Dara Dubh: Go Like Crazy Big Moon – Harp, Family, Wishes, Rapping, and Pirates (interview)

The harp. An instrument, nay, an icon, of Scotland and Ireland. A commonality that bonds the two nations, bringing joy and pride in equal measure. For some, it’s a cornerstone of the traditional music scene of these Celtic cousins, but this year, one artist is finding a way to blend the modern with the traditional.

SNACK caught up with Dara Dubh to discuss her debut album, family, wishes, rapping, and pirates. As you do.

You’ve been releasing songs for three years. How did you decide what songs made Go Like Crazy Big Moon?

I work very closely with my producer, Marty Hailey. I don’t know any artist who can pick their final track list just themselves. Having that conversation with someone who was just as invested as me was really important.

Has anyone in your circle been surprised at a song that’s missed out?

There’s one song on there that I was really, really reluctant to put on, just because it’s probably the most vulnerable one. Everyone who heard it was like, ‘You need to put that song on the album.’ And I was like, ‘Oh, god’s sake.’

The video for ‘A Pirate Named Valkyrie’ is almost a major motion picture. How did that come together?

I worked with Block 414, who are an amazing film duo. I sent them through the song and all my ideas, and I was like, ‘I really want us to film on a pirate ship.’ And they were like, ‘Oh, we know someone with a ship.’ It was just like it was meant to be.

All the extras and the actors in it are my mates, a lot of Edinburgh musicians that you’ll see floating about. Everyone just threw themselves into it. It was such a team effort.

When did you realise you could combine playing the harp with rapping?

I didn’t start songwriting until I went to college in 2019. I wasn’t able to write things in melody form yet, and I wasn’t really comfortable singing at that point, so spoken word rap felt more natural for the first thing I wrote, which was ‘Bubble Town’. If people have a similar mindset to me, I think they’ll just enjoy what I do, because it’s got a wee bit of everything. I love this album, and I’ll find the right people to relate to that.

You hail from a highly creative family. Has there ever been a time when that’s made it hard for you?

No way. Being brought up around art and music so much has been the best thing that could have ever happened. My ma and da have always been so encouraging of us playing music. My sister plays the flute, and she’s a producer and a DJ, my da’s an artist, and my mum’s always worked in the creative industries. It’s so amazing being able to pick up the phone and be like, ‘I’ve got this idea, but I need to talk it through with someone,’ and them just be like, ‘Yeah, absolutely. I want to hear everything.’

And of course, ‘Belfast Mona Lisa’ was written by your mum.

I think it’s the best song on the album, and it’s not even me that wrote it. I had written in the notes on my phone, ‘I’m gonna surprise my mum with ‘Belfast Mona Lisa.’’ Literally two days later, she came in to me and was like, ‘Dara, do you ever think you could sing ‘Belfast Mona Lisa’?’ And I was like, ‘No way!’ That night, we finished the song together, and I put music to it. But that chorus and most of the verses are all her. She’s just got such a way with words, and it’s an honour to be able to sing that song.

For the album, you built a life-size fairy tree out of old pianos with your dad, and people leave wishes at it. What happens to the wishes?

They’re literally behind me, all still hanging up on the tree, and they’ll just stay there until it’s like that bridge in Paris that had too many locks on it. I’m able to put them onto my website now, so people can see them on the digital fairy tree. It’s quite a special thing to read through them all.

You’ve played a hell of a range of shows. Which one was the hardest?

The last time I went on tour in Ireland, I played in the Oh Yeah Centre. It was going to be my first hometown show, and that was so daunting. None of my mates from home would have ever heard me sing before. I never sang in school, or if I did, they’d be like, ‘Jesus. Stop that, please.’ It was definitely the one where I was like, ‘This is where I’ll get judged the hardest.’ But it was just so worth it.

As we head towards the release, and with a nod to your tree, what is your own wish for the album?

My wish is that it can bring people as much happiness as it’s brought me. It doesn’t have to get out to millions and millions of people, but I hope the people that do hear it are able to listen to it and be like, ‘I really appreciate this.’

Go Like Crazy Big Moon is released 20th November

Main photo: Greg Hall