Brian Kennedy: "When I’m doing a gig, there’s no question that the audience affects what I’m doing, how I’m performing. Can you replicate that with AI?"

The Ed Sheeran and Macklemore situation has been everywhere recently.

It’s hard to miss it. But Palestine is more than another celebrity controversy. I grew up on the Falls Road in Belfast, in the epicentre of the conflict. The first time I saw a Palestinian flag, I was a little kid. We obviously have some things in common living in occupied territory; again, the British are the people who started this in the first place, so my heart goes out to Palestine. I feel such a connection because I know what it’s like.

I understand why people get nervous talking about it. I have great Jewish friends who are appalled by what’s happening; I just think people are misunderstanding the language.

Do you think artists have a responsibility to speak out?

I think Bob Geldof, as usual, is a good voice of reason, in the sense that he goes, ‘Look, you wouldn’t expect The Rolling Stones to do that, would you?’ But there’s another part of me that thinks, why not?

An arena is like the internet; suddenly you have 80,000 people at your fingertips, and you have their attention. Macklemore – all power to him. I think he did the right thing. You should be allowed to say that, say whatever you like.

I feel for Ed Sheeran, because he didn’t say anything initially, and of course he was backed into a corner. As Geldof rightly said, ‘You become currency’ – that’s the revolting thing about it. We’re not really worried about Palestinian kids being blown to bits – people seem to be more worried about how much money they’re going to lose.

Ed Sheeran should do an interview with Oprah! Sit down and go, ‘Right, Oprah, I’ve had time to think about this now, ‘cause I’ve been on this crazy tour, and maybe I do need educating on this.’

I feel for him, but I feel more for Palestine. Kids are being murdered, and I know people are going, ‘What about Hamas?’ But I grew up in a situation where it was, ‘What about the British Army? What about the IRA?’

So what do we do? You pick a side, you choose where your heart lies, and you go with that. For the longest time, we had protest singers, and we don’t really have that now. The minute one person sticks up for Palestine, the whole world has to lie down.

What do you think of Donald Trump? He was recently in Ireland.

You know I sang for him once? It was 2000, for context, when I was living in New York on Broadway with Riverdance. We often got called to do fundraisers, and we had one that night in an apartment on 5th Avenue. There were 25 people, and each person paid $25,000 for a ticket.

But earlier that afternoon, I ran into a woman who I knew lived in my building, but I’d never met before. That day, there were paparazzi outside making a fuss, and she looked shaken, asking me to hold the lift. I asked her if she was alright, and she looked up at me with a black baseball cap on, black clothes – it was Monica Lewinsky.

I went about my day and performed at the fundraiser. It was organised by Governor Tom Carper. The guest speaker was Bill Clinton, with whom I sang ‘Carrickfergus’. The other speaker was the man I call Mr T. Rump.

I did meet him after, he shook my hand. It’s funny to be in the same room with two future impeached presidents of America. I was aware of him because of his tackiness, and he was one of those New York sharks who bit into everything in sight.

Did you ever imagine he would become president?

To think that man went on to be president of America not once, but twice? The world is in such a state of chaos, and he’s one of the reasons why. There’s nothing more dangerous than a stupid person with power.

What did you make of his comments about Irish reunification?

Who saw that coming? He’ll say whatever comes into his head! I think he loves to wind people up, and he knew it would wind the Brits up. Did he mean to? I hope so, because then it’s true to form – that’s just what he does.

He has a golf course in Doonbeg and a close association with that part of the country, so he could be thinking about the future. Or is he just so clueless about the politics of the North that he doesn’t really know what he’s saying? He just thinks, ‘Oh, wouldn’t that be nice – if everyone got along?’

What worries you about AI?

Even on the way here, I got the Luas, and security guards had their phones in their hands, not looking even a second past them. I think a generation of very young people are esentially spending their lives filling their memory bank with AI.

Even in music, something happens between an artist and an audience. When I’m doing a gig, there’s no question that the audience affects what I’m doing, how I’m performing. Can you replicate that with AI?
Is that really where we’re at as a species? That the best we can do is bring technology so far that it’s pretending to be human – what on earth is that about? It’s a big no for me.

It’s 20 years since you represented Ireland at Eurovision.

Fuck that’s right – 2006. I forgot about that.

What do you make of Eurovision now?

It’s rather like AI, it’s all become about the visual, not about the song. It’s called the Eurovision Song Contest – it might as well be called the Eurovision Outfit Contest.
People are more concerned about what they look like and what the dancers are doing, and again that’s become so politicised, in so many ways quite rightly so.

I remember when people had the chutzpah and the bravery to go, ‘Hang on a minute – what’s going on in Ukraine? Sorry, we can’t have that. Russia? No, sorry.’ And then they did a complete U-turn and allowed Israel to perform.

Why do you think Ireland was quick to get out of Eurovision?

I hope it’s for the right reasons. Maybe Ireland has just gone, ‘What’s the fucking point?’ We go through all the preparation and excitement, and then we just don’t do well at all – because it’s not about the song anymore.

What gets under your skin about the modern music industry?

The music itself is being pushed to the side. One of the biggest annoyances is the 360 deal, where labels take a cut of revenue beyond recordings – so merch, concerts, everything the band can make money off.

Again, it’s technology. On one hand, I’m able to sit in a room with you and chat, and this’ll go around the world. Now, when you go to a radio station, it’s all filmed like a TV interview or a podcast.
I used to go in my tracksuit bottoms, and now you have to do your hair – poor old me.

Are musicians spending too much time trying to be content creators?

Well, I dip into it. Essentially it’s free advertising, so that’s a plus. I’m on Instagram, but I’m not on TikTok yet. I know you’re going to shout at me now, but I’m on Instagram, and that’s connected to something called Facebook, people! I love creating little bits and pieces from soundchecks. I’ve got to get my TikTok thing going, haven’t I?

What would make the music industry more exciting?

I really wish Inhaler and Fontaines D.C. really fought with each other – wouldn’t it be brilliant, like a Blur v Oasis thing, where they’re just fucking rude to each other and nearly come to blows every time they see each other. Can we have a bit of excitement, please?

Who do you think is having fun?

CMAT. She looks like she’s having a ball. Great singer, great songs, I love her energy. I love how she’ll get into a pair of sparkly pants and have the time of her life.
She’s one of the only people who really looks like they’re having a good time, because everyone’s so bloody serious – all these acoustic lads standing around. That’s been the case for years, although I probably fit into that category too!

After the politics, war, Trump and AI, what makes you happy?

I’m just about to move house, and I’m really excited about how that’s going to shape up. I love cooking for my friends whenever I get a chance. Part of moving was to get a better kitchen.

I love reading, but I’m a published author, so that’s tied to my creativity. I can get really caught up in reality TV, and it’s pure nonsense. You just can’t believe people are that stupid. It’s shocking, really, but it’s also entertaining, because it’s so not to do with my life. It’s not above me or below me, it’s just there.

The new album is rooted in traditional songs. Why is that important to you now?

I’m about to be six decades next month, six decades, 60! It’s unbelievable to me that I’ve gotten to that age. The idea that I’ve gotten to be an artist where my 20th album is out next month... If you had said to me when I was 24 and had just done my first album, ‘Don’t worry, you’re going to make another 19 of them’, I wouldn’t have believed you.

The more our culture is under threat, the more important it is to educate yourself about what came before. How Can I Keep From Singing – that really hit me, that idea. Because when all is said and done, whatever else is going on in the world – with the industry, Gaza, anything like that – singing is one of the only things we’ve got left to move us and lift us for a moment.

• How Can I Keep From Singing is out now.