Fake Saint is one of Ireland’s emerging alt-pop artists. He cites Teddy Swims and Lewis Capaldi as not only influences and contemporaries but pals as well.
His music is truly beautiful, discussing self-doubt and failure. So when we sit down to chat with him, we expect him to be very serious. However, we’re left beaming ear to ear after a hilarious chat.
Here we take a look at the music that made him…
Where do you get your inspiration from when writing songs?
I find it very therapeutic being in the studio and stuff like we go in, and normally my preferred setup is like me and a producer and possibly another writer. So we can kind of just bounce ideas off each other. We normally start off, grab a coffee, chat about what’s going on in our daily lives and stuff and see if we can draw any inspiration from that. Then we decide what direction we want to go, whether we want a ballad or a big pop song. Then we hone in on melodies, then we see what ideas would fit, what concepts would fit. We use it as an outlet to get whatever is going on in my head or in my life out there. And it’s very therapeutic, really. It’s like a therapy session.
Is it nerve-wracking to share those very vulnerable moments publicly?
Absolutely, because I have a notes app on my phone. If I have an idea or a feeling, I put it in there. When I’m in the studio, I’m looking through it. I’m asking, would this work for this? Sometimes when the producer or the other writer ask if I have anything in mind, I’ll just look at the phone. And that’s terrifying because it’s like handing over a diary. I feel like I’m saying, “Here, read my deepest, darkest thoughts!” When we wrote I Don’t Want to Be Me, which was my first release, I came out of that session, thinking, “Oh man, that was a really hard day”. But I absolutely adored the song, and it meant so much to me because I poured so much into it. I feel like if you don’t fully give yourself to the art, you’re never going to be fully happy with something that you’re putting out. That’s what I try to do. Just go in and be as, even though it’s hard, open as possible. I’m a very closed-off person most of the time, but when I come back to it for my art, I try to be as open as I can because it’s what’s best for what I want to achieve. I want to reach people who need to hear that they’re not the only people feeling these things. They’re not the only people going through tough times.
Did you always want to be a musician?
As a kid, I always wanted to be a footballer. Obviously, that’s just every boy’s dream, but I was useless. So, there was no chance of that happening. [Laughs] From when I was 10 to my early teens, I really started to love music. I spent a lot of time with my dad in the car. Every day, he’d be like, “Just listen to the lyrics in this song”. He really made me realise the songwriting part of things. He used to show me a lot of Cat Stevens. My dad and I wouldn’t really talk about our emotions. So, it was his way of showing me how he felt, because he’s not a very emotional man. He wouldn’t say what’s on his mind all the time. I just grew up really appreciating songwriting and how a melody can change a song. He really kind of gave me the love of music. When I got into my later years in secondary school, I was a bit of a messer. So, I ended up in detention a lot. And when I was in detention, it was on at the same time as choir. But we were given the option, you can sit here for two hours and write an essay. I was not writing an essay, so I joined the choir and I ended up loving it. I studied it in college. I failed the course, of course, because me and school didn’t get on very well. But I’m still in music now!
Growing up, what musicians were you listening to?
It was such a big variety. Like my dad was very into Irish folk and Irish popular music like Paul Brady and The Chieftains, Planxty, all that kind of thing. Then I started to find my own tastes, listening to CDs. I think like Now That’s What I Call Music! 30 was my first one. I started listening to The Killers, Owl City, and all those bands that would have been really popular at the time. I’ve just kind of gone deep diving, then to find loads and loads of artists that should be heard but just aren’t. There’s a guy called Jordan Mackampa, who’s absolutely incredible. Sam Tompkins, before he started to blow up. Teddy Swims before he blew up.
Who would you think is your biggest musical inspiration?
Probably for me and the most similar to me would be Teddy Swims, mainly because I’ve seen his progression from doing covers on YouTube and then progressing to bigger stages. He just does what he wants and what he enjoys. He represents people who don’t fit the mould of a clean, polished pop star. He’s a bit gritty; he’s covered in tattoos. He’s just the most well-rounded artist out there, in my opinion. I have met him a few times, and I could call him a friend nearly at this stage. He’s given me advice and shown me the steps of where I can progress, even if it’s difficult. I think that’s why he’s the biggest inspiration to me right now.
Do you think Irish music is having its moment?
I think Irish music is really on the up, but I think there’s a huge problem in Ireland for Irish artists. A lot of the time you see Irish artists like Dermot Kennedy, Hozier they blow up everywhere else first, and then they start to get the stage they deserve in Ireland. I just think we’re a very pessimistic country in some ways. It doesn’t have to be like that. You can support people, whether they’re from Kerry or L.A. They deserve credit for what they’re doing. And I’ve had this conversation with loads of Irish artists. I do really think that we have an incredible amount of talent in this country. You’re seeing it now with the likes of Kingfishr, Amble, and Aaron Rowe. There are so many more artists coming up that like when they’re given their moment, they’re blowing up because it’s so good. So, we just need to get more eyes on it.
What was the first gig that you went to?
I went to Westlife with my mom. It was The Point, at the time. I got a picture of Shane Filan for my wall because I thought they were the best thing in the world.
Do you have an album that shaped you?
Oh I’m not sure…but I have an artist who really got me into songwriting. I found a video of Gavin James playing a song called Remember Me in a hotel in Dublin. I was like, “Oh, I’m going to start playing guitar”. That was the reason I picked up a guitar. And the reason I started writing my own songs. There so many amazing albums. Possibly his Live at Whelan’s album, it was just an eye opener to what a songwriter from Ireland can do and achieve in a short period of time.
Tell us your favourite gig you’ve been to.
I went to see Luke Combs in Amsterdam, but it was in the middle of the Rugby World Cup in 2023, and Ireland were playing Scotland on the same night. They kicked off at the same time at the same time as the gig. I ended up standing beside the one Irish guy that was there, and the two of us were watching the match on the phone and the gig. [Laughs] Both of our partners weren’t happy with us. We had a great time. We won the match, and we got to see a great show. So, we were very happy.
Do you have a song that you could just never get sick of listening to?
Paul Brady, The Lakes of Pontchartrain is to me one of the best songs ever written. I could listen to that non-stop till the day I die, and I’d still be happy listening to it.
Musically, what has been your biggest achievement so far?
I think for me, an achievement is just reaching people that a song connects with. I’ve got a lot of messages for a few of my songs now that people are like, “I really relate to this,” and that to me is the reason I do it. I don’t do it for money or anything like that. Obviously, if the money comes, that’s incredible. I absolutely love that. But just being able to connect to people with the music is the big thing for me.
What is on your bucket list musically?
Oh God, there are so many. I’d love to perform in the Olympia; that would be my main goal. I’d love to do a headliner there. I think it’s just an incredible venue. Then, in the grand scheme of things, if I managed to get to a level where I had millions and millions of followers and people follow me all over the world or whatever, if I did manage to get there – hopefully I do someday, I’d love to play Red Rocks. I just think that the venue is beautiful, and it just looks like a special place to be a part of. I’d love to be a part of its history.