Singer and Song writer “Dublin Rose” gets candid about her struggles as a young artist in music industry, her journey and influences and shares her passion for music.
By Shifa Mehra
Photography by Casey Alexander
14 september, 2022
I got an opportunity to chat with the very lovely, full of life and extremely talented artist “Dublin Rose”. It was very inspiring and heartfelt ,with an honest take on the current budding music industry. Here is the full conversation recorded specially for you.
Shifa: What do you like the most about your life as a musician?
Dublin: Well, what I like the most is that I get paid to do what I love, like Music is my passion. And I’ve been able to perform, get gigs, in the last year since graduating high school and it’s just so satisfying to show everyone that I can do what I want and make a career out of it.
Shifa: That does sound very rewarding, well, great for you. And what do you hate the most?
Dublin: Sometimes it can be a lot of pressure, like, I don’t get overly nervous after having done it for so long. But still, I worry about how I look and certain days I get more nervous than others, but also, sometimes recently playing in the last year at bars and stuff since turning 18, there are some creepy and weird people. Nothing bad has happened. But, you know, we have all kinds of young female artists. Some people are a bit weird.
Shifa: Yeah I get it. Do you want to talk about it more like, because many of our readers would fond that relatable.
Dublin: Well, I guess I don’t have like a specific story. Just like, people give you awkward stares or trying random old men will come up to you to try and give you advice and stuff.
Shifa: Oh, my God, I get you. But that is terrifying.
Dublin: Yeah but apparently it just happens, you know, like to most people, I feel like nothing. I don’t know if they have necessarily ill intent but like I didn’t ask for that. You know what I mean? I don’t know what to say.
Shifa: Completely. I really do get it. Just sad that it is still happening. But yeah. At least in the end of the day, you’re a great talented singer. So where did you get your artists name? What’s your story?
Dublin: My name is just always being Dublin rose and I just was satisfied with that as my artist name.
Shifa: It’s a beautiful name. And did you always wanted to become an artist, a musician.
Dublin: I’d say not always. When I was in primary school, I did a school musical. I did the Wizard of Oz, and I was a munchkin. And then I just became obsessed with being onstage, like, it was so much fun. And then I kept doing musicals throughout primary School on the side of high school. And then I decided that I wanted to be on Broadway star. But then I picked up a guitar in grade eight, and I started writing songs, and I realised that was my favourite thing.
Shifa: Awesome. That’s a very sweet journey. Thank you for sharing it. And at what age did you first try to write a song? Do you remember what it was about?
Dublin: Yes, I did. Well, my first like, full song that I wrote start to finish was in grade eight, and it was called “What was I worried about again”, which is such a random name, but it was just about how if I was anxious for some reason, I made up this line. Oh, what was I even worried about? Like, the next day? I didn’t even have anything to worry about.
Shifa: That is really awesome. I ask myself that all the time. It seems like a good song would like to listen to that.
Dublin: I don’t think it’s good enough to play now that I wrote it however many years ago, but
Shifa; It’s always nice to see where you have come how far are we have come.
Dublin: Exactly!
Shifa: And who are your biggest influences?
Dublin: My biggest influences as a person would be my mom and my sister. Just because I live with them. And they’re always very supportive of me. I’ll ask them what order should I put my songs in? They’ll give me a lyric idea if I’m stuck, but my biggest musical influences might be Taylor Swift. Honestly, that’s pretty classic. But Taylor Swift is my number one favourite
Shifa: Classic for a reason.
Dublin: Exactly she’s the best. And who else? Lately I really like mole rat. Artists like Dayglow and COIN. I feel like I listen to everything. But I’d say Taylor Swift is my the main style that I’ve drawn off.
Shifa: That’s good to know. And so something more specific now. What’s your entire songwriting process? Like, you know, just to inspire artists like me?
Dublin: Well, a lot of the time, I just come up with a lyric line or something. And then, if I think it’s good, I’ll put it in my notes folder. In my phone is where all my hidden secret sauce. And I’ll just have a list of random lyric ideas. And if, for example, I feel in the mood to write a song, I’ll go out and I’ll go, oh, this sentence was really good. And then I’ll come up with a chord progression or something, try and sing that one line over the top. And then all these other lyrics usually just flow out. So then, and then I usually will finish the song maybe in the hour.
Shifa: That is really cool. Thank you. And so I think it’s a bit too soon to ask this question. But what would your ideal performance look like in life?
Dublin: In like, if I were to have no limits? Yeah,
Shifa: No limits at all.
Dublin: Goodness. I probably want to tour. This is like really massive dreaming, but I want to perform all across the world go on tour and stubborn rows. I’d love to perform at say playing at River stage. That’d be pretty awesome. Or like at a stadium or something incredible like that. Having my own tour and then having people open, like, artists open for me and all that. That’d be my dream.
Shifa: And if you could play with someone else, and you can shoot right ahead, like dream big here.
Dublin: It would be pretty awesome to play with house, but if done correctly, yeah. But also, I forgot to mention this in my other influences, but I’m literally obsessed with Billy Joel. And I saw just a couple weeks ago that Olivia Rodrigo played with Billy Joel. Yeah, I was so jealous. Because I love Billy Joel.
Shifa: Good taste. Thank you. So what would your profession be if not music?
Dublin: Well, for a long time, since whenever, you know, as a kid in prep or something, someone would say, Oh, what do you want to be when you grow up? I always wanted to be a zookeeper since ever. And even in high school, I didn’t intend on doing music after school. Even though I love that so much. I thought, honestly, like people would say like, it’s pretty unrealistic to be able to do music. And I was going to do environmental science. I had chosen biology, geography, all that as my subjects and studied that throughout high school. But then, in grade 12 in high school. I remember like being so stressed, like doing all these stupid assignments coming home. And I remember saying to my mom, all I want to do every minute of the day is just play the guitar. And then my mom said, but then why aren’t you doing music after school? And I was like, That’s so true. So then I decided to do it.
Shifa: That is a really good and I can tell bit more about your personality like like you like animals. That’s great.
Dublin: Yes I love animals. And I love environment..
Shifa: Really good. How do you cope up with your wild shadows and hustle lifestyle due to performances from tours?
Dublin: Well, honestly, I love a busy life. Like, I really like being social. And I’d say I’m more of a still an extroverted person where I’m being going out and like being socially hanging out with my friends, lifts my battery and makes me more energised rather than low. Is it? So it can be a bit tiring having to lug around my guitar, and like my amps and stuff everywhere, but when I’m on the stage, I feel quite energised. And honestly, yeah, I like it’s worth it. I like filling up my time.
Shifa: Beautiful. And are there any sacrifices that you’ve made for your career and are continuing to do so that you would like to discuss?
Dublin: Well, let me think I’m not sure I feel like seeing though I’m only just starting I haven’t had to come across any major sacrifices, because it’s not like I have massive bills to pay or anything. But it is hard having to manage all these gigs on my own. Like, I have to email all these people and had to keep track of it all. And that takes up a bunch of time. And yeah, just Is that extra effort where there’s also no like, work isn’t separate to my life. Like, for example for today, even though I’m working in I don’t start work till 11 o’clock I still last night had to practice my set figure out what order it was. I’m always thinking about my music and new songs. I should learn stuff like that.
Shifa: So you are always into music.
Dublin: Exactly. I’m always working. But luckily, I enjoy my work. Does that make sense?
Shifa: Absolutely. So good for you. And the last question is, where do you find inspiration for your songs and music?
Dublin: Yeah, well, honestly, it’s not embarrassing. But you’ll find that a lot of my songs are about love. Even though I’ve never had a boyfriend, nothing like that. I just have all these random crushes. But for some reason, I guess everyone in the world finds so many love songs. Like it’s easiest, like I just comes out.
Shifa: There is always just so much love to give.
Dublin: Exactly, and so I often write songs that crushes like that. Also about my friends. I have a couple of friends songs, about my friends in the summer. Honestly, just anything that comes at the moment, but I found that for example, a whole song. I’ll come with a great chunk of lyrics to some inspiring topic or something I think I should write a song about but I can’t think of enough whereas songs about love and all that. You can write billions and billions of lyrics.
Shifa: Oh, that is every person’s problem. I’m so happy that I’m not the only one.
Dublin: Exactly like that. Awesome.
Shifa: Yeah, I think we done with the questions and it was really nice chatting to you. Thank you so much for your time.