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Brooke Scullion

27th January 2023

Interview: Christopher Richmond

Photo Credit: Ruth Medjber

The career trajectory of Brooke Scullion has been incredibly exciting. After finishing third in Season 9 of Ireland's The Voice, she quickly established herself as an exciting presence in the pop-sphere. She represented Ireland at 2022's Eurovision Song Contest with the infectiously catchy and Dua Lipa-adjacent 'That's Rich', a performance which went down a storm with online pop music fans, and she can currently be seen on Ireland's Dancing With The Stars where she received a record-breaking full marks in her very first week. Her new single, Come Alive, is fantastic, and it's out on January 27th, whilst tickets for her headlining show in Dublin are out now. It's an incredibly exciting time to be Brooke Scullion, and we were lucky enough to catch up with her about how it's all going. 

Your new single ‘Come Alive’ is brilliant. Can you tell us about its conception? Who did you work with on the track? What was the inspiration? 

Thank you! I’ve been sitting with so many Demo’s which were created through the Summer of 2021 when I came over to London and met my Producer in person for the first time after working with him and the writers on Zoom through Lockdown - which was amazing, and all of the tracks on my EP - including That’s Rich - came out of this session.

I guess with my past year my life skyrocketed, appearing in Eurovision and travelling the world, so much had changed for me, but I felt like I’d matured. So when it came to writing again, I wanted to link up with people I’d collaborated with before (Izzy Warner who co-wrote That’s Rich) and the guys at Tileyard in London (Courtney Sullivan and Takahide George) to work on a bit of an edgier sound - which I think we’ve achieved here with Come Alive, and a few other tracks which have come from these sessions. 

You competed for Ireland last year with ‘That’s Rich’ - another absolutely brilliant track, and your performance was fantastic too. How did you find out you’d got the gig and how did you feel? 

It was December 2021 - I got a call from my Manager (Ronan), who - unknowingly to me had entered me for RTE’s Eurosong, which is a competition they have in Ireland which puts Acts together for the public to decide the song they want to represent Ireland at Eurovision. 

I was beyond excited, and am glad he never told me he’d entered me because I’d of just been disappointed if I didn’t get chosen.

From there we took it so seriously, grabbed the opportunity with both hands - I was going on that Eurovision stage no matter what! 

How was the Eurovision experience for you? What were your highlights? What have you learned about yourself as a performer since doing it? 

I’ve been watching Eurovision since I was little, Fairytale and Loreen’s Euphoria are tracks that have shaped me so to say I have actually performed on the same stage as those idols for me is incredible.

It’s changed my life - the experience of going through that process has made me stronger and only made me hungrier as an Artist. 

From the Preview tour - where we got to Travel all across Europe and beyond, to even getting close to our team of Dancers and Choreographers and the other Acts - it’s hard to name one highlight, one that stands out though is - my performance started on the floor, so we got to walk out before getting in position, and there’s a millisecond before my in-ear monitors which are noise cancelling once the music starts - and hearing the cheers of the crowd filled me with so much adrenaline I just hope to one day feel that feeling again. It was incredible. 

You’ve built a solid cult following over the past few years, especially within the queer community. What do you think it is about your music and performance style that resonates so strongly with them? 

I have such a special connection with the LGBTQ+ Community, all my musical idols and artists I aspire to be are also pillars for that community too so I guess we have that in common. 

The very first place I performed That’s Rich publicly was Panti Bar - a famous LGBTQ+ venue in Dublin the night I won the Eurosong, my family and friends took me out that night and immediately the people in the club recognised me the Queen on the decks pulled me onstage and I done the full routine, and the support I felt was instant. After that I’ve performed at  The George - an iconic Gay Club in Dublin who have been so good to me - Davina Devine - the HBIC there gave me a pink mic sleeve which I brought all the way to Eurovision with me. 

From there I’ve been so proud to be able to perform at Prides from Dublin, Cork to Madrid and have had the time of my life at all of them. 

It’s moments like that from the start, in places like this where I’ve felt welcome and embraced that I’ll never forget. 

I guess the tone of That’s Rich is fun, full of sass and I guess a narrative we all play in our heads that you’d love to say to an ex - which I guess is something everyone can relate to.

Who are your musical inspirations? Whose career would you like to emulate? 

Cher, Tina Turner, Dolly Parton - are you seeing a pattern here? And more current artists like Rosalia are huge inspirations for me too. 

Strong, fierce women who know who they are, what they’re about and are 100% unapologetically themselves.

In terms of a career path - I really do want to do it all - singing, dancing and acting. Two out of three so far… 

You’re currently competing on Ireland’s Dancing With The Stars, and achieved record-breaking top marks in your very first week. How did you feel when you heard the scores? 

Dancing with the Stars has been the hardest work I’ve put in so far - and I guess that’s because you’re focusing on one thing - Dancing, whereas before when I’m performing you’ve 100 different things to think about, but when it’s just a routine you’ve lived and breathed weeks of rehearsals which you only have one shot to deliver it’s quite intense! 

To get those scores and comments in the first week was incredible, and I’m very proud it’s there forever! 

What are you enjoying about the experience so far? Have there been any challenges? 

I’ve loved being part of one big group - everyone in the cast is lovely, and we genuinely feel like one big community. 

Challenges have been learning to dance in heels and all the gross rumours of what comes with that are true - I have the missing toenails to prove it (Sorrry!)

You’ve got a headlining gig coming up in Dublin soon. How are you feeling about it? How are you preparing for it? What can fans expect from the show? 

I have dreamt of headlining my own show - and before Dublin I’m getting to Tour around Australia as part of their Eurovision Pre-Parties - which will be amazing. 

I’ve only started work on that, brainstorming so far we’re thinking of a Kylie tribute - which has to be done!

For Dublin, because it’s totally my own show my head is buzzing with ideas - I am such a fan of live music and am so inspired by concerts by other female artists i’ve seen recently like RAYE and Tove Lo that I want to bring that ferocious stage presence to my own show, I’m keen to show people that an Irish girl can do what these stars are doing too. 

I’m going to put up a few Questions on my TikTok and Instagram to ask people who are coming what they want to so - because really this show is a thank you for all their support so far, so I want it to feel like a celebration. 

Stream 'Come Alive' by Brooke Scullion here.

Brooke’s new single COME ALIVE is out 27th Jan, tickets for her Dublin Show available at Ticketmaster.ie

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