Our musician for the month of March was the incredible Susan Quirke. Susan is a singer, songwriter, musician, meditation teacher, and also a multi-award-winning social entrepreneur for her work in the field of wellbeing and mental health. Originally from Oola in Co. Limerick, Susan is now based in Lahinch on the west coast of Ireland in Co. Clare Ireland. On her music journey so far, she has released 4 original singles alongside 4 music videos, achieved an iTunes No.1, and played at venues throughout Ireland, the US and Australia. Her debut record ‘Into the Sea’ will be released on April 23rd, 2021. We sat down with Susan to explore her relationship to creativity among other things. 

What does this month’s theme of Ripple mean to you?

I live by the ocean in County Clare. Every day I watch the creation and movement of the waves rippling to the shoreline. Nature’s intelligence is always moving through us. When I feel this in my heart and surrender to it all peace flows in and I know everything is going to be okay, that all is perfect. There is so much wisdom in the ocean. I sing to this in my forthcoming album ‘Into the Sea’.

You have done so much work in the areas of mental health, meditation, and social justice. Could you speak on the importance of living a life where all of those are linked?

I see everything and everyone as being interconnected. We’re all inhabiting this earth in a giant vast soupy ocean of intermingling energy. When there is suffering, we all suffer. When love flows, there is a butterfly effect and that flows out to the collective too. We are in a continuous dance of evolution together. That is where meditation comes in for me. It cultivates a strong pipeline from the top layer of the ocean where it can be choppy and busy (like our minds), down to the depth of the ocean, our deepest nature, our deepest Being, where there is a greatest stillness always there. In this life, I think it is vital we look out for each other which everyone does in their own different ways. I campaign and advocate where I can as well as doing all I can to support others to take care of their minds and hearts through my meditation teaching. We also cannot care for each other unless we fill up our own cup first and that is something I had to learn the hard way over the years.

Is there any particular environment that you feel your musical creativity really emerge or do you find it quite easy to access?

It emerges when I give it time and space to emerge. Most of the songs that have flowed through me came when I went off-grid and dedicated a week or month to songwriting. I booked a house by the ocean one time and a bunch of songs came through. I also spent a couple of months songwriting in northern California and tons more came. I’m a night owl too and love playing late at night when the world is asleep, there’s something special about that time.

Your new album ‘Into the Sea’ is out on April 23rd. Could you let our audience know what was the most enjoyable part of making the album and where you felt most challenged throughout the process? 

I loved every aspect of making the album. Being in studio was pure bliss. My eyes sparkled so much I thought they were going to explode out of my head. The fact that I worked with some of Ireland’s finest musicians, heroes of mine, was mind-blowing. I also co-produced the album so I had to really be strong in articulating and expressing what I wanted. I had a crystal clear vision for the album, I could hear the exact sound and production I wanted in my head and I have realised that sound, thanks to the team of beautiful people involved, which is a joy. I feel I have also grown as a result, and it has reminded me to enjoy the process of creativity and not to get too focused on the outcomes. Holding the record in my hand is a gorgeous thing, and whatever else flows is a sweet cherry on top.

At the moment you are very much in the singer/songwriter and folk sphere. Do you think there is any other genres you might like to try at some point? 

I have a couple of real indie banging tracks on the album too, especially the Embrace. That speaks to the rocker in me, and all those endless hours listening to rock and indie bands growing up head banging in my bedroom and moshing at gigs as a teenager. I’d love to do a bit more of this type of thing but I’m also drawn to electronica and dance music. I would absolutely love to do vocals over a sweet sexy kickass dance track and perform that live at 2am in a giant tent at a festival. I also connect with many different indigenous cultures and wisdom traditions and love listening to sacred chants from many lands throughout the world.  

Reflecting on your journey with creativity and all the various places it has taken you if you could send a message to your younger self what would you say? 

I was extremely shy, lacked self-belief and confidence, and experienced a lot of challenges in my youth. My message to my younger self would be everything is going to be okay, you are strong as fuck and you’ve got this.

What advice would you like to give to women entering into any of the creative industries now?

I met Xavier Rudd, another of my musical heroes, at a festival in Australia and got chatting to him about wanting to make a record at that time. I wasn’t fully connected to my own power and my confidence in my ability to make it happen was low. He just eyeballed me and said, ‘Get it done’. Those three simple words lit a fire in my belly. Sometimes we just need that push, and the encouragement to know that we can do it. Too much over-thinking and self-doubting doesn’t help, but there are immense societal and systemic barriers many women have had to (and still have to) overcome. There is much more to be done.

With March being Women’s History Month, we would love to know about the women who have had a positive influence on your life?

My beautiful mother Mairead, my late grandmother Mary ‘Baby’ Coyle and my sister Caitriona have all inspired me in so many ways, as have my kick-ass friends who are also doing incredible things in the world. I’m blessed to have many trailblazers, activists, humanitarians and artists in my life. Also musical powerhouses like Sinéad O’Connor, Dolores O’Riordan, Bjork, Cat Power, Deva Premal and Patti Smith have inspired me. Spiritual teachers like Maja Angelou, Dr. Edith Eger, Caroline Myss and Tara Brach have also been great guides along the way. Too many to mention here, I could go on forever.

You can listen to Susan’s music here.