Artist Interview: Teagan Nolan
Meet Tegan Nolan:
At just 15 she's already making waves in the industry and shaping up to be the next biggest popstar!
We sat down to discuss everything music and teen life!
Tori: "Desperate For Love" is such a catchy summer pop anthem! Can you tell us what inspired the story behind the song and how you approached writing it?
Teagan: Thank you so much! I wish I could tell you a specific story that inspired the song but to be honest it's such a universal experience I can't pick out one in particular! The song is basically about that boy thing where they like you and ask you out, but when you say no, they totally turn on you and say you were ‘Ugly anyway’! It's absolutely ridiculous but you'd be surprised how many times my friends and I have experienced that! The day I wrote it, I was talking to a friend and she was telling me about how a boy approached her at the gym and asked for her snapchat. She told him very politely that she had a boyfriend. He replied with "Poor guy, you're clapped anyway". It was wild! So that's why I decided to write the song. Most of the time, I'm not really writing what I relate to, more what I think my listeners will relate to, because don't you just love it when you're feeling a certain way and there's a song for you to blast that suits your situation perfectly? With this song, I was writing for myself, and so so many other girls. And also, to inform the boys, that they never get away with that move haha! So, I started with lyrics, as I always do, writing them into my big pink Barbie hardback of songs. Then, I worked on my melody and recorded a demo for my producers. I spent about 15 minutes on this process in total. Then, my producers sent over some possible chords that could go behind it, then I went into the studio!
Tori: How do you balance your career with other aspects of a normal teenage life?
Teagan: Well I am 15 years old, and I am in a big exam year in school. So whenever I'm not working on my singing, songwriting, dancing, acting, presenting or in rehearsals or doing performances, I am studying. I have always been very academic, so fortunately I am not dealing with a lot of stress over my exams. I have worked hard throughout the year and have done a good bit of study so luckily so close to my exams I still have time for my music. I will always make time for my music. As for friends and other aspects of teenage life, luckily most of the friends I have are from my performing, either from stage school or gigs we met at, so I can kind of combine my performing time with my socialising. I am very close with my family, who are very supportive of me so if it ever gets too much they will help me through it. I am very lucky.
Tori: The music video for "Desperate For Love" is full of amazing choreography. What was it like working with Chloe May Marks and the other dancers on this project?
Teagan: Oh my gosh it was so fun! I absolutely love getting to work with such talented people! Most of the time I can hardly believe that they're all there for me! It's so surreal! I am so thankful for all of the work that they put in for me, and am delighted with how the video turned out. I have worked with Chloe before, we actually met when I was 8 or 9 years old, we were dancing in the same panto —The Olly Panto in the Olympia theatre— and I looked up to her massively and admired her so much!! She actually choreographed my last music video for my song "Everything To Me" and she did so well and was so fun to work with there was no way we couldn't ask her back! And she absolutely delivered and I am so grateful to her! As for my dancers, I had Ava Pollard, Megan Armstrong, Colleen Brennan and Madison Tucker. They wowed me from the second they stepped into our first rehearsal to when we wrapped the video. They were such hard workers and so enthusiastic and just so talented! I had so much fun with them and I hadn't met most of them before the video, but I am so happy to call them all very good friends afterwards!
Tori: You're only 15, yet you've already made such a mark on the music scene. How do you balance everything you're involved in?
Teagan: It is very busy, but I love it and wouldn't have it any other way. I like working hard, and getting stuck into things, I've never really been the person to just scroll on Tiktok for hours (No judgment guys I get it!!!). I haven't really struggled with balancing it to be honest, it all just feels so natural for me. If I didn't love it as much as I do, I think it probably would seem more like work than fun, but it's just my favourite thing to do so I never see it as a chore or anything, I always make time for it.
Tori: From heartbreak ballads like "Too Much To Take" to fun pop tracks like "Desperate For Love," how do you decide which stories and emotions to explore in your songs?
Teagan: Well, I try to write something for everyone. I made "Act Like It" first, a pop-rock song. Then I moved to a ballad, then to full pop again. I of course want to attract as wide an audience as I can and I want to have something for everyone. It is hard to decide what to write about. Sometimes, I'm just feeling so consumed by emotion I don't know what to do but write. That's how it was for "Too Much To Take". Other times, I make things up for my listeners to relate to, like "Everything To Me". That song is actually about Jess and Rory in Gilmore Girls (I went through a phase guys okay! And let's be real, Jess is totally the one for Rory!!!) because I just loved their story and wanted to capture it in my music for some unknown reason! So that really shows that I get inspired by the most random things! But once I get a hook in my head, I HAVE to finish the song!!!
Tori: Your debut single "Act Like It" made a huge splash, with radio play worldwide. How did it feel to hear your song played on the radio for the first time?
Teagan: It was absolutely surreal! I'm pretty sure I cried! I never thought it would happen, that anyone would even want to listen to it! I honestly just made it because I wanted something that was mine, to sing at gigs instead of covers, if nothing at all happened with it, I still would have been happy. I can't explain my shock when I heard it! I was getting ready for school, half asleep on the table, but it's safe to say it woke me up!!! I am just so grateful to all of the people who gave my music a chance!
Tori: You've had such a diverse performance background, from pantomimes to Junior Eurovision to the Late Late Toy Show. How do these experiences influence your approach to live performance?
Teagan: All of my experience has proven very useful! I have been professionally performing since I was 8 years old, and I've enjoyed every second of it! Not only have they given me bragging rights, they have also improved my skills in all aspects of my performances, as practice makes perfect, but it also taught me some valuable things. Such as, always stand beside people who you think are better than you so you will work harder to match them, and always try your best, because you never know who's watching.
Tori: What has been the most memorable performance for you so far, and why?
Teagan: Definitely the Barretstown 30 Year Anniversary Gala in the RDS! The whole night was just pure magic. I got to perform with such incredibly talented people, such as Sister Sledge, and Dermot Kennedy (More on this below!!!). I had such an amazing time and am so thankful to Barretstown for including me in their beautiful night! And I even got to wear a fancy dress!!!!!!!!
Tori: Christmas was a big moment for you last year with the release of "Christmas Duet" and the Barretstown Gala. What did performing with Dermot Kennedy mean to you?
Teagan: What did it NOT mean to me???? Getting to work with such a talented and successful Irish musician who I've been a huge fan of forever was unbelievable. He was such a genuinely lovely guy as well, the hero I'm so glad I did meet. He was so respectful, treated everyone as an equal and even complimented my singing (Yes, I did almost scream!!!). And his vocals were still insane live. I will never forget that night.
Tori: You've worked with some legendary producers at Beardfire Music. What's the biggest lesson or insight you've learned from collaborating with them?
Teagan: I have learned so much from them, but the biggest thing is definitely that good music should be universal. See, they would consider themselves to be punk rock fans over everything else, so far from pop. And yet, they've said that they find themselves singing my songs all the time, and they love them. So, they made me realise that good music should be universal. Like, a good song is a good song. A good rap song is still good to a classical music fan, and a good pop song is still good to punk rock fans. I've joked before about how I'm converting them from punk rock to pink pop. Apart from that, I'm just so thankful for all of their work, as well as belief in me. They are so talented, and so amazing to work with, and I honestly couldn't have had a better introduction to the music industry because of them.
Tori: Your music has been featured at Croke Park events. What does it feel like to know your songs are being played at Ireland's biggest venue?
Teagan: It's unreal! I still don't even believe it! And I heard it in person and everything! I've had people texting me saying they've heard them too, and I swear I'm dreaming!!! I have always been a big sports fan, a Dublin girl, and I always thought I'd one day end up playing sports in Croke Park! While music has always been my number one priority and favourite thing to do, I was also very into my sports. My camogie, my Gaelic football and my basketball. Unfortunately I had to give them all up as they clashed with my performance, but it is not a decision I regret. Music is my thing. My calling, I guess. As my Mom says, I have a song in my heart. And I'm grateful every day that I get to share it with people, and ever more, that people want to listen to it.
Tori: As someone who's also a dancer and model, how do you see these different aspects of your artistry coming together in your performances and music videos?
Teagan: Well as a model, I love to strut!!! So I always find an excuse to throw that into my music videos! And of course my dancing ! I absolutely love to dance and am only delighted to get to showcase it in my videos, along with such talented people!!!
Tori: Looking back on your journey so far, how have you seen yourself grow as both an artist and a performer?
Teagan: I haven't really, I don't think. It has only been a year. And I'm not in a rush to grow. I want my listeners to grow up with me, or at least be with me on my journey as I do. I feel like this makes me more authentic as an artist. I've had people ask me before if I regret starting to release music so young, but the answer is a definite no. I want my music to be perfectly imperfect, I want it to reflect my life, and my journey. I want people to hear my music years from now and look back at these few songs and say 'I grew up with her'.
Tori: Who are some artists you look up to or would love to collaborate with in the future?
Teagan: I fear I have not recovered from Bieber Fever!!!! If we started out at the same time, I HAPPILY would've taken a verse of 'Baby', it's literally my anthem!!! I also love belters, like Christina Aguilera and Olivia Rodrigo, as well as a bop artist, like Rihanna and Lizzo!
Tori:Finally, what's next for you? Can fans expect more music and live shows this year?
Teagan: More music? Definitely. As for live shows, to be honest, I am slightly struggling to get booked for gigs, as a lot of places are not interested in having a minor perform. Most of the gigs available are pub gigs or festivals, which are all over 18's. So for now, I am just trying to get heard anywhere I can. I have gotten some great opportunities before, from amazing organizations such as Garageland and Music Generation, who I am very grateful for.
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