Behind the music - M'ADAM

RTÉ News​

09-07-2025

Cork artist M'ADAM aka Adam O'Donovan has released his new single, It's You, and announced his second album. We asked him the BIG questions . . .
It's You is his sixth single this year, keeping to his commitment of a monthly release schedule in 2025.
He released his debut album, Horse Food Budget 1984, in 2023. His new album, Before We Die, is released later this year examines themes such as grief and environmental anxiety.
Tell us three things about yourself . . .
I am an indie folk artist from the north side of Cork City, during the day I research the energy performance of buildings, and I have a chocolate addiction.
How would you describe your music?
My music is very introspective, honest and direct I would say, mostly focusing on feelings that I feel compelled to write about. It's sad and melancholy, oftentimes when writing it feels like I'm in a movie trying to portray a scene that is in my head.
Who are your musical inspirations?
I think early in my writing I was interested in alternative and rock music. I love Radiohead. I listened to their albums on repeat when studying or playing video games. I really liked movie soundtracks and in particular the Garden State soundtrack, I remember listening to it in the car in Connemara as a cinnire on repeat for weeks. I was also influenced by my friends a lot - many of them are musicians and introduced me to acts like The Black Keys, I really liked the messy vibes in the earlier albums in particular. Also, the Cork band The Altered Hours were a big influence for me and Mac Demarco for a pick me up when I needed it. I had a brief obsession with Vulfpeck too. At the moment, I am listening to a lot of indie and alternative music like Big Thief, Slow Pulp, and Pinegrove etc.
What was the first gig you ever went to?
It was a gig in my secondary school. The band Fred played in our school and it was actually mad, they did all sorts of stuff on the stage. My other most memorable gig was going to see The Strokes at Oxygen in 2011.
What was the first record you ever bought?
I remember recording Britney Spears on the radio to tape and getting a B*witched CD at Christmas. My next door neighbour got me into 5ive, I loved pop and boybands when I was kid. But the first tape I bought was a rap single, Fight Music by D12. I also remember having CDs of Baha Men - Who Let The Dogs Out, Afroman, and Because I Got High (but I always thought the B-side, Bacc On The Bus, was better). Not long after that I bought a copy of St. Anger by Metallica, and my uncle then gave me a CD of Weathered by Creed. Looking back, I listened to a lot of different styles of music but from that point onwards it got rockier and more alternative.
That's a very hard question to answer. I would say my most listened to song for me at the moment is either Dancing in the Club by This is Lorelei, MJ Lenderman or Born For Loving You by Big Thief.
Favourite lyric of all time?
"When I am king you will be first against the wall" Paranoid Android by Radiohead. Whenever I hear this lyric, whatever mood it catches me in, it always feels current no matter when I listen to it.
If you could only listen to one song for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Nessun Dorma - Luciano Pavarotti, performed live once a year and have a cry.
Where can people find your music/more information?
You can join my mailing list and you can find it in the usual places. I will be playing a headline show of the album Before We Die in the Sirius Arts Centre in Cobh on 19 of July and a vinyl of my upcoming album is available to pre-order if you want to listen to it before it's released digitally in August. People on my mailing list will get early access and discounts on the record.