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With an ebb and flow: Irish singer-songwriter Foy Vance finds inspiration from moments in life
Foy Vance is feeling great.
He鈥檚 taking the morning to sit on the patio of his hotel room and relax.
The Irish singer-songwriter is also celebrating the release of the anniversary edition of 鈥淛oy of Nothing.鈥� The album was released on Aug. 18, and marks the 10th anniversary of the original album.
鈥淚t鈥檚 kind of hard to believe that a decade has passed,鈥� Vance says. 鈥淩emember how everything from the age of seven until your mid-20s takes ages to pass,鈥� he says. 鈥淭hen as you hit your 30s, time seems to speed up, and you can鈥檛 seem to keep up or make it slow down.鈥�
Vance is currently on tour in the United States. His tour is set to make a stop at St. Francis Auditorium at the New Mexico Museum of Art in Santa Fe on Monday, Sept. 25.
There are three new tracks on 鈥淛oy of Nothing鈥� and Vance says the new tracks worked with the arc of the album.
鈥淭he thread of the new songs is each one is looking at the past and future,鈥� he says. 鈥淚t all fits together quite nicely.鈥�
As Vance got ready to head out on the road, he knew there had to be a plan, so he worked with his team on it all.
When it comes to a set list, he will make a set of songs that he wants to play.
Yet, he never sticks to the list.
鈥淭hings change so much on stage, that I can be reminded of a song and then want to perform it,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 like an ebb and flow to my shows. There are certain songs I want to play and there are songs that I was to bring to a service. I also like being surprised. Like that moment when I play something I wasn鈥檛 going to. It鈥檚 almost like I鈥檓 a voyeur too. I鈥檓 getting to see myself in a different way.鈥�
Music has been a huge part of Vance鈥檚 life and enjoys every moment.
Alongside co-writer Ed Sheeran and producer Max Martin, Vance was recently nominated for a 2023 Primetime Emmy Award for 鈥淥utstanding Original Music and Lyrics鈥� for Sheeran鈥檚 鈥淎 Beautiful Game鈥� from the Apple TV+ series 鈥淭ed Lasso.鈥�
For more than a decade, he鈥檚 been an in-demand songwriter.
He鈥檚 collaborations include co-writing four cuts including 鈥淕alway Girl鈥� on Ed Sheeran鈥檚 2017 album 鈥淒ivide.鈥�
He has also worked with Alicia Keys, Rag鈥檔鈥橞one Man, Keith Urban, Kacey Musgraves, Miranda Lambert, Plan B and Rudimental among many others.
Vance is proud of his successes and says there is no winning formula to songwriting.
Yet, he does say that his approach has been the same since he started in music.
鈥淓veryone has their own way of articulating,鈥� he says. 鈥淔or me, it鈥檚 a little bit like the song is already there, and you need to listen for it. I鈥檝e worked on my craft for years so that when the song reveals itself, I鈥檓 able to take it and run. Songs are like cats. If you ignore them and stay really still and quiet, they will come to you.鈥�
Vance is looking forward to being back in Santa Fe to perform. He鈥檇 visited the area on his last tour and was impressed.
鈥淚 went horseback riding, which was fun,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 also remember drinking a margarita and feeling like it was stronger than I was used to. I was quickly reminded that the altitude has an effect.鈥�
Vance鈥檚 writing process is personal and admits that he only releases about 15% of his songs.
鈥淓ighty-five percent of the songs I write are super personal and not ready for the world to hear,鈥� he says. 鈥淎s I鈥檝e gotten older, I鈥檓 enjoying the live shows more too as it鈥檚 an opportunity for me to show my vulnerable side. I鈥檒l mess up lyrics or songs and have to begin again. It鈥檚 always an adventure.鈥�
