“What you’re feeling now is only temporary.”
Áine Cahill is an Irish singer-songwriter from a small town in County Cavan, Ireland. Her music is mainly inspired by her love of 1950s jazz. Áine has received airplay on Jo Whiley’s BBC Radio 2 show and has been cited as one to watch in the national press. Áine is currently working on new music in preparation for more live dates this summer, we caught up with her to discuss her love of Lana Del Rey, Harry Potter, struggling with depression and more.
Hello Áine, what are you working on at the moment?
Right now I’m writing loads of new music and working with incredible people! I’m so excited for the new music to be released and I’m looking forward to playing some of it at my gigs coming up, like at The Great Escape! I’m buzzing!
What are you listening to, reading and watching at the moment?
I’ve always loved Lana Del Rey, I’ve been listening to her a lot, she’s my fave! I’ve been reading a lot of John Green recently, just finishing ‘The Fault in Our Stars’. I don’t really watch TV anymore but I love watching YouTube videos.
What has been your biggest life challenge so far and what did you do to overcome it?
When I was a bit younger, 17/18, I was really down in myself. I suffered from depression for a while but I channeled it into my music. That’s when I started writing my own songs. I’ve never been good at talking to people about my feelings, but I started to write songs to express myself. That’s kind of how I overcame it.
How important has music been to your mental health?
Music has been the biggest help for me. When I was 17/18, I was really depressed and taking anti-depressants. I am someone who can’t really talk to people about my feelings or open up to people, I think that had a lot to do with it. But after I left school I started writing songs and it was a way for me to express myself and say what I wanted to say. Music was my escape and still is. It saved me in a way.
What would constitute a ‘perfect’ day for you?
I think a day spent with my family, maybe have a meal and then we all binge watch Harry Potter with big mugs of tea!
For what in your life do you feel most grateful?
I would say I’m most grateful for my health and the health of my friends and family.
Complete this sentence: “Ace mental health for me means…”
…being happy and feeling free.
What do you eat to stay healthy?
I’ve changed my diet a lot in the last year, I eat more eggs and fish, as well as more fruit and more water.
Who was your best friend at school? What was the funniest thing they did?
I didn’t have one best friend, my friends changed loads throughout school. I remember when I was 15, we were doing exams and after we handed in our papers, we all went into the woods beside the school. They were out of bounds and we thought we saw the vice principal so we all legged it! But one of my friends fell down and we all laughed so hard, she laughed loads too and wet herself. That has to be the funniest thing that happened!
What is your favourite motivational quote?
I love: “We are all of us stars, and we deserve to twinkle” by Marilyn Monroe.
Do you have a daily routine of exercise or do you make it up as you go along?
I don’t have a daily routine really. I love kickboxing, I do an hour of that a few times a week as well as some walking, but nothing regular. I get into a routine for a while but always end up falling out of it again.
Here at The Mind Map we remember playing football and ‘tag’ at school – running around the playground everyday and loving it – can you share a similar memory?
I remember those games, but also one called ‘Stuck in the Mud.’ Similar to tag, only when you were caught you had to stand still and another player would free you by crawling through your legs!
What three songs lift your spirits?
Hmmm three songs… Spice Girls – Wannabe, Scissor Sisters – Let’s Have a Kiki and Calvin Harris – Feels!
What advice do you offer to friends when they are feeling overwhelmed?
It depends on the person and situation I think, but usually always sound advice is to stop and breathe. It’s hard to think straight when you are struggling but try and focus on the positive things in your life. What you’re feeling now is only temporary and only you have the power to change it. If I’m feeling a bit anxious or overwhelmed I like getting a bit of fresh air, to try clear my head a bit.