Award-winning Irish singer Moncrieff today announces his debut album ‘maybe it’s fine.’ and shares the latest track to be taken from it, ‘Hard Feelings’.
“maybe it’s fine.” is out 9th May via Warner Music Central Europe and available to pre-order.
Though it might be Moncrieff’s first album, “maybe it’s fine.” is the culmination of a decade-long musical journey which has seen the Waterford-born singer clock up over 40 million streams and win over fans from Elton John to late producer/DJ Avicii.
Over twelve remarkable tracks that span late-night confessionals, euphoric pop, gospel-powered epics, future-facing R&B and more, “maybe it’s fine.” finds Moncrieff surveying his own evolution, both as an artist and a person. From the struggling songwriter still trying to make sense of the loss of his siblings when he was a teenager to the multifaceted artist behind such hit releases as 2022’s Warm, winner of the prestigious RTÉ Choice Music Prize for Irish Song of the Year.
“I started this journey into music ten years ago and trying to condense it into twelve songs was difficult,” Moncrieff says of the album’s creation. “In that time, I’ve been countless different versions of myself. This album is the story of that growth. Where I’ve come from, where I am and where I’m going.”
Following the release of the sky-scraping “How It Ends” and emotionally raw “I Just Don’t Think I’ll Make It Over You” last year, Moncrieff has also shared the latest track to be taken from the album, “Hard Feelings”.
As with many of Moncrieff’s most impactful releases, the song finds him reeling from heartbreak, but on “Hard Feelings” he inhabits more of a playfully combative role as a jilted lover.
“I was heartbroken. I’d fallen very deeply for somebody, but they were already with someone else. I had that feeling when you’re madly into someone and you kind of lose your mind. You’re in denial. The love wasn’t requited but you’re convinced that the person must have feelings for you,” he says of the song’s inspiration. “Unfortunately, my ego couldn’t take the fact that this person had made their decision, so I decided to go down the petty route and write a song about it!”
As with much of “maybe it’s fine.”, the track puts Moncrieff in a new surrounding to one fans of his more intimate releases in the past might expect, with sparkling, liquid guitar lines cascading around slinky grooves and a somersaulting falsetto from the singer.
“It’s about time I started making something groovy!” he laughs of the song’s sonic recalibration. “On an artistic level, “Hard Feelings” is part of a journey I’ve been on. It’s my step into being more sexual, and little bit more fluid and confident. From a creative standpoint, “Hard Feelings” taught me that I can get a bit groovy and I can sing and sound slightly more feminine. It was a bit of a breakthrough for me, that song.”
“maybe it’s fine.” is available to pre-order now. “Hard Feelings” is available on all major platforms via Warner Music Central Europe.