My Weekend: It's never a case of clocking off on a Friday

Tell us a little bit about yourself:

My name is Caroline Kay, I’m from Dublin (mam is from Wilton in Cork and dad is Tipperary), so while myself and my two brothers were born and raised in Dublin, we spent a lot of time visiting family on school holidays, especially in Cork. After doing a degree in music and English at Maynooth, I moved to London to do a master’s in musical theatre. Since then, I have been both performing and writing music.

My first two EPs of original music both went to number one in the Irish iTunes album charts and I’m currently recording my third EP, due for release later this year.

I have written my own musical, called Daisy, which is set in Dublin. We have been workshopping it over the last few years and it is set to be staged over here next year. My goal is to take it home to Irish stages!

Though I live in London and love being so close to a theatre hub like the West End, there’s nothing more special than getting to perform the kind of music I love back at home, so I’m thrilled to be performing at the Cork Proms at the iconic Cork Opera House.

What is your ideal way to spend a Friday night?

I’ve never been much of a party/night-out person. My ideal evening is either dinner with friends, going to the theatre, or chilling at home by the piano.

Lie-ins or up with the lark.. which is it for you?

When I was younger, I was always up early, even on weekends, but now my brain tends to be most creative in the evenings, which often leads me to writing late into the night, sometimes making early rises much less enjoyable!

Does work creep into your weekend at all?

Haha, 1000%. Myself and my friends always talk about this! Being an artist is very much a running-your-own-business type of lifestyle, in that you don’t necessarily have weekends off (unless you’re doing very well for yourself and have a team of people who can take on the workload!). 

But when the product you’re selling is yourself/your music, you’re always trying to create new content, market yourself, prepare for an upcoming performance, etc, so it’s never a case of clocking off at 5pm on a Friday. 

Also, the theatre world doesn’t switch off at weekends: Many shows, concerts, workshops, events, happen every day of the week. However, even though it can feel like a tough slog trying to get your name and work out there (even on weekends!), when your work is something you’re passionate about, there’s a drive there that keeps you motivated.

If money were no object, where would you head to on a weekend city break? And who would you bring with you?

I wouldn’t be fussy on where, just anywhere warm, where I could bask in the sun! I’m my mother’s daughter and we cannot stand the cold. And speaking of my mam, we haven’t had a mother-daughter weekend in ages, so I’d take her. She’s also the only person on Earth who truly understands me, so that’s always handy!

Closer to home, is there some place you like to head to recharge the batteries?

Nothing like just going home and being looked after for a few days by my parents! But, otherwise, I love going for walks, and especially being near the sea. 

Looking out at the water helps you put a lot of worries into perspective, so that always helps me feel refreshed. I love Skerries, in Dublin, and Crosshaven, in Cork, is absolutely beautiful.

Do you like to catch up with family/friends at the weekend?

Yes, I love it. Whether it’s voice notes or FaceTimes to family and friends back in Ireland or America, or it’s meeting friends here in London, I love catching up with people, putting the world to rights!

Do you get to indulge any hobbies? Even as a spectator?

Does eating sugary treats count as a hobby? Because that’s something I strongly indulge in. The opening line of one of the songs on my upcoming EP is, “I just had dessert for breakfast” and I write from experience! 

Otherwise, I love listening to true-crime podcasts. I’m fascinated by the psychology and the investigative aspects of cases.

Entertain or be entertained? If it’s the latter, do you have a signature dish?

Definitely be entertained! I can cook, but it’s not something I’ve ever got any major enjoyment out of, and despite many years of home economics at school, I’m certainly not good enough to be cooking for other people!

We have so many places to eat out in Cork: Where are your go-to spots for coffee/lunch/special meal?

I love a cafe called The Workshop, out near Cork Airport. It’s a gorgeous little place our family will often go to catch up. Hassetts Bakery, in Carrigaline, is lovely, too. 

My cousin recently told me I have to try 12 Tables, in Douglas, so I’m excited to go there soon. Can you tell that brunch/ lunch is my favourite meal?!

Sunday night comes around too fast.. how do you normally spend it?

Usually, I’ll spend Sundays writing. I write short little songs for social media, which I often tend to post on Sundays. They’ll usually be about how I’m feeling that day, or that week, or some minor inconvenience I experienced, or how January was as kind as it could have been, or how I really need to tailor my use of the phrase ‘no worries if not’! And Sunday is a good day to post that kind of content, because many people tend to be chilling and doing some online scrolling!

What time does your alarm clock go off on Monday morning?

It really depends. I’m recording my third EP at the moment, so the last two Mondays I’ve been up at 7am to travel to the other side of London to start a long day at the studio. But, usually, Monday is a writing day for me (as is Sunday), so it’s common for me to write late into the evenings and maybe then lie in until 9 or 10 sometimes, depending on how productive I was the night before!

UPCOMING PROMS

On Saturday, April 8, and Easter Sunday, April 9, as part of the Cork Opera House Cork Proms, enjoy a dazzling journey to the city that never sleeps, through a showcase of some of the best-loved songs from American musical theatre. Featuring beloved hits from iconic shows such as Lerner & Loewe’s My Fair Lady (‘Street Where You Live’); Jule Styne and Bob Merrill’s Funny Girl (‘Don’t Rain On My Parade’), Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Carousel (‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’), and Kander and Ebb’s Chicago (‘All That Jazz’). Under the baton of conductor Conor Palliser, these performances feature home-grown talent, with Cork natives, soprano Majella Cullagh and baritone Joe Corbett, performing alongside Simon Morgan, Alison Arnopp and Caroline Kay.

• See www.corkoperahouse.ie