Corkonians Abroad: Hitting the right note on London’s music scene

How did you end up in London?

I moved there in 2023 to pursue music and just for a change of scenery! I’m in a band called Rowan and I’m a solo artist under the moniker ‘Hánt’ also, so I have been gigging over there the past year, getting the name out there.

What is life like in your new home?

It’s great, myself and my partner have been house-sharing the past year but we’re finally moving into our own place which is exciting. We’re living in south-east London, and parts of it do remind me of home.

What has been the biggest challenge?

The biggest challenge has been adjusting to the pace of life over there. There’s almost a collective consciousness there, that you should be rushing and you should be doing something 24/7, so I have to ground myself sometimes so I don’t fall into that.

How might you spend your weekends?

I’m usually either gigging or going to gigs/shows, if I have the weekend off I’ll try and catch up with some friends. 

During the summer the parks are where it’s at!

Tell us a bit about the cultural differences of where you live?

One thing I have noticed is there seem to be a lot of extremities in various different aspects of living there. If somebody is nice, they’re very nice. If they’re fashionable, they’re very fashionable. If they’re being a langer, they’re an extreme langer. There seems to be a blunt honesty in London also. It can be constructive, but sometimes just plain destructive, but it definitely gives you a thicker skin at least.

Tell us about your line of work/career?

I’m a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and composer. I’m in an indie-rock band called ‘Rowan’, we got signed to a label in LA back in 2021 and released our debut album in 2022, charting it in Ireland and the US. It was played a lot on BBC 6, Sirius XM, RTÉ 2FM, Today FM and many others. It got a great shout out from Duran Duran’s Simon Le Bon when it came out! We have our second album almost ready and it’ll be coming out later this year!

I have a solo project called ‘Hánt’. I’m recording the music for that at the moment, it’s definitely the most personal music I have ever written. 

I recently toured with Walking On Cars’ Pa Sheehy around Europe. I’ve supported artists such as Nile Rodgers & Chic, Badly Drawn Boy, Kaiser Chiefs, Dai Freyr and many others. That music will also be coming out later this year.

I am also a session musician, I’ve toured with artists such as The Frank & Walters, Toucan, Lyra, Jack O’Rourke, The Stunning, Khakikid, Bricknasty, Clare Sands, and loads more.

As a composer I’ve written and performed orchestral arrangements of my own music with the Opera House Concert Orchestra, and have arranged the Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra also. I wrote some music for the CBS show Murder: Fight For The Truth last year, and have arranged brass/strings for other artists.

I’m also writing the music and performing in the Summer Revels show in the Cork Opera House, it’s my first time doing a show like that so I’m excited about that one.

Tell us your thoughts on opportunity - and how a different part of the world might offer more opportunities?

I think, in bigger cities in general, there are more opportunities by the nature of their size, but the thing is you have to work a good bit harder to stand out from the crowd and make an impact. 

Especially in my line of work, as there are so many amazing artists and musicians.

I do enjoy learning from each experience though, if I see an amazing artist I’m always trying to see how they’re running their shows or if I can take any inspiration home from the performance.

Are there any wider societal issues that you see in Ireland that aren’t a problem in your new home or vice versa ?

There seems to be a bit of a mental health/loneliness crisis over in London and the UK at the moment. Waiting times for services seem to be quite long and I think it’s easier to get isolated in a big city.

The one thing that doesn’t seem as apparent, even though it’s still present, is the housing crisis. It’s definitely a lot worse in Ireland at the moment. A lot of rental properties are actually more expensive in Cork/Dublin than London at the moment. 

Something has to give with the situation of housing in Ireland, because the land is there to build on, it just needs to be seen as a basic right for people, which it is.

What has been your most memorable moment in your new location so far?

I recently got to play Kew Gardens and the 02 in London, they were pretty special! I also had a smaller gig with Hánt to a room of about 50 people, and that was incredibly special. I do find smaller gigs can be nicer as you can really connect with people, some of the massive gigs don’t feel real.

Any special mentions to friends or family back in Cork?

Much love to all my family, they’re very supportive. To all the Howes and O’Connors.

If you were back in Cork for one day, what would the ideal day for you?

Any time I’m back, I head straight to Filter for a coffee (it’s unmatched, anywhere!), Cameron Bakery for a lemon tart and the English Market for some My Goodness. If I have time I head to Fitzgerald’s Park aswell, it’s such a nice spot to just sit and be for a while.

What are you looking forward to in the coming months?

I’m looking forward to bringing out the second album with Rowan and touring it, the Summer Revels in the Opera House, and bringing out my first EP as Hánt also!

Is there anything that you especially miss about Cork?

I miss the kindness of the people. It’s also so much more easy-going. I love the ‘be grand’ nature of the city.