LJ Devlin

LJ Devlin interview Aug 2nd 2010

LJ Devlin is a singer songwriter born in Baltimore, West Cork. At 24 she’s just returned to Baltimore after five years in Dublin, where she studied music at Ballyfermot College. She has released a brand new album of songs she wrote and produced herself called Hunters moon. She was in Youghal visiting family and friends recently and called into Community Radio Youghal where she preformed some of her songs live on Shanes show on radio.
While she was on air many callers and text message into the radio station were all of the one opinion “this girl has talent” and there were many enquiring about her album, where could she be seen.

For such a young singer her voice has been described as mournful and powerful, bluesy and older then her years. She sings with a mature sense of style and confidence. She was quite open and relaxed on air considering it was her first live radio show and spoke about how she saw the music industry today, she went on to explain she felt that nowadays more and more artists were going the independent route writing recording and marketing their own songs online without the help of a big record company. She added it was great to be able to do this.

After seven years of playing Dublin she decided that the music scene in Cork was a more vibrant place to be and returned home to launch her solo career. Music was always a part of her life growing up, as she says herself the house was always full of music with many of her family all musicians, even her baby sitter for a time was renowned singer songwriter Tessa Perry who LJ says was a huge influence on her to this very day.

LJ worked with an excellent group of musician’s on her debut album “Hunters Moon”
Simon Bushby on Piano, Shane Walsh on Bass, drummer Marcel Murphy, Steve McHale on electric guitar and John Egan on Cello and Violin and finally Emma-Rose Williams providing Backing Vocals. Now back in Cork LJ has formed the band The Unemployable Tree Sleepers, they are Ron Cooper on Guitar, Calab Clark doubling up on Bass and Ukulele, Rupert Housdon on Drums and Mandolin, Jack Dubious playing Banjo, and Angharad O Donnell providing Backing Vocals

At the 2009 Cork Jazz Festival where she played support to Natty Wailer and the Reggae Vibes and appeared as a guest vocalist, she received rave reviews for this performance. She is currently working on new songs, with her new band and promoting her new album. One thing about this industry is that it can be great fun, yes it’s a job, but it’s a job I love.

Shane Supple interviews LJ Devlin by Shane Supple on Mixcloud