Roisin Murphy: A Primer

After eight years in the musical wilderness, it was quite the treat to welcome Roisin Murphy back to the top table of Irish music earlier this year.
Clearly, we weren't the only ones to enjoy it, as the judges of the Mercury Prize have included her on the shortlist of 12 jostling for the prestigious award this year.
Having made her name as half of dance-poppers Moloko, a pair of outstanding solo efforts followed - 2005’s Ruby Blue and 2007’s Overpowered. There followed, however, what can only be described as an extended hiatus; while Murphy became the mother to two children, her fans waited patiently for signs of a return to music.
While the warning shots were altogether discreet - including an EP of songs in Italian - the re-emergence was anything but. Hairless Toys arrived as a smart, sensual and swaggering disco collection, worth every second we waited. Our man Olaf Tyaransen was altogether overcome with the record; "Welcome back, your majesty" he gushed in his 9/10 judgement in Hot Press. Read the full review here.
Indeed, it wasn't long before the self-same Mr Tyaransen had the opportunity to grill the 41 year old on the making of the record - as well as what occurred in the time between albums two and three.
“Well, of course I was writing songs,” she tells him. “I did quite a few featured vocals on other records, and I did a few of my own smaller releases, and so on. So writing, yes, that’s what my children think I do. My daughter, who’s old enough, thinks I write songs and have a lot of clothes. That’s what she thinks I do! So I was writing songs, but going deep and wide… as they say.”
You can check out the full interview here.