Florence Road look ahead to Electric Picnic: "It’s like a full circle moment for us coming back"

What can we expect from your Electric Picnic set?

Hannah: We are so excited for Stradbally! It’s like a full circle moment for us coming back. EP will always be special to us, because it was the first festival we ever played in 2024, and it’s one of our most cherished memories as a band. You can expect to absolutely rock out.

Do you approach a festival set differently to one of your own shows?

Hannah: A festival set is inherently more off-the-cuff and immedate. There will be people who’ve seen us before, but also a lot of who might not know who we are, and seeing us for the first time. This leads to us approaching festival sets with an attitude of going with the flow – we just try to put on the best show possible and have a blast.

What do you enjoy most about festivals?

Hannah: How unpredictable they can be – the fact that a crowd at 2pm in Belgium could end up blowing you away by how excited and fun they are. Also, getting the opportunity to run into artists we know either from Ireland, or from having gigged with them before, and catching up.

Have you been to many festivals as punters?

Hannah: No actually! We rarely have time off that overlaps with festivals, but it’s something we would love to do one day.

Any act you saw at a festival that stuck with you?

Hannah: We were playing a festival last summer, and later on after our set, we got the opportunity to watch Fontaines D.C. – who were headlining – and it was just incredible. From the performance to the staging, it was one of our favourite sets we’ve seen to this day.

You’ve spent a lot of the last while playing to crowds abroad. Is an Irish audience different?

Hannah: There’s absolutely a difference playing to an Irish audience, whether it be for a festival slot or a headline show. It’s hard to put into words what it is exactly, but there’s definitely an energy, support and love that we feel so strongly when onstage in Ireland, in a way that’s so distinct.

Florence Road. Copyright Abigail Ring/ hotpress.com.

Who’s the one act you’ll be making sure to catch at EP? What about an underrated name you’d recommend to people?

Hannah: We will without a doubt be attending Role Model’s set, but we’d also recommend checking out Nieve Ella. She and her band put on an incredible show, and they’re a must-see in our book.

Do you remember a specific moment when music stopped feeling like a hobby, and started feeling like something you could actually do for a living?

Hannah: I would say it would be when we released our debut single ‘Heavy’ back in March last year. We had been gigging and posting videos online for years before that point, but seeing the reaction to that song around the world really opened our eyes to what was possible.

How have you found dealing with this much success in such a short space of time?

Hannah: It’s definitely been an adjustment, but we’ve found having a good team around, us as well as having each other, has really helped us stay level-headed.

Is there an added pressure that comes with success? If so, how do you manage it?

Hannah: There is for sure an added pressure that comes with having more eyes on the band, but we’ve managed to internalise it as more of a motivator, rather than feeling paralysed or stressed out. It makes us want to continue putting out music that inspires us, and to be the best we can onstage.

You’ve said in interviews you’re hungry for more, but you also seem to be having a laugh a lot of the time. How do you stay ambitious without taking it all too seriously?

Hannah: Ambition and an affinity for trying to make each other laugh have always existed side-by-side since the very inception of Florence Road. Ambition is never something we’ve had to work hard to feel. But having a laugh alongside that is really important in maintaining a light atmosphere while juggling the serious things.

The constant touring must be a huge life adjustment. How do you keep each other sane on the road?

Ailbhe: We’ve actually found touring has really brought us closer together as friends. The main things keeping us sane are checking in with each other and also playing A LOT of Nintendo. Mario Kart has really proven to be a cathartic game at the end of the night.

What’s been your proudest achievement so far?

Ailbhe: Releasing our two EPs has been incredible. Having a small body of music that resonates with people around the world is truly unbelievable.

You’ve supported some huge artists. What’s the biggest thing you’ve learned from being around them?

Ailbhe: Knowing what happens behind the scenes of bigger shows. Seeing the amount of effort put in by so many people night after night to put on a show is incredibly cool.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given?

Ailbhe: Check in with each other. Truly, it’s the most important thing.

What’s the first thing you do when you get home after a long stretch away?

Ailbhe: Spend time with family, friends and pets.

Florence Road. Copyright Abigail Ring/ hotpress.com.

You told us in January that you’d written some songs as Gaeilge. Any plans to release Irish language music?

Ailbhe: We’re always speaking in Irish, it’s important to us. Music as Gaeilge is definitely in our future.

Who’s your hero, or biggest influence, on your respective instruments?

Emma: To be honest, I don’t really have one, because I also have so many! It is so hard to choose one person that shapes you as a musician, and I could not pick one person that has done that for me. But I will say that Eric Clapton and Rory Gallagher were being played a lot as I was learning guitar!

Lily: I think for me, there’s not one person I’d call my biggest influence vocally – it would be too hard to single out. I feel like I soak up things subconsciously and find inspiration in everything I listen to. I’m very connected to my Irishness too, and I used to do old Irish sean-nós singing lessons as a kid. I think that’s definitely stuck with me as I’ve grown.

Ailbhe: I always found myself listening to the bass in songs growing up, so I believe there was some sort of subconscious osmosis with all of my Beatles listening and my current playing. Albeit that doesn’t always translate, I do think it shaped my style.

Hannah: Nathan Followill.

Who’s in charge of AUX in the van, and what are you each listening to at the minute?

Emma: We all take turns on AUX, but Emma is normally connected! We have a shared playlist that keeps building and building, which includes artists we’re listening to at the moment, like Dove Ellis, Olivia Rodrigo, Slow Pulp…

There’s a perception guitar bands can feel like a bit of a boys’ club. Do you think you’re showing other young girls this doesn’t have to be the case?

Lily: We were raised by very strong, cool women, so we never thought this was something we couldn’t do. Women have always made rock music, and it’s great that people are paying attention. It would be so great to inspire young girls, as we’ve been inspired by the likes of Sinéad O’Connor, Haley Williams, Beabadoobee etc.

You’re building a seriously dedicated fanbase. They call you Flo Ro. Have you a name for them yet?

Emma: We often say Flo Roadies so let’s see if that sticks!

• Florence Road play the Electric Arena on Sunday, August 30, at 16:45.