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Gigging Northern Ireland got the opportunity to talk to Wallis Bird and boy, did we take that opportunity! Talking ahead of her show in Auntie Annies of 23rd October, we speak about her new album 'New Boots', her October Irish tour, her feelings on getting signed and much more! Guess you will have to read on to find out...

Firstly, why did you want to be a musician? Did you have a big musical background?

It was never a concious decision to become a musician - music was always bringing me wherever I landed in my life. I was singing and making noise since I was a baby, so music just weaved it's way through everything I've ever done in my ilfe. I came from a family of massive music lovers, and there was 7 kids, each who were all very different so that was a lot of different styles of music floating around our house. My Dad was involved in booking and DJing for years, so there was always the latest batch of Vinyls he had bought being played to us. Music was just an integral part of the Bird household, so that most definitley was my biggest influence.

Of course you were signed to Island Records in 2006 - how did you feel about that experience and the opportunities you get now?

That was exciting as well as stressful. All the cliches of the business machine and the bad name that came with it, hit me on the head immediately when I stepped into that environment. It was exciting being involved in one of the strongest and well known record labels of it's time. I would never change a thing, I learned as much from that as any musician probably should and came out the other end with a much more cautious yet learned and fresh attitude to the music business.

You just released 'New Boots', your latest album, this year - was it exciting to have another piece of your work out there for people to hear and show them how far you've come and are going to go?

I couldn't have said it better myself! This new album is just another snapshot of where I am nowadays, I mean I'm constantly writing and recording so there is always movement and I hope that people can grow up with my music just as I am. I've always thrown some new songs in with old ones in a live set, so before people recieve a new album, chances are that they have gotten aquainted with them at a live gig.

On this tour you will be visiting Northern Ireland's Auntie Annies on the 23rd October. How are you feeling about this show?

Auntie Annies is like a little homecoming for me, I really like this venue and had a great start with it the first time I played, so I can only expect that this next gig will have the welcoming and singalong/ laugh along crowd as it has always been. I'm looking froward to it!

Obviously you've started your October tour in Ireland. Being an Irish musician, it must fill you with pride knowing you can tour around the country playing your music to people from your home country?

Yeah, it's always a pleasure playing home gigs, the in-jokes and localisms within the music and the banter always make it easier for me to get my personality across. And I suppose that your home country is often your biggest critic, so it makes me very happy to feel such a welcome and also feel like nobody has ever treated me any different because they know aside from the music, I'm just an ordinary chick from Wexford.

Lastly, describe Wallis Bird in five words.

Tall, sexy, intellectual and (very) serious!

Gigging Northern Ireland says Wallis Bird will be playing Auntie Annies on the 23rd October!

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