Working with Artists to help make MUSIC & ART a sustainable career
We recently had the immense pleasure of getting to know Louise M, a singer-songwriter whose music is designed to forge a genuine connection with anyone who listens. Originally from Lucan, Louise is now based in Leixlip, Co. Kildare, bringing her unique artistic perspective from her roots to her current home.
Louise Monaghan – Louise M to her listeners – didn't always know music would be her path. It became clear at age 14 while attempting a cover of Ellie Goulding's Burn. The sheer excitement she felt upon realizing she could hit some of the high notes was a pivotal moment.
Her first true tool of self-expression was the piano, which she began using at age 12 to articulate feelings that words simply couldn't capture.
Early musical loves included Miley Cyrus's Breakout album, which she'd play on repeat on a clunky 90s CD player and dance to after school. Her first purchased CD was Beyoncé's I Am Sasha Fierce, a Christmas gift inspired by her best friend's B’day album, which they'd dance to in her sitting room.
Before dedicating her energy fully to music, Louise worked in various social media marketing roles. While she enjoyed the work and learned valuable skills, she found it didn't bring her nearly as much joy as music, leading her to choose this year to focus on building a steady music career.
Louise's songwriting process often begins unexpectedly. A vocal riff might pop into her head while she's doing everyday tasks like dishes, laundry, or sorting emails. She quickly captures these fleeting ideas in a voice memo. If a melody is memorable, more usually follow, and she then takes them to the piano to work out the fitting chords. The lyrics are written separately, often while sitting at her computer or in a journal.
She feels most creative when physically at the beach or near any kind of water, describing it as being "somewhere in nature with a pen and paper". When faced with writer's block or creative doubt, she finds changing her environment helps, whether it's taking a different route or trying a new food.
Beyond music, she draws inspiration from series like The Hunger Games, Harry Potter, and Game of Thrones, particularly their strong female leads – Katniss Everdeen, Hermione Granger, and Daenerys Targaryen. Watching them overcome trials can bring her back to life when she's feeling down or powerless.
She also loves photography and writing in general, having written short stories and poems before she started writing song lyrics.
Louise describes her sound as "ethereal and soul-driven". Her lyrics frequently return to themes of self-struggle, internal battles, and overcoming dark situations, though she notes she's now moving towards music reflecting lighter elements of life.
A signature element she loves to incorporate and is continuously learning are vocal riffs and runs, using them to make a track uniquely hers.
Her music has definitely evolved. Early on, lacking personal experience, she would simply replicate themes sung by others. She's since learned that the most powerful music comes from the soul and depicts true experiences. She now pours her heart into her songs, acknowledging it's incredibly scary to have people hear her inner thoughts, but finding it beautiful to potentially help someone feel less alone in their difficult times.
The first song she ever wrote, at age twelve on GarageBand, was probably about love, despite having no experience with it at that age, as she replicated what she heard on FM104. The first song she learned on an instrument was likely Twinkle Twinkle Little Star on elementary piano when she was eight years old.
Her favourite song to perform is Killing Me Softly by The Fugees, which she feels really suits her voice and allows her to get lost in. She also expresses a love for Jazz and wishes more modern Jazz music was being made.
While she doesn't pinpoint one single proudest moment, Louise cherishes the intimate times in the studio, just her and the music, creating new riffs and ad-libs. Listening back to these fresh creations fills her with immense pride.
She considers her first gig a "breakthrough" moment, feeling surprisingly not too nervous, which she attributes to extensively rehearsing her set while busking on Grafton Street.
Like many artists, she has faced setbacks, particularly when trying to find a guitarist. Issues ranged from a struggle to commit to the workload to unprofessional behavior, which was disappointing. However, she is moving forward with excitement, having connected with several musicians interested in collaborating.
Ultimately, what Louise hopes listeners take away from her music is the feeling that they are not alone in their struggles. She wants her music to make people feel something and to feel uplifted.
A specific personal issue she aims to address is finding your way back home to yourself after abandoning or losing yourself to someone or something. She hopes the emotion in her lyrics is what fans remember most about her.
Outside of music, her passions include journaling and anything crafty like card making. These feed back into her art, with journaling used to base lyrics from and crafting skills used for cover art or outfit ideas for sets.
She keeps herself grounded with daily rituals like using Google Calendar events to plan her day the night before. To recharge after intense creative periods, she seeks time in nature, enjoys being near water, and drinks lots of tea. She notes that these "little things" really help.
Louise uses DistroKid to distribute her music across platforms like YouTube and Spotify. You can best keep up with her journey and reach out via her Instagram, @louisem_music, which is also her handle on TikTok. Her music is available under the name Louise M on Spotify.
Reflecting on the music industry, she feels one change would be "more diversity". She's been inspired by live concerts, recalling Ariana Grande's tour in September 2019, which reminded her of the vast work and dedication involved from the artist and crew, motivating her to keep working.
When mistakes happen during a performance, she doesn't let them get to her and continues as normal, noting that often they go unnoticed by the audience.
As of a June 2020 interview, her favourite Irish artist was Dermott Kennedy, and her go-to feel-good song was Break My Heart by Dua Lipa. Her current releases which may have been drawn influence from includes ‘‘Bound’ (2019) and ‘Lost’ (2023) which you are able to listen to on Spotify.
As of a more recent interview, she is currently working on a new single and a feature called ‘Escape’ which is the first house track that will be released which hopefully will be the start of a new musical journey for Louise.
Her advice to anyone considering a music career is powerfully direct:
"Go for it! You have nothing to lose and life is too short to wait for the perfect moment! You are good enough, no matter what you tell yourself, and you can do it! Believe in yourself!"
You have the chance to experience Louise M's raw, heartfelt music live at the upcoming Out of Order – Vol. 3 event. This event is presented by Tune Hoppers, a collective dedicated to showcasing live music and talent, and promises an unforgettable night moving from intimate sounds to dancefloor energy.
Louise M will be featured in the Spotlight Unplugged segment, which kicks off the night and is designed to shine a light on emerging artists with intimate, raw performances that capture the essence of live music. Her performance is where she simply wants the audience to feel something, hoping to do that for every single person.
📍 Fibber Magees Basement, Dublin
🗓 19th June, 2025
🕘 9:00 PM until late
🎟 Early Bird: €8 + Booking Fee
🎟 General Admission: €12 + Booking Fee
Booking in advance is recommended to avoid disappointment.
Use Promo Code : LOUISE (€4 Discount Code)
Come join a community of music lovers to celebrate talent and experience the moving sound of Louise M.
