Collaborations

In her August “Grace Notes” column classical crossover contralto Grace Foley talks about the importance and impact of collaborations.

This month I’ve got ‘collaborations’ on my mind. What is it about two or more performers coming together that is just SO special?

This past year has been tough, there’s no denying that. We missed loved ones. We felt trapped and isolated. We might have been 15 minutes away from someone, yet they may as well have been at the other side of the world. At the same time, a person on the other side of the world could also be brought right into your home. Thank God for modern technology!

For years now I’ve battled with living long term in Kerry. I have been told that I’ll get nowhere in my career while living so far from our Country’s capital. Anyone who knows me knows that I am a VERY proud Kerry woman and I really can’t see myself being based anywhere else. The big drawback of this is that I rarely get to spend time with artists in a similar genre to me. I have often felt ‘out of the loop’ and left out. The pandemic made everyone stop. We were forced to stay at home. No one was going anywhere. Everything was turned on its’ head. Suddenly we were a world away from people that lived outside our 5K but we were sitting right next to people who lived thousands of miles away.

The world got smaller and all us artists were suddenly on a level playing field. No matter how famous or unknown you were, if you wanted to stay relevant, you sang from your living room. People’s book cases became more well known than themselves as we all liked to have a nosey at what was behind the people who broadcast from their homes.

During this time I was blessed to collaborate with artists I’ve known for years, and also with artists I had never met. I became part of the wonderful ‘Songbirds’ community. When our concerts aired on YouTube we all sat in our individual homes and supported each other in the ‘comments section’. Some of us enjoyed a tipple to celebrate. Some of us were pregnant! These collaborations brought a family of singers together at a time when loneliness was the enemy. The drawback of these concerts was all my new friends were suddenly gone once the final song was sung. No hugs, no cheers, no physical comradery. I tried to soak up the joy it brought and forget the inevitable sadness.

During this last year or so I have also really missed singing with people I have worked with in the past. Again, the people who were mere miles away were untouchable. I longed for the day when I would make music with them again. I think there is a joy in creating music remotely with new friends but there is a pain in doing this with people with whom you have shared the ‘real’ stage in the past.

I am SO proud and excited that my new album will pay tribute to the two types of musical friends; the old and the new. The album will feature a duet with Mary-Jess who has honestly been one of the best things to come out of this past year. I can’t believe we have never met in reality and yet I will soon hear our voices together. The album will also feature one of my best friends, pianist Jayme Linehan, on ‘In My Daughter’s Eyes’ and I have just confirmed that a very exciting Irish artist will feature on one of the other tracks. You’ll have to watch this space for that announcement…

So here’s to collaborations. Here’s to the magic of voices and instruments coming together over thousands of miles. Here’s to music made in an intimate space, where the energy of those performing is palpable. Here’s to continuing to use technology to connect us and here’s to people performing LIVE. TOGETHER. AGAIN.