A Question of Taste: Alt-folk/pop musician Ailbhe Reddy

By Des O’Driscoll

Ailbhe Reddy is an alt folk/pop musician from Dublin. She is one of the acts playing the Indiependence festival in Mitchelstown on the bank holiday weekend, August 3 to 6.

Best recent book you’ve read:

I’ve just finished a book called Good Me, Bad Me by Ali Land. It’s a psychological thriller which I would certainly recommend if you want to freak yourself out at the beach.

Best recent film:

I haven’t been to the cinema recently because of the great weather but I did watch Patrick Melrose, a mini-series starring Benedict Cumberbatch. I thought it was an incredibly sad and true portrayal of a life.

Best recent gig you’ve seen:

I really enjoyed Pillow Queens’ gig at main stage Body & Soul.

Best piece of music you’ve been listening to lately (new or old):

I really love the song ‘Don’t Delete The Kisses’ by Wolf Alice. It’s a really beautiful and happy song about being in love, without being cheesy... somehow. That seems like an impossible task but they have accomplished it! The music video is also wonderful.

First ever piece of music that really moved you:

‘She’s Always a Woman’ by Billy Joel. One of the CDs my mum kept in her car! For a multitude of reasons that song has always gotten me right in the feels. Now the emotion is probably mostly linked to nostalgia. That or ‘The Grave’ by Don McLean, a song about fear which used to move and scare me as a kid.

The best gig or show you’ve ever seen (if you had to pick one!):

Wallis Bird in Whelan’s for this year’s Tradfest was one of the most energetic, moving gigs I’ve ever seen.

Pick one other act at Indiependence you’re looking forward to seeing:

Loah, — I recently saw her play and do a talk at a camp I was volunteering at called Girls Rock Dublin. Her attitude to her music and creation is so refreshing, enlightening, and inspiring.

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Tell us about your TV viewing:

I love a lot of shows. I like to torture myself once a week with Handmaid’s Tale. It’s a brilliant show but it definitely is petrifying and I don’t know why I put myself through it!! I also really enjoy The Affair, it makes me want to live by the sea in some small town on the East coast.

Radio listening and/or podcasts:

I absolutely love true crime podcasts because I’m a complete weirdo. Red Handed podcast is my current favourite. I also really enjoyed Serial.

You’re curating your dream festival — which three artists are on the bill, living or dead?

Villagers, Fiona Apple, and Jeff Buckley (I figure we’d sell out the festival because people would want to see Jeff Buckley for the first time in 20ish years).

Your best/most famous celebrity encounter:

I saw Keith from Boyzone on a plane once. I didn’t say anything to him though. I’ve been in the company of a few celebrities I admire before but I don’t ever want to speak to them because I find it unbelievably intimidating. I also don’t want to get in anyone’s face if they’re just hanging out.

You can portal back to any period of human cultural history or music event – where, when, and why?

I guess it would be cool to go back to the 1990s and get a really good record deal!

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Unsung hero – individual, organisation or group you think don’t get the profile/praise they deserve:

Girls Rock Dublin. I just spent a week coaching at their camp for young women. It was probably the best thing I’ve ever been involved in and everyone should look into donating, and taking part. The individuals involved work so hard to do so much.

You are queen for a day – what’s your first decree?

Give everyone the summer off to enjoy the good weather.