Introducing…. Arren
Dublin-based artist Arren is making waves with his mix of anthemic pop-rock and heartfelt singer-songwriter storytelling. With his first full-band headline show at Whelan’s on the horizon and a debut album in the works, there's plenty to talk about. We caught up with him to chat about his journey so far, the Dublin music scene, and what’s coming next.
Click Roll Boom: Your music blends big, anthemic pop-rock with a more intimate singer-songwriter feel. Was that always the plan, or did it come together naturally?
Arren: I feel like it just came together naturally. I've always felt like the music we musicians make is the product of our inspirations and what we grew up listening to. Also, I believe it's important to make music you yourself enjoy listening to. I've listened to my upcoming tracks about 50 times already haha.
CRB: This is your first headline show at Whelan’s. What made now the right time for it?
A: I really can't wait for it. Now made the right time because it's been just about a year since I got back into music and started focusing on it full-time. I took a few years off for college, and after writing an album during the pandemic, I figured it was time to get back into playing music again, start branching out into Dublin's music scene, and finally record that album that had been gathering dust for years. This Whelan's show is a celebration of everything I’ve achieved over this year, from the music I’ve released to the people I’ve met and collaborated with. And this is only the beginning.
CRB: It’ll also be your first full-band performance. How different is it preparing for a live set with a full band compared to playing solo?
A: Preparing a full-band live set is so much fun. Coming to the final few rehearsals, it’s a little stressful making sure we have the set fully locked down, but the guys I’m playing with are super talented and I know I can trust them. Playing solo can be limiting—much easier, but the songs are the way you wrote them. With the band, songs can take on a whole new life, sometimes becoming something you didn’t expect. That happens more with myself and my band because I don’t have a very strict direction. I like to let my performers do what they feel the song needs, and I take the same mindset into the recording studio. That way, my collaborators feel like they have a piece of themselves in the songs, and in turn, they’ll have more fun playing them.
CRB: Your single ‘Dreams We Missed’ really captures a sense of nostalgia. What inspired that song?
A: 'Dreams We Missed' is a song about childhood dreams, carefree innocence, and how life gets in the way as we grow older. I started playing music properly at age 15 with my best friend. We learned a few covers, played a few open mics, then decided to be a duo band and start writing our own songs. Back then, we didn’t have a care in the world besides girls and homework. No rent, no bills, no responsibilities. 'Dreams We Missed' is a homage to that time in my life and how, when I play those old songs nowadays, I feel transported back to those times.
CRB: Your debut album ‘Dark Earth’ is on the way. What can people expect from it?
A: My debut album 'Dark Earth' explores many themes but overall centres on positivity vs. negativity. We live on this planet that has so much hatred, greed, and pain, but we also have love, friendship, family, and happiness. The album progresses from dwelling on the negatives like hatred, grief, and heartbreak to finding the positives of living through those lows. Isn't it better to experience love that leads to heartbreak rather than not having experienced love at all? The broad genre of the record is pop-rock, but there are also a lot of other influences mixed in, such as folk, classic rock, blues, and Americana. There’s definitely something for everyone on this record, and I’m so excited to share it with the world. I’ll be taking my time with it, though—most likely releasing at least six singles out of the 12 tracks over the next year and a bit.
CRB: You’ve drawn comparisons to artists like Radiohead, Oasis, and U2. Who would you say has influenced you the most?
A: If I had to say overall, U2 has had the most influence on me from sound to lyrics. I grew up on U2, with my father being a drummer for a U2 tribute band, so naturally, it stuck with me and has had a big effect on my music. Radiohead and Oasis are also big inspirations on my sound and lyrics. Mumford & Sons have a big place in my heart too, as well as some smaller American bands like The Tragic Thrills and Motherfolk.
CRB: The Dublin music scene is thriving at the moment. What’s it been like carving out your space in it?
A: The Dublin music scene is both an amazing thing and a terrible thing haha. It’s amazing in the sense that there are so many venues, open mics, and incredible, friendly musicians that you get to know. But it’s also tough because the competition is huge, and in the grand scheme of things, Dublin is a small city. Carving out my space, I’ve found that the best approach is meeting musicians. Some musicians are lone islands and think of every other musician as competition, and they’re not wrong. But I feel branching out, getting to know as many musicians as possible, is the best thing to do. I run a group chat with emerging Dublin musicians, and we help each other out with gig slots, open mics, and promotion. I think it’s important to set aside this idea of competition and help each other because, down the line, you might be recommended by a fellow musician for a show or a podcast. I’m already feeling the effects of that.
CRB: Ciarán Rowney is supporting you on the night. What can you tell us about him and his music?
A: Ciarán Rowney is someone I met at an open mic, and we’ve become good friends. He’s such an incredible musician and songwriter, and he’s also the most modest person ever, which annoys me so much haha. The best way to describe his music is fingerstyle acoustic guitar with percussive elements—he more or less drums on his guitar as he plays. It’s awesome. Not only do I have him opening the Whelan’s show because he’s my friend, but because I believe his music will be a great introduction to the night and will complement the full-band set that comes afterward.
CRB: What’s next for you after the album drops? Any more live shows or plans in the works?
A: Well, I’d like to do some more minor shows this year, maybe in Galway, Cork, or Limerick. My plan is to play a major show at the end of the year, maybe back in Whelan’s Upstairs. We’ll see how things go. A lot of musicians might shy away from hosting a show when they’re not super successful yet, but with the terrible algorithms we have to rely on nowadays, maybe it’s better to find your audience in real life? I’ve been writing some new songs that I don’t want to touch for a while because my sound needs progression, and right now, I’m not sure what that is yet. The era of pop-rock I’m in, I can call the 'Dark Earth Era,' but after the album finally drops, I’ll be figuring out what I want to do next. I’ve been dabbling in more funky stuff, more pop stuff—but it’s too early to really talk about. We’ll see what happens in the future.
