Cat Ryan have been making waves across the northern music scene, with singles gaining traction and appearances on BBC Radio 1, Radio X and Kendal Calling. They return to Newcastle to headline a night at The Grove. Cameron Wright caught up with Mary‑Anne Murphy, the singer‑songwriter of Cat Ryan, to discuss their whimsical, feel‑good indie charm.
Talk me through Cat Ryan and your role within the band…
I’m Mary‑Anne, lead singer, multi‑instrumentalist and songwriter for Cat Ryan. I created Cat Ryan as a solo project in 2017, and we later formed into a full Newcastle band when I moved here. In the broad sense, we’re an indie‑pop band, but I think we fit into a range of sub‑genres. I find it really difficult to categorise our music, but if I was giving it a short snappy description, I’d describe our sound as upbeat and defined by strong melodic instrumentation.
What was the process behind latest single, ‘Amsterdam’?
‘Amsterdam’ is an early Cat Ryan song I wrote back in 2018. I’d written the music just before I went on a trip to Amsterdam with some mates. Like all of my early songwriting, it started with a melody and rhythm section, and then after returning from Amsterdam, I had my lyrical inspiration. I’d only ever released an early demo on SoundCloud, always planning on coming back to the song – which is what we did this year. Our bassist/pianist Dan re‑recorded, refined, reworked and re‑produced the whole track.
One thing I love about the band is how tenaciously upbeat it is. What is the importance of happy music?
I guess it’s never been a conscious decision to make happy music but it’s just naturally the way it comes out for me. It’s taken me a good few years to realise it’s probably because I grew up primarily playing Irish traditional music, which is known for its jolly, upbeat character. Banjo was my main instrument, but I often accompanied on guitar, so that combination of melody‑driven music with happy rhythms is something ingrained in me now. Irish music and the culture behind it speak to me more than any other style, so it’s something that will inevitably always find its way into my own songwriting, whether or not it’s intentional.
Do you turn to happy music often?
Absolutely! I don’t know what it is, but I’m drawn to upbeat, happy music. I’m certainly a major‑chord kind of person in both what I listen to and what I write. Don’t get me wrong, I dabble in many genres and styles including slower, sad songs, but generally it’s harder for me to connect with them as strongly.
What should people expect from a Cat Ryan concert? What does the dream gig look like?
At our upcoming Newcastle gig people can expect our best performance yet. It’ll be as fun and upbeat as ever, but we’ll be wheeling out some new material and playing that live for the very first time, so it’s going to be a very special night.
What’s the future of Cat Ryan?
I’ve been working on a lot of new music with the hope of taking it into the studio to record our debut album. That’s the near‑future plan. I’m so excited about the new music and the direction I’m going in. It’s been years in the making, but the only problem is funding and trying to save up to make that dream become a reality.
Coming to The Grove on Thursday 20th November, Cat Ryan’s show promises to be fun, exciting and chock‑full of new material, marking it as the perfect opportunity for anyone interested in supporting Newcastle’s thriving music scene.
Tickets, priced at £11.00 in advance, are available at fatsoma.com.
