Athlone native, Rob Irwin, a 26 year old Indie songwriter has released his new single 'Puppets'.
Penned during his teenage years, the lyrics to the song tell of finding strength in vulnerability, learning to dance in the rain, restarting a broken heart and letting go of past pain.
Speaking to the Athlone Advertiser this week, the songwriter stated that he rewrote 'Puppets' during lockdown to reflect the emotions he was feeling as Covid-19 restrictions endured.
"As 'Puppets' is a conversation between two people, there is a guest artist, 24 year old Athlone singer Leah Moloney. With a voice that echoes both the innocent pureness of Lauren Mayberry (Chvrches ) and the ethereal beauty of Clairo, Leah's stunning voice and haunting performance have made my lyrics and melodies sound so much better then they did in my notebook or in my head.
"Throughout the song both voices mix, flow and interweave with each other to capture a portrait of two vulnerable souls attempting to find each other in the light, and help each other through darkness.
"Writing and singing songs is my favourite thing to do and where I feel most like myself. My lyrics explore themes of heartbreak, euphoria and redemption, with a heavy emphasis on self reflection.
"I would describe my sound as dreamy and melancholic with a delicate cinematic quality to it. Some of my biggest inspirations at the moment are Dermot Kennedy, Phoebe Bridgers, Bon Iver and Julien Baker, with this duet being heavily influenced by Of Monsters and Men," Rob remarked.
