I’m really excited to share that “Animal”, the first single from my upcoming album The Silence is Deafening, will be out on Friday 22nd May! 🤩

It’s been 7 years since I released original music, so I’m a messy mix of excitement and fear. So much has changed in the world — and for me personally — in the last few years that now feels like the right time. Also, 7 seems to be an important number… 7 days of the week, 7 chakras, 7 wonders? ✨

I wanted to share a little context behind Animal, as it really sits at the emotional core of the record — and to share the artwork and a live, stripped-down acoustic session with my musical mailing list buddies before I make them public.

Animal is about the mother/daughter relationship in all its complexity — how it shifts, clashes, softens, and deepens over time, especially through changing generations and cultural expectations.

I grew up in very liberal Copenhagen in the 80s, while my mother came from Gela in Southern Sicily, where life and traditions were the complete opposite. She wasn’t allowed to go out alone with men until she was married, while I was already dating boys and smoking marijuana in Denmark by the time I was 12. That contrast created a lot of friction and misunderstanding between us when I was younger.

But with time comes perspective. I now find myself looking back with a very different kind of understanding — and a deep respect for her journey. She left Italy in the 80s with three small children, moved to a country where she didn’t speak the language, couldn’t access familiar food or culture (this was long before everything was easily available — and yes, Danish breakfast eel jelly was a real cultural shock for her!), and had to rebuild everything from scratch.

Animal became a way of exploring that shift — from friction to empathy, from distance to recognition — and what we can learn from older generations of women, their resilience, and the lives they’ve already survived before us.

It’s a very personal track, but I think it taps into something universal about mothers, daughters, and the messy way love evolves over time. What I once experienced as difference, I now see as bravery and resilience.

On that same note — motherly love and courage — I wanted to share a little story from Saturday morning. I went into the garden with my tea (as I do, trying to reset that circadian rhythm… and admire my roses about to bloom!) and noticed a flurry of movement behind one of the bushes.

A tiny fledgling long-tailed tit 🐤 was hopping about, holding on for dear life while trying to fly. I panicked and locked the garden door, hoping Teddy, my feisty ginger cat 🦁, hadn’t decided to wander out at that exact moment.

I checked on the bird and saw it wasn’t injured, then texted a wonderful lady I call the bird-whisperer (also called Irene!) who lives nearby and has turned her garage into a mini bird hospital. She reassured me this was normal — the fledgling was likely learning to fly, and mum would be close.

Sure enough, after a little while, the chirping started again and mamma arrived with the other broodmates, guiding them all safely across the garden until they flew off. Here’s a picture of the little one bravely learning on a rose bush (ouch!).

Since la festa della mamma (Mother’s Day in Italy) is coming up next Sunday, 10th May, it felt like the perfect moment to share this tune I wrote to honour them.

I’d love to know what this song brings up for you — does it make you think of someone in your life? Hit reply and tell me, I read every message.

Keep on keeping,
Ire x