As part of our Music Made Us campaign, BIMM student Aaron tells us what inspired their route into music, why they study songwriting and what drew them to Dublin.
Who inspired your route into music?
The inspiration behind choosing to pursue music is a mixture of my parents, Madonna, Lady Gaga and Kylie Minogue! For as long as I can remember, my mother would play Madonna’s records in the car, which resulted in me identifying my love for pop music. My father was a singer and multi-instrumentalist so seeing him constantly engaging in music had a significant role in me progressing to make a career in it. As a queer artist, seeing strong independent women like Gaga, Madonna and Kylie on MTV from a young age made me so excited and fascinated. I remember wanting to experience that same freedom they expressed through their music and visuals.
What made you choose to study songwriting?
It was initially a tough decision to choose between studying vocals and songwriting. Both are the two most important passions in my life right now. Songwriting sounded more promising as the freedom to create, experiment, collaborate, network, and develop was on offer. My love of music production and making sounds played a large part in the reason I chose to study songwriting. I can write great lyrics for myself or others, but when it comes to production, if it’s good enough, the lyrics might not even matter if that beat is pulsing right! It’s crucial to take songwriting seriously but not too seriously. It’s supposed to be a fun, innovative and personal process, which is what I learned via BIMM.
Why is Dublin right for you?
Dublin, being my home town, was right for me as it gave me a chance to steadily figure out my place in music, what I wanted to do and what exactly I wanted to say. Being so close to home was a comfort I felt I needed before venturing off to another country with no prior artistic foundation. By attending BIMM Dublin, I had a short commute, allowing me to feel at ease and connect with people easily. After studying here for four years, I am ready to continue my journey and potentially relocate to a new country, possibly the States, to expand my audience and continue making lasting connections with fans and fellow music lovers!
Our Music Made Us campaign is told through the students, graduates, journalists, experts and passionate people who have been shaped by music. Discover their stories here.
