A&R Department: Niamh Regan on her debut album 'Hemet' and her RTÉ Choice Prize nomination

Congratulations on the Choice Prize nomination! Where were you when you found out? 

At home making soup! I’d seen an announcement on Twitter that the list would be shared live on the radio, but I couldn’t bear that kind of suspense. I was very fortunate to have two good friends tuning in who kept in the loop and broke the great news to me. I stood in disbelief, stunned for a moment reading the texts. Then I had a little happy cry and told my husband and Da... it was a lovely moment.

What was your musical highlight of 2020? 

Despite it being a challenging year in many ways, there were quite a few musical moments I really enjoyed. Number one for me would have to be Other Voices. It had been on my music bucket list since I was a teenager, so that was an amazing experience to get.

You said in an interview that you tried not to rush the recording of Hemet. How important is time and space to allow a piece to mature and realise its potential?

I’m really glad I took my time with my first album. There was a lot to learn in the whole process. When it comes to songwriting though, I couldn’t say whether every song needs time and space to mature. Sometimes a song just happens, and you shouldn’t think twice about it. Especially if it gives you that giddy feeling when you sing it. Other songs in my experience require more time to mull it over and figure out. So it’s a yes and no answer... time and space is a luxury, and I think all art forms benefit from periods of intensity and reflection. But this can happen in two days or two years, all depending on where your head’s at.

What are your 2021 plans and did you make any resolutions? 

Like all musicians, I just can’t wait to gig and play as much music as possible! I hope to get a decent draft of the second album done and look forward to some exciting collaborations.

I made one New Year’s resolution this year, because last year I made about 30 and only three were achieved... so this year I’m playing it safe: just drink more water!

Hemet is out now.