Joe’s flying high in Dubai…

Joe Girvin is a 25-year-old singer-songwriter from Edendork who is currently living in the ‘city of gold’ – Dubai.

He has been playing guitar and singing since the age of 13, and over the last decade, has established himself as one of the hardest-working musicians, both at home and abroad. Having recently returned home from Dubai for a string of gigs over the Christmas period, the Tyrone-born singer sat down with the TyroneHerald to discuss his musical journey, what inspires him to keep going, and what’s on the horizon for 2024.

“It was my mum who originally asked me if I would learn guitar,” Joe explained. “Her partner at the time had passed away quite suddenly.

“He played guitar and she missed hearing it around the house.

“I was very fond of him, so that’s what inspired me to start learning.”

Joe recalls how some of his earliest memories relating to music involved dancing around the kitchen at his mother’s house.

“The music would be cranked up full,” he recalls. “I also remember regularly sitting with my dad on a Saturday night watching music videos.”

As Joe began his musical journey he was heavily influenced by Ed Sheeran, an artist who he says is still top of his playlist.

“Some of my other influences include Passenger, Foy Vance, and Mumford and Sons.

“In the last five or six years, I have also been listening to a lot of Pinegrove.”

The musician also has a wealth of original material under his belt.

“Early on, I released an EP called ‘Isn’t It Simple’,” he explained.

“It features one of the first songs I wrote called ‘Call Me If You Need To’.

“The songs on that EP were written at a sad time in my life, and focussed on the subject of being young and not being happy with yourself and relationships.

“My most recent single was called ‘Walkin’ Over’.

“It was released two summers ago, and was recorded with all of my closest musical friends.

“It’s an upbeat style song about not being walked over anymore.”

Joe’s back catalogue is currently available on Spotify and Apple Music.

“2024 will see many new releases,” he continued.

“I have plenty of original material banked which is yet to come out.”

Joe is set to release two EP’s in 2024.

“I’m aiming to have a brand new six track EP out by April and a second EP out in November,” he said. “My plan for 2024 is to keep writing, gigging and pushing my original music – as well as myself.”

Speaking of how his current journey in Dubai began, Joe says he simply ‘took a chance’ after receiving a phone call offering him the opportunity.

“I went out to Dubai for four weeks to play with a two-piece band I had at the time,”he continued.

“I’m very glad I took the chance as the craic was fantastic and the people were great. I ended up staying for nearly four months and returning a further two times to play in the same venue.

“There’s always something happening in Dubai seven nights a week, so I returned in January 2023 and established myself as a freelance artist from there.”

Joe said that upon first returning from Dubai, it was most definitely a ‘culture shock’.

“Nothing really changes at home at all, but in Dubai things are changing all the time,” he said. “I love getting home and playing locally in all the bars I played in for many years before leaving.

“It’s comforting knowing I’ll come back to play at home.”

With plans to return to Tyrone for a few gigs later on this year, Joe said, “The summer season is very hot in Dubai.

“Throughout July and August it can be about 50 degrees with 90 percent humidity… so I’m hoping not to be in Dubai for that!”

l You can follow Joe on his musical journey in Dubai on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Tiktok by searching ‘Joe Girvin’.