Where genres intertwine and storytelling takes centre stage, emerges David San Clair, a singer-songwriter from Drogheda. Jason Barnard speaks to David to unravel the layers of an artist who is poised to stir not just a nation but hearts beyond the shores of Ireland.
Your latest track ‘Juni’ is described as a fictional song about love, trust, and a bond between a father and his future daughter. Can you share the inspiration behind it and what led you to create this particular narrative?
Of course. I wrote ‘Juni’ back in late 2022. I only had the melody and chord structure down, but then in January of 2023 I wrote the lyrics. I guess the influence came from my own up-bringing as a child. My mother always cared and nurtured me, so the idea came into my head of writing a song for a daughter I will have in the future. I would name her Juni simply because it’s a name I always loved, as well as that it reminds me of the month June, when I was born. Once the idea was solidified, the lyrics flowed very quickly, I didn’t struggle to know what to say.
You mentioned that ‘Juni’ is a time-capsule song meant to be relevant in the future. How did you approach writing a song that’s meant to stand the test of time, and what elements did you include to achieve that?
As mentioned above, ‘Juni’ is indeed a song for the future, so Juni herself can listen to it once she’s old enough to understand. It’s all about the tense you’re writing in, obviously this is in future tense but when sung, these events have already happened which makes it the past tense. She grows up, lives her own life, carries on her own legacy. This is very similar to my own up-bringing, where I was given the tools and advice to grow and mould into my own self. It’s basically passing on generations of parental guidance. It’s to show Juni how loved she is, telling her that this song was written years before she was born.
Your music spans various genres. How do these diverse influences contribute to your unique style as a songwriter, and how do you decide which genre best fits a particular song?
I listen to many genres, the artists and bands I listen to always change from month to month. I would find 5-6 new songs I love, play them on repeat for 3-4 weeks, then once I find the next 5-6 songs, the process continues. A lot of my influence in writing stems from early-late 90’s alternative and folk music. Folk and Indie would describe my sound best. I love to bring a lot of energy to each song, along with including strange chord progressions that would create my unusual but catchy melodies.
Can you tell us more about your influences in music and how they have shaped your approach to songwriting and music fusion?
Early and late 90’s Alternative and Folk music from artists such as Mic Christopher, Glen Hansard, Jeff Buckley and The La’s. I love to fuse their styles and writing because they created such full and rich pieces of music, but yet it was still simple to listen to and digest. That’s what I want to do, dip my toes in each genre and style and create something unique but easy to engage with and to enjoy mostly.
How has your local upbringing and experiences in Ireland shaped your music and storytelling?
I had a very colourful child-hood. Born and raised in rural Ireland. I was surrounded by lots of nature, where I had the space to let my imagination run wild. My parents let me explore that part of my life, which I’m very grateful for. I was always in the countryside or in my hometown of Drogheda until I turned 19, that’s when I started going to college in Dublin. That was a huge change for me but it was great to be able to talk about experiences of being in the countryside and the city. I definitely prefer the countryside. That’s where I do most of my writing. I’m never disturbed, so it’s great to actually take your time and produce work that you’re proud of.
Could you share some insights into the recording and production process for Juni, including the role of the various musicians involved in bringing the song to life?
So I tracked ‘Juni’ in JeJune Studios in Drogheda, owned by one of my best friends Daniel de Burca. We worked together previously before, and stayed in touch. There’s no one else that knows my sound better than Dan, so it had to be him to produce the track. The musicians that were on the record were Camryn Teehan (Drums), Josh Hackett (Lead Guitar), Dara Abdurahman (Bass), Louis Younge (Violin & Cello), Katie Phelan (Backing Vocals) and Edelian Geber (Violin & Viola). We tracked the song in one day, and did the string overdubs the next day. I always knew what I wanted harmonically and melodically, which made it easier to direct the guys for their parts, but they just did their thing, which was perfect. The song was mixed by Alex Borwick and mastered by Simon Francis.
What can we expect from your live shows – can you share further details on what you have coming up?
So I have shows coming this November and early December. I will be Whelans Upstairs, Dublin on the 23rd November and The Watchtower in Mchughs, Drogheda, on the 8th December. These are all full band shows, with new material being introduced also.
Looking ahead, how do you envision your music career progressing, and what are your goals as a songwriter for the future?
So far, I’m on the right track personally, there’s still a lot I want to do and achieve in the next couple of months, with projects confirmed and long term ideas in the pipeline for this coming year. I plan on releasing my first record in 2024, with playing shows across Europe and the UK. I plan to write with more artists, to share our ideas with each other along with building relationships too.
