Rachael Lavelle is a Dublin-born singer and composer who merges classical and contemporary influences, blending electronic soundscapes with spoken word and acrobatic vocals.
She has collaborated with a wide range of artists, from Crash Ensemble to Saint Sister, and appeared as a vocalist on Villagers' Fever Dreams album.
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Rachael just released her debut solo album Big Dreams, ahead of a nationwide tour that runs through December.
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We asked Rachael for her choice cultural picks...
FILM
I've been returning to Richard Linklater's movies lately. I loved his Before Trilogy with Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy, and Boyhood, where he followed the same cast for 12 years. Apparently he is working on a 20-year adaption of the musical Merrily We Roll Along with Paul Mescal? News to me! I remember being comforted by Waking Life as I entered my early existential crisis phase. A trippy 2005 movie about a man stuck in a persistent lucid dream, looking for answers to life’s mysteries. Strange, funny and unexpectedly moving. Linklater also directed School of Rock, which is of course the best movie ever.
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MUSIC
Music I have been living for Astrud Gilberto and Lhasa De Sela. Astrud never fails to brighten my day. I feel like I am somewhere sunny and all my worries are no more. She is like a warm hug. Lhasa De Sela too. La Llorona, I will never stop listening to this. I've also been very nostalgic about my earliest favourite singers. Eva Cassidy and Norah Jones. I have been obsessing over Eva Cassidy’s interpretation of the song I Know You By Heart. Autumnal. Her voice. You feel everything when you listen to it.
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BOOK
The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron. It's a course in creativity. The prescription is to do the morning pages: three pages of freewriting and to take yourself on a date every week. I always return to this book when I need a bit of magic in my life.
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THEATRE
I must admit I haven't been to see a play in so long. I have a soft spot for the musicals, like The Last Five Years by Jason Robert Brown - I hope they bring a production to Dublin soon.
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TV
I loved The Bear and Beef. Extremely fast paced and stressful to watch. Adrenaline. Last week I watched the first episodes of The Secrets of the Blue Zones series on Netflix. It’s about populations in the world where there are high concentrations of people over 100 years old. Happy to learn from it that yes actually, wine does make you live longer.
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GIG
Looking forward to seeing Mary Black in Vicar Street with my Dad this week. Last gig I saw was Andy Shauf in The Sugar Club. Heavenly. His lyrics are wry, his voice is soft. It was amazing. I love his new album Norm, especially the track Wasted On You.
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ART
I’ve been doing a deep dive on the work of Cindy Sherman. A genius of transformation and disguise, confronting and deliberate.
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RADIO/PODCAST
I love Maria Somerville’s Early Bird Show on NTS on Monday mornings. It soothes and sets you up for the week. Also This Jungian Life - Jungian analysts talk about dreams, life, and relationship dynamics.
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TECH
Not an app, technically a website but more of a YouTube phenomenon: Cottage Core YouTube channels. I am obsessed with these videos of people living idyllic lives in cottages. The Cottage Fairy, she brings me such peace... especially now, with autumnal videos. Give me candles, give me cinnamon spice latte pumpkin, give me cosiness.
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THE NEXT BIG THING
Ellie O'Neill. I’ve been a fan of Ellie’s music for so long. She’s opening for me on my album tour. So excited for her to release her new music.
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Big Dreams is out now. Rachael Lavelle is on a nationwide tour this November and December - find out more here.
