I tend to listen to the classical composers: Rachmaninov, Satie.
I find that music makes people just sit and listen, firstly. Then, they seem to interpret their own emotions with the music and it makes them ponder their own life a lot. And then they start to question: Am I happy in my work? Am I happy in my relationships? What am I striving for?
Singing in Gaelic is very, very natural to do. I think lends itself very much so to being sung.
My first language is Gaelic.
It wasn't so long ago that it was not popular to speak Gaelic in Ireland because the areas that Gaelic is spoken in were much poorer areas.
It's very homely, this castle. It doesn't have huge ballrooms. I didn't want a cold, cavernous place.
I'm not one for walking the beaches humming a melody. I love the discipline of sitting in the studio, writing and listening. That is my domain.
When I was growing up, I'd be in the choir. My mum was the organist in the church, so I'd sing in the church.
The personal appearances and red carpet events are very glitzy, but it's a bit false.
I am not reclusive. I just have a private life.
The ocean is a central image. It is the symbolism of a great journey.
Wintertime for me is a time when I do a lot of my writing in the studio. It's a time I enjoy. And it's very reflective and a very calming time of the year. Throughout the year I gather a lot of musical inspirations, and this is where I bring them to the studio and see what will evolve musically.
