Interview: Gareth Dunlop tells us why Welcome To The House Of I Don’t Know is the most important record of his career
Belfast-based musician Gareth Dunlop opens up on his incredible 2024 and what's next...
Having spent a decade working in America, Northern Irish musician Gareth Dunlop has been back in Belfast for the last few years.
Dunlop saw his music recognised in 2024 with his latest LP 'Welcome To The House Of I Don’t Know’ nominated for Album of the Year at the Northern Ireland Music Prize.
The album - released by Zenith Café - received widespread attention and critical acclaim for its emotive storytelling and cinematic soundscapes. The year was filled by festival shows and support slots to Damien Dempsey and James Blunt.
Contact Music caught up with Dunlop to talk about his phenomenal 2024 and his plans for 2025...
Contact Music: Firstly, congratulations on your Album of the Year nomination for 'Welcome To The House Of I Don’t Know'! How did it feel to be recognised alongside such talented Northern Irish artists?
Gareth Dunlop: Thanks! It was a great feeling seeing the album nominated alongside other records from home! Most of my career has been spent creating and making music far away from home… I made this record with my friends half a mile from my house here in Northern Ireland, so it was amazing to have it recognised like that on home soil.
The album blends nostalgia, love, and resilience. What inspired you to explore these themes, and how did they shape the overall narrative of the record?
I wanted the record to be a snapshot of where I’m at in life… how I’m feeling about the past, present and what’s yet to come. I tried to run after the things that resonate with me the most… the people closest to me and the questions & feelings that weigh the heaviest in me.
If there is an overall narrative in there I think it’s a kind of birds eye view of all those things.
You’ve mentioned longing to reconnect with your voice while creating this album. What challenges did you face during this process, and how did you overcome them?
I’ve spent a long time making music and writing songs for other people to use or sing… It’s something I still love to do… trying to put myself in someone else’s shoes and write without myself in mind. When I’m making music for myself I try to turn that part of my brain off and get ruthlessly selfish. Imagining how someone else could sing it or use it has to go out the window.
Sometimes those habits are hard to break.
Belfast has a thriving music culture. How has being based there influenced your sound and career trajectory?
It’s really only the last 5 years that I’ve been properly based here at home. I was mostly in Nashville… for around 10 years working as a songwriter. Belfast’s music scene is thriving… and to be back home and to feel a part of it is incredible.
I work closely with a group of friends, musicians and producers here at home on a daily basis. Without them, their influence and passion - this record would not be what it is.
From the folk-soul fusion of your debut album, to the synth-pop textures of 'Animal', and now the cinematic intimacy of this record, how do you think your sound has evolved over the years?
I think it’s changed and evolved through curiosity more than anything… when I made the first record I was working in the States and surrounded by Americana music… so that was the playground of inspiration at that time.
Before making 'Animal', I’d caught the ‘synth’ bug and wanted to see how those textures and sounds would work alongside the rootsy stuff I’d been doing. I feel like it’s been trial and error the whole way along… messing with sounds and approaches that inspire me and make me curious.
My own personal target with the current album was to make music in a room with other people and lean on what inspires them. The production on this record was a group effort and guided by a lot of different approaches.
Each track on Welcome To The House Of I Don’t Know tells its own story. Is there one song in particular that holds a special place for you, and why?
It changes from gig to gig… but If I had to pick one I’d probably go with ‘Back Yard’. It’s a song about the things, sights and sounds that remind me of my childhood and the family that raised me.
Between international tours, collaborations, and producing music, how do you find balance and stay grounded in your creative and personal life?
Still working on that…
