Canci is a Miami girl who moved to Dublin, Ireland and became obsessed with the music scene. Just a few months after her first single called “I Live Here” was released, it was selected to accompany a major Irish TV ad campaign. It was mixed in the UK by mixing legend Chris Potter (The Feeling, Keane, The Verve, U2). She’s currently in the studio working on her debut album where pop hooks blend with her unique and soulful vibe.

Canci’s immaculately executed indie-pop music combines soulful and unforgettable hooks with an understated playful bite in her lyrics. Canci’s voice manages to recall Ellie Golding, Kate Nash, Regina Spektor and Joan Armatrading while having a uniqueness all its own. She has toured Ireland with her music, playing venues and festivals including Electric Picnic, Indiependence Festival, Sugar Club, and Guinness Amplify where her song “I Live Here” was chosen as an “Expert Pick” by the judges’ panel.

Hey Canci! When and how did you discover music was your thing?

I knew I wanted to create music when I moved to Dublin and started writing lyrics casually here and there for other bands. I was singing back-up at the time and I just thought being part of the music was kind of a fun thing to do sometimes. I was also organizing open mic music sessions and I would occasionally jump up on stage and sing. Eventually, the band I was singing with broke-up, and something clicked. I didn’t want the music to stop. So I taught myself how to play guitar, and that helped me discover all of these melodies and all of these stories in my head and in my heart. One day I wrote a song called “I’m Dumb” and it changed the way I thought about melody as well as the way I wrote lyrics. Audiences reacted to it very well and that song helped me know that I wanted to continue doing music all the time. I wrote more and more and knew that this is for me.

Why did you move to Europe? How is Ireland different from the US in terms of music?

I moved to Ireland because my family were already living here doing music and were involved in the arts. I was 18 years old living on my own, having a great time on South Beach in Miami, without a notion in my mind to ever write a song or sing. I had never created my own music before moving to Ireland. In Dublin, from open mic sessions to house parties where people pass around the guitar, living here inspired me because music is everywhere. Having not really played music in Miami I can’t compare the music scene, but I did instantly feel like Dublin offered a really cool and authentic music community, and that drew me in. It was very exciting for me.

Where do you find inspiration?

I have always written poetry, and written in journals, even from a very young age. I remember being a kid and writing letters to the moon each night, full of all my hopes and dreams. I am used to taking pen to paper in order to work stuff out. My songs come from a very real place. I don’t make things up. It’s all real. But life goes on, we move on and so the meaning of the songs can change over time. I may even write about something years later. And everyone always thinks that the song is about them, that’s the funny part. But anything can inspire, even things you don’t expect. The sound of the ocean, or the way glasses clink in a cafe, can give an idea for a rhythm. Something you hear or talk about with a friend can spark a lyric or subject to sing about. I get inspired by life around me. Then it’s about sitting down with the guitar for a few hours and letting the song become a real thing.

Canci Song – I Live Here from Kevin Carroll on Vimeo.

How has music changed you?

One day someone told me that you only need 3 or 4 chords to make a song and it was like a light bulb moment. Before I’d heard that, the idea of writing a song seemed totally not possible. To be able to write a song from start to finish with breaks and verses and choruses and an ending, how did people do this? But once I heard this thing about 3 chords I immediately I started teaching myself guitar chords and combining them with my poetry and playing around with melodies. Before I knew it I had written a bunch of songs, and I was playing them in public and people liked them. Being able to write songs made my life massively better. It was magic! Creating songs is one of the best things I do with my time. I’m privileged to be able to do it. I look at it as a rare thing, a gift.

What do you look for in a song?

When I’m writing a song, I like when a song surprises me. I always say writing a song is really listening and going where the song wants to take you. A good song can’t be rushed when writing. When I listen to other people’s music, I look for unexpected melodies or lyrics. I like when a song has something to say and takes you somewhere. I always want to feel that I know the songwriter or performer a little bit better after listening to their music. Also, what I’m looking for depends on my mood. Sometimes I just want something happy and upbeat and quirky and fun. I used to listen to a lot of moody musicians and I still love those types of songs sometimes, and I used to write a lot of songs like that. But now I don’t like songs to make me feel too sad. Even if the song is emotional or really real, I still always like a glimmer of hope to pop up somewhere in the music.

What have you learned from the musicians you’ve played with?

I have learned from every musician that I have ever been around. I used to run open mic sessions in Dublin and I would see musicians just starting out that I thought were absolutely amazing who didn’t see how good they were. They inspired me and gave me confidence when I was starting out too. I would also see musicians who were not the best songwriters or singers, but they would still get onto the stage and be brave enough to put themselves out there. I’ve learned from them too. The most important thing, in my opinion, for a musician to have is authenticity and I always study other performers to see how they display their authenticity, and I learn from that. You have to be brave to be yourself within the music industry. I’m always learning that.

Your album is on its way. Tell us a bit about it.

I recorded an album of 10 tracks which will be released as a series of singles and EPs. It was my first time collaborating with a producer in a studio. Some of the songs I had written a while ago, like “I Live Here”. The other half of the tracks, like “I’m Afraid I Might Forgive You”, I wrote during my sessions, even writing the day before going into the studio and singing with the song lyrics in front of me. I saw my music style growing as the recording went on, so I decided to write new songs as the project was evolving in order to reflect that. It was a very exciting process and I learned a lot about performing in a studio, mixing, mastering. My first single “I Live Here” was mixed in the UK by mixing legend Chris Potter (U2, The Verve), and very quickly after recording, it became the soundtrack for a Daft.ie TV commercial. My album is a collection of up-beat, indie-pop melodies that are easy and fun to listen to, with real lyrics. I am looking forward to sharing my music with the world.

Name three musicians or bands we’ve probably never listened to but definitely, should.

Me, Canci! 🙂 Asa, I love her voice and how she uses it in her storytelling. Guster, I always liked their lyrics and harmonies, and they’re still around after many years and are even better with time, I like their quirky style. Rhiannon Giddens, her voice is unique and cool and she’s doing something with this throwback style that I haven’t really seen done in quite this way. Besides that, I also think it’s important to support local music, so anyone who’s playing in a pub or a local venue should definitely be listened to, too!

What do you think of Drooble?

Drooble is a great website, it’s very well made and it offers a place for musicians to connect to each other, make new friends and fans and explore the music industry in a new way. I’m delighted to be part of the site and it’s great to see a dedicated platform like this for musicians.

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You can find Canci on her website or on Drooble along with other amazing musicians!