Etaoin – Artist Focus

Growing up between Ireland and London, Etaoin’s musical and life influences are drawn from both sides of the pond. She cites the likes of Dermot Kennedy, Ed Sheeran and George Ezra as key influences from this part of the world and from further afield, it’s heavyweights such as Taylor Swift and Tracy Chapman that have had a profound impact on her sound and songwriting style. 

Etaoin’s music career started out through the encouragement of her Irish parents who entered her into traditional Irish music competitions from the age of 6 where she would play tin whistle, flute and singing. By the age of 10 she was winning competitions left, right and center….in the adult categories! From the age of 12, Etaoin taught herself how to play guitar and write songs and she states that “I just had the guitar there all the time, and boredom breeds creativity”. 

Etaoin began to perfect her original material by developing a style of guitar fingerpicking which is both delicate and incredibly captivating. Mixed with pop vocal melodies and flawless stripped back production, Etaoin has formed a style of pop folk which feels fresh while maintaining a classic singer-songwriter sensibility. 

Having grown up throwing life experiences into her own musical compositions, it is perhaps quite fitting for her official debut single to be titled Bedroom Walls. The track begins with the sweetest of fingerpicking followed by Etaoin’s bold vocals. Subtle yet extremely effective piano, percussion, bass and string sections are introduced and flow in and out of the track, resulting in a stunningly confident debut. 

Etaoin’s latest release is the heartfelt Pale Damp Cheeks. Etaoin’s guitar playing is exquisite and comparisons can undoubtedly be drawn to the playing styles of Ben Howard and William Fitzsimmons. Pale Damp Cheeks is a strikingly powerful yet bare bones track where Etaoin’s vocal and acoustic guitar are placed front and center, resulting in a passionate and powerful observation of her own feelings of loneliness. 

Etaoin wears her heart very much on her sleeve and it is this honesty which is breathtaking and extremely charming. There is a realness to Etaoin’s documentation of her life experiences and this runs through to the way she operates creatively as she writes predominantly in the company of just herself. There is a fearlessness which shines bright throughout Etaoin’s songwriting. Paired with a joyful youthfulness and a mature knack for writing, Etaoin is ticking all of the boxes.