Flynn is firmly on the rise. From the soulful balladeering of ‘My Gold’ to the tropical house Lost Frequencies collab ‘Recognise’, Flynn’s blissful voice is winning new converts with every style he embraces. Having amassed 40 million streams and played the likes of Tomorrowland and Parookaville, he now returns with his fresh new solo track ‘One Of Us’.
Although Flynn’s skyscraper vocal has always stood out, ‘One Of Us’ is a huge leap forward. Produced by Toby Scott with additional production from Blair MacKichan; their credits include Cashmere Cat, Sody, Sia, Paloma Faith and more, the alt-pop anthem employs high drama and dynamite drops to make a resolutely personal experience into a song with global potential. Along with Flynn’s lyrics always touching a nerve on things we all relate to; this track’s sound unites the compelling emotions with equally engaging sonics. It’s a song that celebrates belonging: the power of being part of a family, friendship and community.
Flynn commented:
“I moved away from home to find myself, but in doing so, I kind of lost myself for a while. Eventually, I realised the value of being around friends and family, and that being back at home was what I needed to reset my peace of mind and get me back on track. Now I look forward to travelling, but I’m not running away from home or myself. I feel good about following my dreams and I’m lucky to have my friends and family supporting me from home.”
The ‘One Of Us’ video further expresses that concept. Shot in various locations in Dublin ranging from the striking Poolbeg Lighthouse to more rootsy parts of the city, it finds Flynn reconnecting with some old friends.
An early breakthrough came when a song he entered in a contest back home in Ireland went viral. He first came to wider attention with the independently released tracks ‘Peace of Mind’, ‘Red Light’ and ‘My Gold’ before making a bigger splash alongside Lost Frequencies.
We had a chat with him about his career so far:
Introduce yourself! "Hey I’m Flynn and I’m from a small town in Ireland called Mullingar."
When did you start making music? "I started making music when I was about 15, my Dad bought me a guitar and I was hooked. I started writing properly for my own releases in 2018 and since then I’ve been working towards my first few EP’s."
Who’s your biggest inspiration? "Don’t want to be soppy but my family are my biggest inspiration - they have kept on encouraging me since the day I decoded to try and do this."
Who are you listening to right now? "Yeah quite a few actually! I’m loving Jessie Reyez right now, she’s super fresh. I think Julia Micheals is great too, she is probably one of the most exciting songwriters around right now. I’m also a big fan of FINNEAS. I love his sound and his overall aesthetic is really cool and minimalist. His productions are incredible too! He’s just great."
Your new single ‘One of Us’ was released earlier this month! How has the reaction been so far? "The reaction has been amazing - I’m so overwhelmed by the response!"
Tell us a little about the track and the inspiration behind it! "One of Us is about family, friends and reconnecting with home. It’s about a time when I was living away from home and I kinda lost myself for a bit, I guess I missed that feeling of spending time with people that really knew me, the kind of friends you can pick up where you left off no matter how long it’s been. It was really great to get my feelings down on paper that day."
You worked with Toby Scott and Blair Mackichan on the track - producers who have worked with the likes of Sia and Paloma Faith. What did you gain / learn from them? "Toby and Blair are geniuses! I love writing songs with them - I’ve been working with them on other tunes that I can’t wait to share after this one."
Your previous tracks including smash hit ‘Recognise’ with Lost Frequencies have amassed over 40 million streams. As a solo artist, do you enjoy working with other artists on tracks to create something a little different and do you think it helps you to develop your own sound? "I loved releasing 'Recognise' with Lost Frequencies - For sure, working with other artists brings fresh ideas to the table, I love collaborating - it’s the best way to learn and you pick up new ways of writing."
What’s been the highlight of your career so far? "It’s really hard to pick one, everyday feels like a highlight at the moment!"
You’ve played the likes of Tomorrowland and Parookaville! What’s your favourite show you’ve ever played and your best memory of that place? "Both Tomorrowland and Parookaville were incredible, it was amazing sharing the stage with Lost Frequencies and the band in front of 35,000 people, that was a new one for me. The sun was shining and everyone loved the show. Having that many people singing the lyrics back to you is an incredible feeling."
What’s coming next for you and what do you hope to achieve by the end of the year? "I’ve got another single and an EP coming out this year and there are some more possible collaborations on the horizon - a number one single would be nice! I’m just grateful for being able to do music as a job."
Having since signed a deal with Jive Records / Sony, Flynn has what it takes to make an impact.