Fintan McKahey is a West Cork based eclectic Pop artist who’s music is proudly created in his home studio. Continuing his family's musical legacy, Fintan McKahey set out to create music that deeply connects with people. Since starting his career, Fintan McKahey has released an EP that gained the praise of multiple radio shows and tours with a full band experience that has opened for icons that include Cry Monster Cry, Junior Brother, Leo Stannard, and many more.
Recently Fintan McKahey released his mellow new single “Platinum” and this release is all about the deep vibes. Fintan McKahey's enchanting voice quickly takes the spotlight and tells us the story of not giving yourself up for anything, the incredibly chill delivery in Fintan McKahey’s performance gives an almost mysterious atmosphere to this message. “Platinum” features a dreamy electric guitar, lo-fi electronic drums playing a halftime groove, and Fintan McKahey’s honest raw vocals that quickly sweep the hearts. Since listening to this release we are hooked onto the beautiful worlds that is created in the music and we can’t wait to hear what else Fintan will be delivering.
You can find Fintan McKahey’s release “Platinum” here.
Welcome to BuzzMusic Fintan McKahey! We are completely lost in the world you created in “Platinum”, what was it like for you to come up with the concept behind the release? Was it written on that guitar riff that repeats throughout the song?
You and me both, haha. My girlfriend is a photographer / visual artist & often asks me to create soundscapes/atmospheres for footage that she’s working on. ‘Platinum’ was born doing just that. I had originally written and recorded the main body of instrumentation to pair with these dreamy visuals that she had created. It’s such a nice way to work when you have so much influence & direction to be working off from the get-go. I knew once I had finished this soundscape that it had the potential to become more a defined song, but for some reason, I didn’t end up coming back to it for a long long time. I guess life just got in the way and it got lost in the midst of things. Other than the huge hiatus between initiation & completion, everything about making this song seemed to flow quite seamlessly which is unusual for me, as I typically spend months working on a single track.
There is almost a mysterious vibe happening in this release, what was the original mood you had wanted to create in this song? What does the song mean to you?
I remember when I eventually revisited the soundscape with the intention of refining it into a more song-like arrangement. I think I had the house to myself that weekend… As soon as I had opened up the session I was thinking “why the hell didn’t I get back to this earlier?!” Something about the beat and atmosphere of it was just sitting right with me. I knew the style I wanted for the vocals & so began by playing around with different lyrical phrases. The lines “Indian medicine & Voodoo sedatives” came out and I just thought they sounded awesome. This, in turn, is what led the entire lyrical theme of the song, which quickly became an observation of societal structures and thinking outside the box. I gather it may be quite hard to understand, as the lyrics aren’t so obvious in terms of a narrative, but that’s how it's supposed to be. I always like to leave an element of mystery in my lyrics, and try to let the listener connect the dots between the imagery that I have laid out for them. It’s a lot more fun if a song makes you think, wouldn’t you say so?
Having grown up in a musical family and then creating music in your bedroom, did you ever face any challenges in trying to create music? How has growing up in a musical family influenced the music that you are creating?
Luckily I grew up in an environment where music was extremely present and so it was certainly a lot easier for me than most people to fall into it music as a career. My Dad is a drummer and would’ve always been showing me new sounds and talking about music so I guess, I’ve never really known any different. Of course, everybody faces difficulties from time to time as an artist. It’s not easy to constantly stay creative & motivated (especially when you’re receiving very little financial turn around from the art). Some days you’re just not feeling it, and you have to learn to accept that & not let it get you down. Yesterday, for instance, I was in the studio for about 3 hours just fighting myself, nothing sounded good to my ears and I just couldn’t get into it. But then I took a little break, did some exercise outside & when I got back in there, thankfully something shifted and the next 3 hours were golden. You just have to persevere and try and keep that balance. Nobody said it was gonna be easy.
With your live shows having a full band, do you have any live only versions of songs? What was it like to open for some of the icons that you have played for? Did you ever feel nervous?
I work more or less 100% of the time in the studio on my own. It’s just how I like to work, and I think it always will be. I mean sure, I’m all for getting in guests for collaborations, etc but for the most part, the studio is my private time haha. In recent years the songs have taken on a more full-band arrangement and are a bit more full-bodied in terms of instrumentation, so in the effort to keep continuity throughout the studio & live performances, I’ve managed to find myself a top-notch band. I'm so lucky to have such talented musicians that are willing to work with me, as they all bring so much creativity and great ideas to the table. Of course, the full band sound is different from the studio, and it definitely has a bigger feel, but I think this is what's needed for a live experience. I am really considering doing some full-band recordings this year and perhaps putting together an EP of full-band versions of some tracks so stay tuned for that. What was it like to open for some of the icons that you have played for? Did you ever feel nervous? Oh, 100%. I don’t know if the nerves ever stop fully. No matter how many times you get on a stage, its still that same gut-wrenching feeling beforehand every single time. Especially if it’s quite a big artist. In my experience, the bigger the stage, the bigger the nerves. I remember the first time that I opened for ‘The 4 Of Us’ … It was in this amazing venue in Cork City called St. Lukes. I hadn’t been playing much at the time, and suddenly got a call asking if I wanted to play support that weekend, and of course, I agreed instantly. Stepping onto that stage was seriously daunting. Looking out into the vastness of that church and hearing the sound reverberating with such immense power across the whole building. There’s no other feeling like it. It’s like a perfect mixture of nausea and bliss, and it lasts way after the show. It’s awesome.