How did you approach making Traditional Singing From Dublin?

I suppose the title is somewhat purposeful, and in some ways it manages people’s expectations. It’s a collection of 10 songs that I would sing in pubs, house parties, kitchens and all the rest. I wanted to make a sort of pure – in inverted commas – traditional singing record, which would be representative of the singing as it exists in a social setting. It acts as a musical ground zero, in that from this point forward, I can push the boat out.

What do you make of the traditional scene in Dublin?

We’ve got an amazing traditional music scene, particularly among young people, which has really strengthened in the last 10 or 15 years. It exists in all formats. We’ve got people who express it in really contemporary ways, and others who do it in traditional grassroots ways. I would consider myself someone who sort of straddles the divide, not that there’s division per se, but I’m someone who enjoys the music in all kinds of different forms.

How did you manage to bring the live session atmosphere to the studio?

It’s a real challenge when you record traditional music, particularly traditional singing. It’s an art-form that relies a lot on not just the live environment, but the social environment. When you remove the sound from its natural context, the performer has to bridge the gap in a certain way. For me, it was really just about going into the studio and feeling as relaxed as possible – and being performance focused versus perfection focused.

Traditional Singing From Dublin is out now