Track of the Day: Laoise – 'Movies'

Laoise is following up the release of her latest pop success, 'Healthy', with another exciting new track called 'Movies'. Both releases are from the Galway native's upcoming EP.

“I’ve been reminiscing quite a lot this year, especially with this new time at home, and I’ve found myself watching movies I used to watch when I was younger," Laoise expalins of the inspiration behind the track. "Mostly out of escapism, but also out of craving some sort of nostalgia. Growing up, the likes of going to the cinema or to Xtravision to pick out a movie played a massive role in how I viewed the world. So much so that I unconsciously started to compare my life with the lives of characters on a screen.

"Even though it developed the creative, imaginative side that I get to tap into when songwriting, it also developed a vicious cycle of expectation vs. reality for me, and if I couldn’t see myself in a character, I would panic and think that something was wrong with me. I’d play out various scenarios in my mind - many of which were never going to happen - and imagine how I would react, what I would say, how I would dress, how I would be perceived and so on. I often deprived myself of my own opinions and identity because I hadn’t seen them in a movie, and I wouldn’t know what to expect if I did express myself impetuously.

"Even in relationships I wouldn’t express myself clearly: y’know the ‘nothing’s wrong, I’m fine’ thing? Yeah, and then I’d expect someone to show up outside my door, in the rain, with a boombox, declaring their infinite love for me. Initially this realisation - that people aren’t mind readers - was a bitter pill to swallow, but it gave me the chance to undo a lot of hard wiring in my brain, leaving the main character syndrome at the popcorn stand.”

Laoise has been open and upfront about her struggles this year. During the first Irish lockdown, Laoise found herself isolated, frustrated, questioning and almost quitting music altogether. She started therapy and worked on healthier ways to approach not only her music, but life in general. Working on her mental health, Laoise now channels her energy into her songwriting, taking away all previous pressures and expectations.

Listen to 'Movies' below.