Singer Moncrieff on backing Adele, a shout-out from Elton John and how tragedy shaped his music

Irish Independent

3 days ago

The Waterford man's ten-year musical journey hasn't been without its challenges and frustrations, but has taken him around the world, given him the chance to support Adele on stage, and produce an Irish number one album with his talent catching the attention of Elton John.
Now he's returning to the South East to perform in a headline show on the Live at Breakwater stage, alongside Gavin James, Amble, The Waterboys and The Whistlin' Donkeys. He's come a long way since dropping out of law school after his first year.
The singer is a hurling fan and jokes, 'the one thing Wexford and Waterford people have in common is a bit of disdain for Kilkenny'. And he knows that this is a pretty reliable place to start when warming up the audience up ahead of an epic show.
Moncrieff came to music later in life, and since 2017 he's been living in London. 'I felt I wasn't very good, so I think London offered a steeper learning curve and a place to throw myself into. If I had stayed at home or in Ireland, I probably wouldn't have gotten there, because I just had too many home comforts.'
As a young man and the youngest child of the family, Moncrieff lost his brother Hugh and sister Laura to Cystic Fibrosis. These tragedies have naturally had a profound influence on his life and music.
'I think it changed everything about me. My brother and my sister helped shape my life. I was 15 when my sister passed away and 18 when my brother passed away. I started making music properly, the year after my brother passed.
'There was just a bunch of emotions that could have overwhelmed me. Music saved me in that regard and helped me put words on emotions that were too big to talk about that point in my life.'
Apart from being driven by the challenge, London, a city of millions was an environment where it was 'easier to fail… London offered a blank slate, and nobody knows who you are. There's no real expectation, because nobody gives a shit about you'.
When he first moved over at 19 years of age, Moncrieff was doing that Irish thing of apologising to people who bumped into him, thanking the bus drivers and starting conversations with random people over a pint. 'London can be a very unfriendly and lonely place, and I'm not sure I would have went if it wasn't for music,' he said.
However, if he hadn't made the move perhaps Chris would have never become Moncrieff.
London calling: A blank slate for success
'It's a long story. When I first moved over, I went to this open mic night in East London. I put my name on a list and waited to go on. The first person came on and they were fucking incredible, I thought 'I'm not cut out for this'. When I went up, I sang a song that was dedicated to my brother and sister.
'A random guy, a good bit older than me came up to me afterwards and bought me a pint. When I was talking to him, it felt like the universe was talking to me through this guy. He tried to give me 20 quid for a cab home, and then I did the Mrs. Doyle thing saying 'Ah no, you're grand'… But that guy's name was William Scott Moncrieff.'
For the first time, the singer believed that he hadn't lost his mind chasing a dream and was on the right track.
Catching Elton John's attention
In 2017, Elton John, who has sold more than 300 million records worldwide, featured Moncrieff's song Symptoms on his Rocket Hour Show on Beats 1 Radio.
'It was very surreal. It was early on in my career and when it got the email, I thought, 'wait a minute, the Elton John?'. It definitely spurred me on.'
His route to becoming a back up singer for Adele is even more peculiar.
'The music scene in London is smaller than you think. I was trying to write music, going to open mics and working in a restaurant. I made some mates and one of them just sent a message when I was getting a ferry from Fishguard to Rosslare because I had no money for a plane and he said, 'hey man, what's your availability like next week for an Adele gig'. F**k me, man, it was mental.'
Breakwater homecoming
Moncrieff's Breakwater gig is going to feel like a 'homecoming' for him. 'There'll be so many people from home there and it's going to be incredibly special.'
For anybody walking through the streets of Wexford during the Fleadh, they will encounter exceptional street performers, buskers, and musicians young and old holding audiences captivated in impromptu gigs.
Moncrieff has been on that journey. What Live at Breakwater is about is providing the opportunity that artists like him deserve to jump on a large and formidable stage and celebrate their talent.
'It's really cool to be able to share the stage with people that I know throughout the course of my life. This feels like a massive gig. I think it's going to be the biggest show I've ever done.
'I haven't done a hometown show in Waterford, so this is the closest thing. It's going to be f**king special, I'm putting everything into these shows to make it a memorable experience for the fans.'
Music is a serious business for Moncrieff, but coming back to the South East means immersing himself into the craic.
'There was a couple of things, I was told I need to try. Where can I find the best spice bag? And somebody mentioned something about a rissole.'