the fucking banging songs that they have. But my mam would be disgusted if she knew…”

Of course, despite countless highlights in Sweden and beyond, the unusual pace of life as a globe-trotting recording artist can be tough – and the mental toll the music industry can have on its artists is something that continues to spark important conversations.

“I’m someone who’s suffered with anxiety, panic attacks and claustrophobia since I was a kid, and I’ve always been very open and honest about it,” Aimée reflects. “Right now I’ve kind of got my routine, as to how to keep my anxiety at bay. For example, before I go on tour, I would deliberately make sure that, in the days leading up to it, I’m spending more time on the beach, or going out for walks, or doing fun things.

“Even on tour, I’ll make sure there’s time to switch off between shows. I schedule it into my days as if it’s a lunch meeting or whatever – because it’s just as important. I have to make sure that I have time to just breathe, and have quiet and silence, because I can get quite overwhelmed. I’m so lucky to have a team that knows that – I don’t even have to ask for it.”

Looking to the future, Aimée admits that her “goals are pretty big and ambitious” – but she’s clearly not afraid to put in the hard graft.

“My ultimate goal is a world tour, and to have sold-out shows around the world,” she resumes. “I definitely believe in the power of positive thinking. I don’t believe in sitting on your arse and manifesting, and being like, ‘Oh, this is just going to come to me!’ That definitely doesn’t work. You can manifest and dream of all the things you want, but you’re not going to get anywhere by sitting on your arse. You need to go out and get it yourself.”

•‘Hurt Like Hell’ is out now.