Interview by Carol Wright | Photographer: Lee Malone
We got to chat with singer/songwriter Niall McNamee about his song “Step By Step,” being a self-taught musician, and the advice he has for aspiring musicians.
Did you grow up in a very artistic household?
I wouldn’t describe my upbringing as particularly artistic. There was never anything officially artistic about anything we did. But there was always a natural humour and storytelling. Songs would be sung around the house regularly, but artistic probably wasn’t in our vocabulary.
You’re a self-taught musician. What initially motivated you to learn instruments and start creating music?
I don’t remember feeling motivated much in the way nothing motivated me to go outside and play football or watch TV. I had this little plastic keyboard and whenever my parents tried to get someone to teach me, I just wouldn’t respond. And when the thing was sat in the corner without expectation it became a toy that I learnt to play with. As for guitar, my Dad always wanted to learn so my Mam bought him one for Christmas and he never went near it. And then it became a new toy to play with.
You recently released your EP Step By Step. Did you find that working on the EP helped you through these crazy times we’ve all been living through?
Absolutely. I went into lockdown with relief at having a rest but also the terrifying prospect of free time for the first time. I remember thinking that if I came out of a long lockdown having made nothing, my excuses would be useless to me when things got busy again. I wanted something to show for it.
When you were working on the title track “Step By Step.” Did you pull from personal experiences to write the lyrics?
I did. I mean I wrote ‘Step by Step’ about 6 years ago now. And I had no quarrels delving into exactly my feelings at the time. I like to tell stories and to a certain extent you can only tell a story from your own personal experience unless the story is mega or you have some stake in it.
How involved were you in the concept and creative direction of the “Step By Step” music video?
A lot and then not at all which I really liked. Myself and Lee Malone discussed the idea and who we wanted to do it (Sope Dirisu and Lauren Lyle) and started to organise it. But after a couple of weeks, I saw Lee really take hold of the wheel without feeling overbearing (which is a brilliant quality). I trusted his vision and drive so much that I was able to let go. Also, when you’re a musician it’s rare you find someone coming into a project that holds it in the same importance as you, so really it’s a relief.
What advice do you have for aspiring musicians?
It’s not a useful tip with where the world stands at the moment but gig as much as you can. Not even for exposure but for practice. What has and will serve me forever from a practical point of view is that I’ve spent years playing 3-hour gigs in Irish pubs throughout weekends. The endurance and stamina of any gig or tour doesn’t scare me because there’s nothing more difficult than playing Irish covers for three hours at the top of your voice with a crap speaker, microphone to people who don’t want to hear you.