Young Stradbally singer Alice Laffan says she is still buzzing after her Electric Picnic experience at the weekend that saw her as the opening act on the Croí stage on Friday afternoon.
Though she had sang twice before at the festival as part of the Electric Youth process, on this occasion she was on stage as ‘Just Alice’, her stage name that is really making waves in the music world.
She is now with the Carlow label ‘Youngblood Music’ and is in the process of recording her debut album.
“I played Electric Picnic before as a part of Electric Youth, which is run by Youthwork Ireland Laois,” explains Alice on this week’s Love Laois Podcast.
“And I got a slot in the competition in 2019 and again last year. I got the opportunity to play on the Hazelwood stage those two years, and it was fantastic.
“But obviously, as everybody knows, it’s a massive festival and it’s hard for smaller artist that nobody knows about to get into these big festivals.
“So to be able to come back and be offered a slot by the main man (Melvin Benn) himself It was just madness. It was crazy. Absolutely, the hype was mad and I was so excited. It was like a dream. I’m still waiting to wake up from it.”
Though Benn has mischeviously said that Alice was the act that he changed the date of the festival for, he did arrange for Alice to open the Croí stage.
“It was all a bit of a whirlwind. I actually ran into Melvin Ben himself in a pub in Stradbally and got to chat to him. And he said he’d try and secure a slot for me at the Croí stage. And I said, ‘sure. Oh, we’ll see. We’ll see what happens’.
“And yeah, he did. He secured me a slot anyway, and it was like a dream come true.”
In a wide-ranging chat, Alice explained her background in music.
“Well, I’ve been singing my whole life, really. I had a great inspiration in a teacher I had in primary school, Loraine Maher. She was fantastic. She encouraged it. So that was only when I was six years old.
“So from that age on, I was absolutely like, my heart and soul was in music the whole time. And then I started playing guitar, I used to do Guitar Stars in Portlaoise, Caroline Smith, and I did musical theatre my whole life.
“And then when I was 16, I got into trad music. I met a fantastic musician from Stradbally – John Maher – and we started up these trad sessions in Stradbally every month, and I just got to meet loads of traditional Irish musicians and do a bit of singing myself.
“And I’ve been doing that now since I can remember. So it’s mostly rooted in trad. What I do now, all my songwriting inspiration and stuff comes from songwriting, like trad writers and trad musicians.”
What’s next for this burgeoning star?
“I’m signed to an independent record label, Youngblood Music, and they’re based in Carlow. I’m currently in the process of recording my debut EP. I released my first single the month before last.
“And my next one is coming at the end of this month, so that should be at the end of the month. And after that then EP album, hopefully.
“And the plan is just keep releasing more music and get more gigs. I’m just delighted that people are actually listening to my music, and that’s all I’ve ever wanted.”
And as a native of Stradbally, performing in Electric Picnic is extra special.
“It’s been great. I’m from Stradbally, obviously, and the community in Stradbally has just given ongoing support.
“There’s been messages and comments. Every five seconds, the phone is ringing with somebody wishing me good luck or saying congratulations. And it’s just without the community support, really, where would you be?
“Electric Picnic has been in Stradbally my whole life. I know they celebrated their 20th anniversary this year, but they’ve been in the town my whole life and the whole entire time growing up, all I could have dreamt of was singing at Electric Picnic.
“To say that I can actually cross that off the list now is mad as me. It’s unbelievable. I’m still riding the wave and I think I will be for a while.”
You can follow Alice on Instagram here. and listen to her single ‘Wait’ on Spotfiy here.
You can listen to this week’s full episode of the Love Laois Podcast below. Our interview with Alice is at 1.13.26.
