
Lots of people are passionate about music when they’re young, but not many, I’d imagine, have tracks up on Spotify at the age of just 15. Taylor D‘s arrival at BIMM probably felt like the most natural thing in the world, and what’s happened since has seen the pop-rocker’s style evolve to the point where she looks back on her earlier work and links it to the teenage emotions of the time. When she got in touch about featuring her music in the paper – and I will do that, down the line! – what was attached was very different: rifftastic, catchy, and with a light hint of an artist she and I share a love for – Olivia Rodrigo. I caught up with her on the journey so far…
I understand you’ve been making music since the middle of you teens. What was your early music like?
When I first started writing songs at 14, my music was very pop orientated. I was writing about falling in love, teenage crushes, and all the dreaming and overthinking that comes with being that age! My earliest release on Spotify came when I was just 15, so those songs were very much a reflection of where I was in life at the time. I think songwriting was my way of making sense of those feelings and experiences. Looking back, you can definitely hear how young I was, but that was an important starting point for me as an artist.
Obviously taste and style change with time, especially over those years. What’s happened to your style in the meantime, and how do you see your early music now?
I was very much a pop princess when I was younger! My early music was quite poppy, but my taste started to change as I got older. When I was 18, I went to see Arctic Monkeys live, and that concert completely changed things for me. I was blown away by their sound and the attitude of the music, and I came away wanting to bring some of that energy into my own songs.
That experience inspired me to write ‘Can’t Say I Love You’ which was a real turning point for me. The writing was much more indie rock and I was definitely influenced by Alex Turner’s style of songwriting. Looking back, I think my early music was a genuine reflection of who I was at 14 or 15, but the Arctic Monkeys gig helped me realise the kind of artist I really wanted to become. I still love a big pop hook, but now I want it wrapped in loud guitars.
You’ve been at BIMM, which has a great reputation for producing top musical talent across Ireland. Has it made a big difference to the way you operate?
BIMM definitely makes you more competitive. You’re surrounded by talented musicians who are all trying to make their mark, and it pushes you to work harder and think bigger about what you want to achieve. You become more aware of what’s happening around you and what other artists are doing, which can be challenging.
For me, though, I’ve always been very driven because I’ve been doing everything independently from a young age. BIMM has added to that competitive edge, but it’s also reinforced the importance of finding your own identity. There’s a lot of talent out there, so you have to figure out what makes you different and what you can bring to the table. I’m always looking for ways to push myself and take things to the next level.
The new EP has quite a rocky feel. What are the ideas behind it?
The new EP is definitely not about the cupcakes and rainbows of ‘Fan Girl’, which I released when I was 17! ‘Bad Decisions’ is a much darker, rockier and more mature representation of where I am now, both as a person and as an artist.
The songs explore relationships, obsession, insecurity and finding yourself in situations that you know probably aren’t good for you. There’s a lot more attitude in the sound, with bigger guitars .
I think there’s been a lot of growing up between the two releases, and I wanted ‘Bad Decisions’ to show that. I’m now 21 and I’m still a sucker for a massive hook, but I’m definitely not the same 17 year old who made ‘Fan Girl’.
Can you pick out a song or two and tell me the story of them?
The songs explore relationships, obsession, insecurity and toxic situations, but also that moment when you realise you need to walk away.
I’ve always loved artists who aren’t afraid to be loud and unapologetic and honest like Olivia Rodrigo and I wanted ‘Bad Decisions’ to reflect that. It’s very honest and probably says a lot about me!
‘Fake Illusion’ came from a real conversation. I was being introduced to a friend of a friend, and they told me this person already had an impression of me despite never having met me. They thought I was going to be a stuck-up bi*** because, in their eyes, I was quite successful.
That really struck a chord with me because I felt I’d experienced that attitude from people my own age throughout my teenage years. I’ve been incredibly fortunate to have had opportunities to be in the same room as people like Ed Sheeran, Lewis Capaldi and Niall Horan, and I’ve even had the opportunity to play live with the late great Christy Dignam from Aslan . From the outside, I suppose people can look at those experiences and make assumptions about you.
But what they don’t see is the person behind all of that. I’ve had the same insecurities, self-doubt and confidence issues as any other girl growing up. I’ve dealt with girls being mean to me at school and still now at BIMM and I know what it’s like to feel judged by people who don’t really know you.
That’s what ‘Fake Illusion’ is about: the difference between the person people imagine you to be and who you actually are. Just because someone sees a bit of success doesn’t mean they know your story.
With a couple of dozen songs out now, it feels like you could have a full album as well as an EP. Is that on the horizon for you?
An album would be a dream, and I definitely have the material in me to make one. I’ve now released two EPs, ‘Fan Girl’ and Bad Decisions, and have 29 releases to my name, which is quite a lot for someone who’s only just turned 21!
I’d love to take the next step and put together a full album, and I already have plenty of ideas for where I’d like to take my sound next. The biggest obstacle is funding. I’m completely independent, so I’m financing my own music and trying to build a career at the same time. Recording an album to the standard I’d want takes a serious financial commitment, and that’s the reality of being an independent artist.
It’s definitely something I’d love to do, though. I just need to find a way to make it happen!
I think one of the biggest things about my music is that the songs are written from real life experiences, so people can relate to them on a personal level. When you’re writing about things you’ve genuinely experienced or emotions you’ve felt, I think that honesty comes across, and people recognise a bit of themselves in your music.
‘Survive’ is a really good example of that. It’s about addiction and how it affects the person on the other side of the relationship, the person who’s watching someone they care about struggle with it. I’ve had so many people reach out to me to say they’ve been in that exact situation and that the song really struck a chord with them.
Those messages mean a lot to me because, as an independent artist, you’re often trying to reach people without a big team or budget behind you. Knowing that a song you’ve written can make someone feel understood, or help them put their own feelings into words, makes everything worthwhile. For me, it’s not just about getting people to listen to my music; it’s about making a genuine connection with them.
What are you like as a live performer? Do you have any particular approach you like to take?
I love getting the crowd involved because I think a live show should be an experience, not just people standing there watching you play. I try to build moments into the set where the audience becomes part of the performance. For Survive, for example, I get everyone to put the torches on their phones, which creates a really lovely moment, whereas Obsession is definitely a hands up , get everyone clapping kind of song!
I also like throwing in a recognisable cover that people wouldn’t necessarily expect at an indie rock gig. Earlier this summer, we were doing Billie Jean, off the back of the Michael Jackson film, and when Bon Jovi came to town, we threw in some of their music too!
I think dropping a song that everyone knows into the middle of an indie set can completely change the energy in the room. People suddenly have something familiar to connect with, and it gets them interacting with the band. Ultimately, I want people to leave a Taylor D show feeling like they’ve been part of something, rather than just having watched a performance.
Are there any artists you particular admire at the moment and would like to learn from?
Probably an unpopular opinion, but YUNGBLUD! I feel like he came from a similar place to me in the sense that he’s put out a huge amount of music, constantly worked at his craft and built his audience over time. Not all his releases were massive hits, but sometimes it takes that one song to change everything. With Zombie, it feels like his career has reached another level.
What I admire is how he treats his fans. He genuinely seems to care about them and makes them feel like they’re part of something bigger. I also respect his attitude towards ticket prices. He doesn’t seem to believe that being a fan should mean having to pay extortionate amounts of money to see your favourite artist live.
As an independent artist, I’m trying to build something from the ground up, so I look at artists like him and think about the kind of career I’d like to have. Obviously, I’d love to reach that level of success, but I’d also want to maintain that connection with the people who supported me along the way. I think that’s just as important as the music itself.
What are your hopes for the future?
Like most independent artists, I’d love to land a record deal with the right label and team behind me. I’ve spent years building Taylor D independently, writing, recording, funding and promoting my own music, so I’d love to get to a point where I have the support to take everything to the next level.
In the meantime, I want to keep growing my audience, building my fanbase and developing my sound. I’ve just released my second EP, Bad Decisions, and I’m excited to see where it takes me.
And, of course, the big dream is to play the 3Arena someday! I’m very aware that there’s a long road between where I am now and filling an arena, but you’ve got to have those big ambitions. I’m happy to keep putting in the work and see how far I can take this.







