Lyra is taking to the stage this week.
The Cork woman is as excited as ever to play in her home county for a surprise gig. Yes, she’s performing for Heineken Live Access is part of Heineken’s 150 years celebration on Thursday evening.
Ahead of the gig, VIP Magazine got to have a quick chat with the singer…
Hey Lyra, how are you?
I’m really good!
And excited! Are you buzzing to be playing your home county?
I’m so bloody excited. I’m so happy to be home. I get to go back to the land of Cork and be around Cork people. People will be able to understand what I say in between songs, I don’t have to slow down my speech, I can go hell for leather! They might not even be able to get me off stage. They are my people, I need to keep going! I’m really excited to see what happens on Thursday. Even my friends, who I’m surprised aren’t sick of hearing me sing, always ask when I’m coming back down to Cork. It is really nice to come back home.
What is the best part of performing?
I think being able to sing to an audience, having that connection and seeing people. We spent two years singing to a f**king laptop! Now we’re back, it’s amazing. It’s the best feeling in the world.
And hearing people sing your songs back to you…
It’s so cool! I forget that my songs get played on the radio and people listen to them on Spotify. It’s weird, sometimes I’m like, “How do they know these songs?” I still feel like I’m at day one of my music career. It’s weird to think that people listen to my songs and come to my shows! It’s mad!
You are working on something very exciting…
I’m working on the big album! She’s finally coming! My very first album! I’ve been working on the album 24/7. All the songs are ready to go but we’re just working on the last few bits. I can’t wait for it all to come together. I can’t wait until next year. I feel bad saying that because I hate wishing my life away. But I actually can’t wait.
You’re busy as anything! What is the first thing you did this morning?
I’m babysitting my sister’s twins, so one of them was up at six o’clock this morning. So first thing I did was change a nappy!
Who would play you in a movie?
I’m hoping Margot Robbie because I have a massive girl crush on her. Or Lady Gaga! I’d love that.
Describe your favourite day.
One of my favourite days was when I played a festival recently. I stayed at my sister’s house so I got to get up with the kids in the morning, do the whole nappy changing, Weetabix, stuff like that. Then leave at lunchtime, go down, did my soundcheck, get all glammed up for the stage and did a show. That was great for me because I got the best of both worlds – family time and a show. It doesn’t always happen like that. It was just such a special day, I just loved it.
Who are your three ideal dinner guests?
I’d have to have Beyoncé there. I’d have to ask how she gets so fit to be able to sing and dance on stage like that. I’m nearly dead after every song. She would obviously be number one! I’d have Cillian Murphy because he’s a big ride. He’d be there for a bit of eye candy! He’s so good-looking it’s unbearable. And Tommy Tiernan, he’s so funny. Could you imagine Tommy and Beyoncé?! You wouldn’t get a word in! Actually, Beyoncé might need a little interpreter for us!
What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
It’s actually from my mum, I wrote a song about it. Be the best version of yourself because that’s all you can be in life. You never have to apologise or hide or feel embarrassed, just be whoever you want to be. Be loud and proud. Be the best version of yourself. I love that. That’s why I’m a big, loud weirdo.
Who is the person you look up to the most?
My sister. My mother and father will kill me for saying that. But my sister is my everything. She was the one who started me singing and really got my confidence up. My voice is quite loud but she really built my confidence up in being okay to have such a loud voice. I was always like, “I’ll just do the harmonies for you.” when we were younger. But she would always tell me to start the songs. She helped me get better. When we did family shows, she would be like, “Go on now. This is your time. You can do this.” She started my love for performing and singing. I owe everything to her.
If you could erase a movie from your brain and watch it again for the first time, what would it be?
You’ve caught me here now. I have two films that I’m obsessed with. One I’ve watched to death and the other one I don’t want to watch to death because I don’t want to tarnish it for myself. They are Shutter Island and Nightcrawler. I’ve stopped watching Shutter Island, I think in six months’ time I’ll be good for another watch. Whereas Nightcrawler I’ve watched so much! It’s unbearable. Sometimes I’ll put it on in the background, I find it very soothing. Zodiac is a juicy one as well!
What are you bingeing at the minute?
I feel like I haven’t watched something in so long. When I’m home in Ireland me and my sister will have a glass of wine and we’ll watch The Real Housewives of…Somewhere. It can be anywhere, at any point. We’ll just watch it! I’ve watched all of the When Missing Turns to Murder. They’re so good. I’ve watched I Am Killer about three times, all of it! It’s so good!
If you couldn’t be a singer, what would you be doing right now?
I do think I would be in some type of crime investigator role. I loved science in school. I don’t know how, I don’t know why. I was really good at science. Science and music were my thing in school. I feel like I could be a forensic scientist. I’d love that. I say it’s for me but then I think about the dead bodies and I think maybe not. But it’s the only other thing I’m good at. If I could be a fashion designer I would. I would love to have my own fashion range.
Tell us your favourite place on earth?
I don’t want to sound corny or cheesy. But it is home. Somebody could say, “Do you want a week in the Bahamas or do you want a week at home?” I would pick home. I don’t know why. I’m in England a lot at the moment doing the album. I just love being at home so much.
What’s on your bucket list?
There is so much on it. Obviously album one was on my bucket list which is now in the process which is such an amazing thing. Another thing, I’d love to visit Thailand I’ve never been. I would love to experience a completely different culture. I would love to get a number one single or album. I would love to do a duet with somebody pretty big.
And finally, if you were stuck on a desert island what three beauty products would you bring?
I would have to take bloody suncream or I would burn up like a crisp. I’d have to bring that or I would burn up somewhere! I would need some form of hair mask, I have 28-inch extensions in my hair. They’d be frazzled off my head. I love a no-makeup day so I wouldn’t bring any makeup! So I’d bring a bit of lip balm. That’d be me!
UK singer-songwriter Tom Grennan, Choice Music Winner CMAT and festival favourite Lyra take to the stage in two iconic Cork venues for a surprise music event that’s 150 minutes long. At 6PM this evening, music fans will have the chance to secure 1 of 150 wristbands available for each gig here.
