London’s music luminary Finn Doherty just unveiled his beautiful debut EP ‘if you’re bored of this city’. This project captures a transitional period in his life, expressed through a series of six consecutive music videos that delve into themes of romance, excitement, introspection, and longing.
We caught up with him to learn more about his artistry, debut EP and interests beyond music.
– Can you start by telling us more about your background in music? Did you always know you wanted to be a singer?
I grew up in a very musical household, and have Irish parents both of whom are musicians. So I grew up hearing a lot of trad folk music, and then also the indie, grunge, punk, and country music that they were into. I remember actively wanting to be the singer in a band from a very young age, like maybe five or six, and rocking out to my favourite bands in the mirror. It’s all of those ‘I wanna be a singer’ cliches that everyone always talks about, but it’s all real, I always fully understand what people are on about when they talk about miming in the mirror with a hairbrush or whatever.
– What inspired you to create your latest EP “if you’re bored of this city”?
It was inspired by a very complex relationship I had with a friend, and it’s about falling in love, and obsession, and getting caught up in a dangerous and unhealthy lifestyle. Musically I just looked to the songs and sounds that were soundtracking my life at the time of that experience, so it was a lot of dark pop music off the back of the first Billie Eilish album, and the production on the early Chance The Rapper projects, and the breakout of hyperpop.
– The focus track, “Your Love Won’t Take Me Home”, seems deeply personal. Can you share the story behind this song and its significance to you?
At its core it’s a song about unrequited love. But it’s about falling in love with someone who could never love you back, which is something I think I’ve experienced quite a lot growing up and coming to understand my sexual preferences. I’ve definitely fallen in love, or had crushes on boys who could never reciprocate, and that’s really what this song is about. It was the first song I wrote for the EP, and in context it really serves as the first proper realisation that this person I’d become infatuated with was actually causing me a lot of pain.
– What’s your favorite track from the EP and why?
I think every song has been my favourite at different points of putting the project together, and I really do love them all, but maybe ‘Call It Off’. I think it’s just the perfect conclusion, and does set the scene for the final chapter exactly as I intended. It’s bittersweet.
– Your EP features a mix of acoustic, indie, and electronic elements. How did you approach blending these different genres to create a cohesive sound? What drew you to explore different genres?
It’s not really something I considered at all. I definitely draw influence from lots of different places, but I think genre is pretty much obsolete in modern popular music at this point. There are definitely different scenes that artists and audiences belong to and exist in, but I don’t think music is categorised in the same way anymore, and I think that if as an artist you exist in pop music then that can encompass many different things. So really it felt natural, and I think that my approach was really based on building a soundscape and a setting for the story that I’m telling by referencing a lot of music that I was hearing at the time.
– You’ve mentioned that the city of dreams can sometimes turn into a city of nightmares. How did your experiences in London influence the themes explored in your music?
London really became the battle ground for the relationship I’d fallen into, and seeking escapism from that turned into a lot of late nights and bad habits. I was living in London to chase my dreams, and it really quickly became a nightmare. That’s where the lyric came from.
– In addition to your music, you’re also involved in filmmaking and hosting events. How do these other creative outlets influence your musical work?
I really wanted to go one step further when it came to telling this story, so the music videos became an essential part of the storytelling. I’ve always loved film, and filmmaking, and as soon as I realised that these songs I was writing formed a sequential narrative, I almost instantly had the vision for this film that would accompany the project. I knew how the film would look and work even before the last songs were finished, so the music and the videos really influenced each other.
And then in terms of events, I think it’s just so important to experience art in real life, face-to-face environments with other people. And as much as I love creating and engaging with content online, live events are where I thrive, and playing my songs live is really the reason that I do what I do. I think through playing more shows and being at more events post-pandemic I’ve found myself considering how the music I’m making will work in a live setting, so being out, and dancing, and having a good time definitely has an influence on my work.
– Looking ahead, what do you hope listeners take away from “if you’re bored of this city”, and what can they expect from your future projects?
Basically, I’m only just getting started.
More from Finn Doherty:
Website – Instagram – YouTube
Press shots: Alec Jafrato
