LOOKING FORWARD Singer/songwriter Con Murphy will launch his album later next year
Ciara Galvin
CON Murphy has supported the likes of Mundy, Paddy Casey, Damien Dempsey and Duke Special.
Now, the Ballinrobe man is hoping to carve out a professional music career with the launch of his first single ‘Don’t Freak Out’.
Speaking from the United Arab Emirates, where he was playing for a Sharjah Wanderers hurling and camogie tournament, he explained that his first single has been well received.
“Reaction has been fantastic. On release, it [Don’t Freak Out] entered the iTunes Singer/Songwriter charts at number two, and reached a height of number 15 in that week’s iTunes Singles Chart. It has marked a superb start to what’s to come over the next year,” said Murphy.
Con is son of Mary (nee Walsh) who hails from New Street and held the title of winning Queen of the Ballinrobe Festival on three separate occasions. Con’s father Seán is originally from Belfast.
Writing material for over 12 years, Con decided to take his art seriously after being spurred on by supporting artists such as Mundy and Damien Dempsey.
Influences
Not sticking to a specific genre, Murphy describes his style as ‘very mixed’.
“You could hear anything from folk ballads to pop rock to alternative indie sounds.”
Launching the single at the renowned Campbell’s Tavern recently, a showcase of his album was likened to Bell X1 and The Frames by some audience members.
Indeed, this likeness could be contributed to his musical influences of The Waterboys, The Cure and the aforementioned Bell X1.
The 32 year old cites the recent showcase in Campbell’s Tavern as his biggest achievement to-date.
“I think for me the biggest moment was showcasing the full back catalog of tracks with a fantastic band. I was blown away by the crowd that turned out to support what was a first self-promoted headline gig.”
The gig has now filled the singer/songwriter with confidence to record an entire album.
“The reaction has really spurred me on to record the full album. There are a few hidden gems yet to come. Support on the night was from Claremorris singer songwriter Rachel Walsh who put on a fantastic show and had a great support herself.”
Icelandic fans
Told by many about the importance of building a live following first, Con never expected to get a ‘fan base’ in Stöðvarfjörður, Iceland last year.
In 2016 he travelled to the Icelandic town, pronounced ‘Stood-Var-Fjur-duur’ to help friend Vinny Wood build a state-of-the-art recording studio in an old disused fish factory that had been taken over by some ‘very creative minded people’. Con ended up playing the launch, but little did he know he’d be playing alongside Iceland’s number one selling artist ‘Prins Polo’ as well as various other well known Icelandic musicians.
A big hit on the night, Con has been invited back to tour Iceland, and now has a large fanbase there, including former Icelandic football international Ivar Ingimarsson who played in the English Premier League for Reading.
“You know you’ve made it when Ivar Ingimarsson’s son asks you for your autograph,” he jokes.
Not his first brush with fame, the singer/songwriter shared the stage with Black Sabbath’s Tony Martin, last year.
While playing a gig in Westport, Con was asked by the heavy metal vocalist if he could join him on stage for the last song of the night where Martin sang a Whitesnake classic, a band Martin was also a part of for a time.
Tony encouraged Con to keep writing and releasing his music after hearing a snapshot of what the Ballinrobe man could do.
Asked about his newly-released single ‘Don’t Freak Out’ and its origins, Con explained that the single is ‘probably the most poppy and catchy track I have’ and admits it’s a slight step away from his overall sound.
“It’s a tongue-in-cheek song about realising you’ve fallen for somebody and with that you freak out. Every song is a love song they say.”
He explained that the video for the catchy tune is a mash-up of footage he took himself, on a recent trip to Liverpool. Some of the video was also shot around Mayo including Moore Hall, Westport and his former alma mater, GMIT’s Mayo campus. The video was produced by social media student James Buckley.
Don’t Freak Out is available from all major digital platforms and his next single ‘Patiently Wait’ will be released in January 2018. The single will be followed by his debut EP and album later in the year.