INTERVIEW: Wicklow duo PRiiCE on festivals, navigating social media and the Irish music scene

It's always an interesting dynamic when siblings are together in bands. However, up-and-comers PRiiCE maintain that there isn't an Oasis or Kinks situation happening with them right now.

"Hopefully not", laughs Conor Price when asked about a potential sibling rivalry. "Unless I subliminally hate Sean and don't even notice. No, we're all good."

PRiiCE, made up of brothers Sean and Conor – originally from Blessington Co. Wicklow – have had a remarkably busy year. Although their debut mixtape under their new moniker was only released recently, they've been making music together for a long time.

"We've been making music together for ages," explains Sean. "At the start I dragged Conor into it."

His brother then interrupts: "When you say 'the start' – I was 11 years old."

"Yeah," Sean acknowledges with a laugh. "We've been recording music since then in sheds and warehouses. Anywhere that we can find that we could use for music."

Growing up in Blessington, showcased in the group's recent music video for 'Kingsize', meant exposure to one of Ireland's most vibrant independent music festivals. Although it hasn't taken place since 2019 due to the pandemic, KnockanStockan was right around the corner from the PRiiCE brothers.

"I've a funny story about KnockanStockan" Sean mentions. "When I was when I was 12 years old, me and my best friend, we were in a rap duo and played in a little tent in a little shed at KnockanStockan. We were only 12 but we were rapping Eminem tunes. It was very funny."

Conor also agrees that Blessington was a good place to grow up if you're musically inclined.

"Weirdly, there's a lot of talent floating around Blessington and the lakes, loads of great musicians," he notes. "There was a community spirit when it came to music. Growing up there was also nice as it was quiet – which is great when you're blaring music all day and all night."

The scenic views meant that it also wasn't the worst place to spend the COVID-19 pandemic. It's where a lot of the work was done for their debut mixtape, 44, released last week.

"The record is a culmination of the last year or so, with most of the tunes written just before and during lockdown," Sean enthuses. "It really feels like a place that we've been trying to get to for a while. We've there now and we're so excited to have it out in the world."

However, his brother Conor admits that it's still a little jarring to have finally unleashed 44 on the world.

"It does feel a bit weird having it on Spotify now because the songs have been sitting on our hard drive for about a year and a half," he says. "It's a little bit strange but it's definitely a step in the right direction"

Although they grew up in a hotbed of musical creativity hidden in the Wicklow mountains, and have collaborated together since they were young, PRiiCE are still learning how to navigate the world of promoting their music, including using social media.

"Music always comes first," Sean confirms. "Although social media is essential for promoting music, we really want the music to speak for itself and be at the forefront of what we do."

"There are definitely artists who have formulated their whole artistic image through TikTok and I don't think we're gonna do that but it's a nice little side little side hustle," says Conor, who praises one of the brothers' favourite bands Easy Life's use of the video app: "Their TikToks are nuts."

"They are super unprofessional, but it's so cool man," he adds.

As well as the Leicester outfit, the say Irish artists such as Kojaque and Rejjie Snow are some of their favourite artists. Like most observers, they're excited by the burgeoning Irish music scene of the last few years.

"I find myself regularly listening to up and coming new Irish artists," Conor explains. "Arts in Ireland has had such a cool breakthrough, and not just musicians even photographers and videographers as well. I'm over in London at the moment and people know Kojaque here and other people from Ireland. It's so sick to see it getting big out of the country as well."

Sean agrees, saying that, "While there's definitely a lot of pessimism right now when you're young in Ireland at the moment, it channels a lot of good artistry. There's definitely a great counterculture right now taking ownership of that pessimism and creating their art."

PRiiCE are determined to become as a serious presence within this scene, promising that – in addition to a fourth single that will be released before the end of the year – "in 2022 it's going to be mixtape after mixtape."

Listen to PRiiCE's debut mixtape 44 below: