All The Right Moves

By Joe Kavanagh

The second of six children, Feeney was brought up by a single mother in Athenry, County Galway, in a household that laid the foundation for her star-crossed future by means of a firm, if not strict upbringing. Unlike many other teenagers, she was forbidden to go to the local discos but was encouraged to take classes in music, ballet and above all to pay attention to her classes, hardly surprising given the fact that her mother was the principal of the local school. She recalls that her house was filled each night with the sound of pens hitting paper as she and her siblings devoted their time to homework but she also remembers the joy she felt as a member of the local Galway Youth Orchestra, where she could often be found helping the other kids with their parts and making sure - literally and figuratively - that everyone involved was singing from the same hymn sheet.

Upon finishing school, she attended University College Cork, where she attained a degree in music and psychology, before leaving the southern city for Dublin's Trinity College, where she went on to gain a master's degree in music and media technologies and a further master's degree in primary school teaching. With a virtually insatiable appetite for academia, she continued her music studies for a time in the prestigious Royal Conservatory in The Hague, in the Netherlands, before returning to Ireland. Although she had continuously written music pieces throughout her time in university, like many classical musicians she tended to look down her nose at singer/songwriting types, believing such a career to be somewhat lowbrow compared to her own loftier aspirations. She also felt, rightly or wrongly, that the Irish music fraternity in particular was male dominated and extremely cliquish. Her initial time at home was consequently a period of confusion as she wondered what career path she should follow.

As someone who is multitalented and somewhat of a self-confessed control freak, in addition to writing, arranging, producing and funding the whole venture, she also played all 11 instruments involved, ranging from violin and keyboards to xylophone and accordion. She also laid down all of the vocals, which are utterly central to the entire project, largely because of the fact that she refused to view her voice as 'just a vehicle for words' but rather an important melody in its own right. The results were nothing short of extraordinary with a collection of tracks simply titled, 13 Songs, which reveal an inherent sense of drama, poise and timing. Quite simply, the album represents a superbly moody affair that demands to be listened to in a quiet room, preferably with all of the lights turned off. Tracks like Aching (with her almost 30 second delivery of one note in the chorus) reveal a knowledge, bravery and maturity far beyond even her years or experience.

Exhibiting her single-minded fortitude once again, she chose to take on all the promotional and management responsibilities, sending out a copy of each CD and a hand written note to every journalist, DJ or promotional insider that she thought might appreciate it. Although most in the industry would characterize such an approach as lying somewhere between naivety and folly, the pure quality of the music saw the gambit pay off as journalists in Ireland, the UK and even The New York Times began to deliver exceptionally favorable reviews, with no one more surprised by the response than Julie herself.

By 2006, the album had gained traction on the Irish market and then came the news that she had won the Choice Award, beating out competition from more established names such as Bell X1, Hal and Duke Special. In fact, Feeney was so convinced that she would not win it that she was actually arranging a gig at a wedding when a friend called to give her the result. The accolade made her instant news on the left side of the Atlantic and opened many doors, none larger than the one that led her to sign a worldwide licensing deal with industry giants, Sony/BMG, who are now rumored to be signing her to a recording contract for her next album.

She finished off the year by touring with both Rufus and Martha Wainwright and has already begun this year as one of the two Irish artists (the other being Humanzi) chosen to play next week's Eurosonic Festival in Holland, which handpicks the most promising artists from around the world to perform in front of industry people and huge crowds. With another album expected out from her within the next 12 months and her already busy at work on 25 minute dance piece due for public performance in the coming months, 2007 promises to be a very busy year for the talented young Galwegian. You get the feeling that she would not have it any other way.