Exploring the Ethereal World of Saoirse Miller
Interview by Amanda Marques. Photography by Olivia Lorenzo.
In the ever-evolving landscape of the music industry, emerging artists often find themselves navigating turbulent waters, striving to leave their mark and conquer their space. Irish independent artist Saoirse Miller’s journey was not a predetermined path but a serendipitous odyssey marked by introspection, resilience, and a deep-seated passion for storytelling.
Miller's relationship with music traces back to her formative years, where the seeds of her artistic expression blossomed at the backdrop of her childhood experiences. Reflecting on her earliest encounters with music, Miller reminisces about the days the melodies of Florence & The Machine resonated through the car stereo. It was in those shared moments with her father that Saoirse discovered an affinity for music: "I'd be buzzing to get into the car on my way to school to pick up my song. That was my first exposure to music. I was such a daydreamer as a kid, I would always listen to lyrics and I’d just disappear that way.”
However, for Miller, music transcended mere entertainment; it became a sanctuary—a refuge from the relentless distractions that permeate modern life. "Life is so busy," she reflects. "I'm a very quick thinker, I'm always thinking nonstop, and I guess my way of getting out of that busy headspace is just sitting down and making music." In an overstimulating world, she stands as a testament to the power of music to transcend barriers, and ignite imaginations. "My grandparents are from Mizen Head, West Cork. Even though I’m from Dublin, I feel most like myself when I’m there. There’s this weird feeling I get in my soul when I’m there and that’s the feeling I’m always trying to get when I’m writing.”
Rooted in her Irish heritage and steeped in the rich tapestry of folklore and mythology, Saoirse Miller's music transcends the confines of genre, offering listeners a glimpse into a world filled with magic and mystique. "Ethereal means 'other-worldly'," she explains. "I take it as such a compliment when people use this word to describe my music because when I’m writing songs I am world-building and I’m using music purely to escape to my own little realm. To hear it translated for other people it’s the best thing.”
Saoirse’s inspiration comes from different sources, but she highlights how Irish folklore has been present throughout most of her life: “When I was a kid, my favourite book was this Irish book of myths and legends and it was illustrated beautifully. That was a world I loved to go into and I feel most grounded and myself when I’m relating my life to old Irish folklore.” Digging deeper, she explains that a way to make sense of what happens in her life is to relate it to other stories. Her song, ‘Swan Song’, is heavily influenced by ‘The Wild Swans at Coole’, a poem by W.B. Yeats: “Swans are presented in Irish folklore in so many different ways, and I’m drawn to them because they make me feel less alone. Relating my feelings and my music to Irish folklore makes me feel connected to where I am from and the landscapes I am in.”
As a solo artist navigating the Irish music scene, Saoirse found herself grappling with self-doubt and apprehension: "It was very scary in the beginning. Being a solo artist, navigating the music scene by myself, it was intimidating.” However the challenge posed an unique opportunity for Saoirse to grow more confident in herself and her craft: "But it made me feel even more independent and powerful. I think it makes it more fun and the achievements feel amazing. It’s obviously hard, but it’s also really fun at the same time."
While talking about her writing, Saoirse uses the word ‘weird’ quite a lot. Instead of thinking about what she wants to write about, the artist describes the process in a simple, but poetic way: “All of my songs fall out of me. I go into this haze when I’m writing a song, I never really sit down and meticulously decide everything. If someone sends me a beat, or if I'm sitting down recording for more than 10 or 15 minutes and nothing is falling out then it’s probably not for me.” Her journal also offers precious writing material, and if she feels stuck, she reads her journal entries looking for inspiration. Her process is synesthetic, to say the least: “If I can’t describe an emotion I am feeling, I will try to think of a colour. Or what if this emotion was a day, or a person? What would it look like then? Tor if this emotion was a day, what would it look like? Or if it was a person. I’m a very visual person, especially when writing songs.”
‘Birds’, Saoirse’s latest single, was actually written when the artist was nineteen, and going through a difficult period in her life. She described feelings of deep sadness and loneliness, which made her take long walks. During these walks, Saoirse started singing the first verses of what would become ‘Birds’: “I'm so frail, but you can't see / I'm high as a bird can be / Drag me down, I'm so sorry / Birds fly away, but hold onto me”. She explains the verses came to her before she knew of the existence of the poem ‘The White Birds’, by Yeats: “I was longing for someone to hold on to me but it didn’t feel like that was attainable for me at that time. I hadn’t even heard of Yeats’ poem before I wrote that verse, but later on I discovered that ‘The White Birds’ is about Yeats’ love for Maud Gonne. She didn’t love him, but they both believe in reincarnation and the story says they went on a walk one day and she said ‘if I do come back, I want to come back as a seagull’. After hearing that, he wrote this whole poem as he hoped they’d come back as seagulls in their next lives. And I just thought it was the most beautiful thing I ever read. The concept was amazing, and I thought it fit with what I was writing but it sounded a bit prettier and nicer, not so dull and down to the ground. It made the sad thing I was going through magical, and that was great because it made the song sound a bit more like a fairytale. I wanted to transform this sadness I was feeling into a big, beautiful thing.”
As Saoirse Miller prepares to unveil her debut EP to the world, she remains faithful to authenticity: “The music industry right now is crazy. Everyone’s attention span is so short and I hate it… Everything is becoming a product, we’re enabling this short term expectation of everyone. I’m trying to stray away from that, but it is hard because everyone in the industry will tell you to make ten TikToks a day, to be on the radio, to use Instagram algorithms… It kills me, I hate it. It’s tough out there right now. I’m not making music to impress anyone, I’m trying to make music I’m proud of, that I’m happy with. The person I’m trying to impress is me. I’m enjoying exploring myself as an artist right now.”
In a tired and overworked society, Saoirse Miller's music serves as a beacon of hope, an invitation to slow down and take a deep breath. With every note she sings and every melody she creates, Saoirse reaffirms her status as a storyteller weaving tales of wonder in a world hungry for magic.
