Interview with James Keegan

Feb 3, 2023

What got you into music, and if you had not gotten into music what would you be doing today?

I was raised in a house that always had music on, but it’s when I started secondary school and my friend could play guitar, is what really drove me to learn it, in my eyes he was the coolest person in the school. If it wasn’t for music, I would probably

What do you like to do when you are not playing music and how does that influence your creativity?

I love to go for morning stroll when I can to clear all thoughts about music and just have a good time with my friends!

How long has your band been around?

I’ve been playing music since I was a child, but I’m writing music and taking it a lot more seriously the last year or so!

Where are you based and how did that influence your music?

I’m from Cork, in Ireland which is a really musical city. Cork influenced my music a lot, from getting a helping hand from other artists, to the city in general having some really nice places to write about!

How did you come up with your name and what does it mean to you?

Tell me about your most memorable shows.

My most memorable show would probably be my single launch. I needed up selling 250 tickets to the show and played a really good gig. This was held in my hometown too which really meant a lot to me for all of the people getting behind me.

What is your favorite venue to play at, and do you have any places you want to play that you have not already?

My favourite venue I’ve played was definitely Little Whelans, purely because of how intimate it was. It was magical.

If you could play any show with any lineup, who would be on the ticket?

I would definitely choose Glen Hansard and Bruce Springsteen. Their incredible and always put on a great show!

What is some advice that you would give to someone who is just getting started and some advice that you would give to your younger self?

I would advise any artist who is just getting started to not get too disappointed with things at the start. It’s really hard at the start but like anything you get better, stick with it it’s definitely worth it in the long run! To my younger self I would tell him to enjoy every opportunity that comes, it’s all about having fun in the end!

If you could go back in time and give yourselves advice, what would it be?

Of your songs which one means the most to you and why?

Definitely Learning to Smile. It’s about battling mental health at a young age. That’s why it’s my favourite, along with it being written at such an early point in my career.

Which songs are your favorite to play and which get requested the most?

I always get requested a song of mine called Take Me Home, which is also my favourite song to play!

What is your creative process, and what inspires you to write your music?

I’m a type of songwriter that almost writes something everyday. I often get inspired by reading news articles or maybe thinking back on certain stories/events that have occurred in my life!

What kinds of messages do you like to get across in your music?

What are your plans for the future, and do you have anything that you want to spotlight that is coming up?

My plan for the future is to keep releasing music, and to hopefully play my own headline shows! My debut single Learning to Smile is out now! You can steam it on all platforms!

How can your fans best keep up to date with you, any socials you want people to check out?

They can keep up to date with my Instagram (Jameskeegan17) and TikTok (Jameskeegan99)