With a new album, the wonderfully titled That’s When The Earth Becomes a Star just dropped, it felt like the perfect time to sit down with Sean McLeod to find out about his past, the current album, and what the future might hold.
Can we start with a bit of background? What path have you taken in music that brought you to where you are today?
I was sent to piano lessons at the age of seven, and it all started from there. At 7, piano lessons were a bit boring, so after a few years of them, I convinced my mum to get me a drum kit. Then I started playing in bands for many years, including Cisco, a Dublin-based band that had quite a bit of success. I have since been curious about music and sound.
Are there any inspirations or artists you feel have always guided your hand?
Yes. Lots of artists. I am always listening to different music, from classical to pop to experimental and everything in between. I think early 60s music had the biggest influence simply because that’s what I really immersed myself in as a teenager. I think because of that I’ve always been drawn to that kind of 60s pop aesthetic.
Although you’re a solo artist, are there any collaborators or behind-the-scenes people you consider crucial to what you do?
Yes, the producer Robsonic, who works on all my songs. I do a lot of the music on my own, but he really does add another layer in terms of the mix.
You have a new album out, That’s When the Earth Becomes a Star. What can the listener expect from that album musically, and are there any connecting themes or messages?
The first thing is for listeners to just enjoy the songs. There might be themes in the lyrics such as alienation, consumerism, and how the human spirit struggles to express itself in a very materialistic world, but essentially, it’s really just about enjoying the song- the melody and the song as a whole.
The music world is busier than ever, with more music being made and released. What’s the unique selling point that makes you stand out from the pack?
I don’t know if I have a unique selling point. I don’t think about that so much. I think it can have a negative effect, and you can end up becoming clichéd. I think by not doing so, I can just make the music I like making, and if people like it, great. Maybe that’s my unique selling point.
Do you plan to tour the new album, and if so, will you strip the songs back, or move into a more band-oriented format to recreate them as they are on the album?
At the moment, I just play the songs stripped back. All the songs are written on an acoustic guitar, so they all work on acoustic guitar. I like the idea of just turning up to perform with nothing but a guitar and a voice.
With themes of technology and consumerism never far from your lyrics, how do you view the current use of AI in music-making, and in the wider world too?
I think it’s rather frightening. I think it will cause all kinds of confusion and problems for the world economically, politically, and most of all it will have a devastating effect on our culture.
Finally, what does the future hold for you? Or perhaps, what do you hope it might hold for you?
The future is unknown. I’m happy to just be able to play music and record it too. I have another album out in the new year and another one in summer 2027. I’ve been recording a lot over the last year, so I have a lot of material to put out. After that, I don’t know. I would like to do some more experimental music, but like the companion album to That’s When the Earth Becomes a Star.
I recorded an album called We Don’t See that We Don’t See, which was a lot of experimenting with tunings and microtones. I’d like to get back to doing more of that, but it’s a lot of work, and I find myself just writing songs and then having all these songs that I want to record. So, I’ll see what happens after 2027.
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