Kodaline had a slow climb to reach the top

Hard graft and a realistic outlook on the music business have helped keep Kodaline on an upward trajectory, writes Ed Power

SHORTLY before Kodaline took to the stage at Cork’s Live at the Marquee in June, the father of frontman Steve Garrigan went for a stroll through the crowd. What he saw surprised him. “There was a middle-aged couple, some younger people — all sorts,” recalls Garrigan Jr. “A real mix.”

The singer is addressing the perception that Kodaline are a glorified boy-band, with their fan-base 90 per cent comprised of starry-eyed young woman. He acknowledges squealing teenagers account for a not inconsiderable chunk of their following. However, their support base goes further than that — and is expanding all the time. “We do have a lot of young girls. Generally, it’s mixed. In America there were a lot of lads. It varies and isn’t something we are hung up on.”