This much I know: Julie Feeney on going it alone in the music industry

There was music on both sides of my family and I always knew it was my passion.

But I also love people, especially working with groups of people. I’ve always been a natural at that. Perhaps it is the performer in me.

I like to spend some time in a venue before I perform, to absorb the space, to get out of the real world and into the world of the show. Preparation is key. In my head, I go through exactly what I am going to do with each piece during the show. I love meeting people afterwards but not before because it takes away from my focus.

I was quite a shy child. I certainly wasn’t flamboyant or running around dressing up and getting on stage. I was the opposite of what one might expect for a performer, but I was always singing.

I enjoy studying and finding things out and, although I knew music was what I was going to do, I also wanted to know more about the world. So, after school I studied a lot — psychology, music and teaching mainly — I think I have three masters. I was lecturing part-time and working as a professional choral singer when, in 2006, I decided to concentrate on creating and performing my own work.

I run my own label and manage myself in Ireland. It’s hard to navigate a career where you earn a living solely from your own original music but I’m managing to do it.

I don’t have a big car or anything — but I love what I live. I have no financial backing, no record company enabling it to happen. Any profit goes back into helping to create the work.

I get nervous every single time I perform. You have to — you are going on stage. It’s your job to express and communicate with the audience and hopefully it will resonate with them.

If being a bit nervous helps that, then fine. The performance is what matters. I found out what works best for me through discovery and through doing. My advice to anyone else would be to work out what is the very best routine for you.

The writing process has certain defined stages for me. The idea gathering part takes place pretty much all day, every day. Then there comes a point when I will go away and form the ideas into something — that’s when decisions have to be made on how to consolidate the material and I love that part. That’s followed by a long time working on my own in complete silence — with not even a keyboard — carving out the words, like poetry.

I’m from Galway and although I love living in Dublin, my heart is always there. If I had to pick a favourite spot it would be Killary Harbour.

A lot of people don’t know what they want to do but I believe you can discover your purpose. It takes time and work as things don’t always reveal themselves in one’s personality for a lot of years, but you can peel away the layers.

I think you need to live through and experience any challenges life throws at you and not be afraid to feel the blunt edges of things.

When I have time off from work I enjoy watersports, walking and contemporary dance.

I’m not sure if there is life after death, but I definitely feel a connection with people who have gone before me on this earth.

My new album Clocks is based on my impressions of sensing the lives and dreams of my forefathers. It has just been released in America, Germany and Ireland. My family are six generation Galwegians. I’m very close to my family and feel very connected to them. The concept of a family tree is important to me. I’ve always been fascinated to hear about my ancestors’ lives.

So far, life has taught me that we are only here for a limited length of time. One of my mottoes is simply — begin today.

Julie Feeney will perform tracks from her No1 selling album Clocks in Baltimore, West Cork on Sunday, Aug 18, and at St Brigid’s Kildare on Sunday, Sept 15.