Artist's latest single pays tribute to Limerick mother’s cancer battle

GROWING up in a home surrounded by music, it felt only natural for Róisín Barry to evolve into a music artist herself,  and, through her mother's battle with cancer, a song of hope was born.

Róisín has used her own powerful voice and emotional lyricism to write her latest single titled Feathers -  a heartwarming  tribute to her Limerick mother.

Her love of song comes from her parents, who always encouraged Róisín and her siblings to have an appreciation for all different styles of music.

Her mother, originally Mary Carroll, a native of Kilmallock, and her father Joe Barry, who also lived most of his life in Kilmallock - but fervently maintains he’s a Dingle man - wanted to pass their passion for music onto their children, and, now, it is clear that they have. 

Róisín began writing her own music while in college, inspired by friends who had started to do the same. 

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She chose the stage name VOXmouse, as she will always remember how quiet and shy she used to be (given the nickname mouse), but  she had now found her voice (vox being  the Latin for voice).

Following the release of her new single, Feathers, released on May 2, Róisín is also set to release her first EP this August.

Following the pandemic, her mother, Mary, was diagnosed with breast cancer and needed to undergo chemotherapy.

Róisín recalls this period of time and how she was able to embolden her mother and herself: “By mid-way through treatment, her face had hollowed, her hair had fallen out, and she was having trouble with finger dexterity, which stopped her playing the piano. One day, she broke down, she was so exhausted from feeling so weak and sick and scared. She was absolutely defeated and it broke my heart. 

“She’s always been a massive poetry fan, and, as I tried to cheer her up, I was reminded of Emily Dickinson’s poem ‘Hope is the thing with feathers’, and, shortly afterwards, I wrote this song for her. 

“Thankfully, my mom made a full recovery, and I wanted to share this song for anyone who is struggling with their mental health and feeling hopeless, to help them feel less alone.”

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Róisín speaks about her journey as an artist and how her interest in music began.

 “I grew up in a household full of music; me, my brother and sister were lucky enough to have a Steinway grand piano at our fingertips, and parents that were obsessed with music; classical music and old Irish music, specifically. 

“My dad and mom are huge fans of Irish music, they love all the traditional songs, with songbooks scattered throughout our house, particularly The Dubliners. Literally every single time Luke Kelly comes on, Dad will turn up the radio  and expect a revered hush (and he’s dead right!), and so I’ve always been around that style of music, and I love the story-telling nature of it. 

“My song ‘Tale of the Cobbler’ was written in ballad-style, with a nod to ‘Rare Auld Times’ character Seán Dempsey and his coopering trade falling to ‘progress’, much like cobbling.”

Her Limerick inspirations don’t end with her mother, with The Cranberries being  a huge inspiration to her.

“I remember the first time hearing Zombie and I don’t think any song has had a bigger impact on me. I was just blown away by Dolores O’Riordan’s voice and I knew I wanted to sing like that, and I’ve been obsessed ever since.”

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A proud Irish musician, Róisín is forever connected to her roots when it comes to making music. 

“I absolutely adore the Irish folk music scene that’s around today, we have  a well of magnificent talent on our island who are phenomenal lyricists and musicians. You know it’s never going to be predictable verses or melody patterns with Irish musicians, and I try to draw some bit of inspiration from them all in some form; Glen Hansard and The Frames’ raw emotion, Hozier’s wizardry with words and beautiful arrangements, Sinéad O’Connor’s honesty and activism, The Villagers’ dreamy soundscape, Imelda May’s punch, Joshua Burnside's sincerity and reflection, Jack O’Rourke’s depth, Lisa Canny’s energy and fusion, Mick Flannery’s story-telling and Susan O’Neill’s soulfulness - there is always something unique and innate to take away from listening to our homegrown artists.”

Drawing on those influences that she grew up with, Róisín’s music is  a captivating fusion of traditional Irish influences and indie-pop  tracks  with electronic textures.

Her voice flits from delicate and ethereal to resonant and powerful, conveying raw emotion with her story-telling lyrics.

Her willingness to collaborate with other Irish artists, such as BRÍDÍN and Dark & Lively, further showcases her versatility and her connection to the vibrant Irish music scene. 

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This “wee mouse with a big voice”, as she playfully describes herself, isn't afraid to tackle weighty themes within her music. With artists like Sinéad O'Connor and Dolores O'Riordan as prime inspirations and influences, Roisin always makes space for important social  commentary in her pieces, such as in another release of hers, 'You Were Human'.

Describing the song's intentional theme she said, “It was written in response to a rape case trial in the US but it's something I feel so strongly about, and in the current climate in Ireland, it's still, unfortunately, so relevant today, given that victims don't get the justice they deserve, or are forced to relive their trauma and justify what they wore. It is an issue so prevalent in Ireland, our justice system and culture for protecting women isn't any better if you look at cases such as Conor McGregor. The song tackles rape culture and the victim-blaming mindset.”

Her thought-provoking lyrics blended with a dream-folk sound  explore themes of escapism, love and loss, and societal issues such as women's rights, and mental health, in all her songs.

Feathers is a testament to the enduring power of family, resilience, and the profound connection between a mother and daughter.