Ian: Your singles ‘Divine’ / ‘Bloodsick’ / ‘Eighteen Crows’ and ‘Darla’ have all made strong statements. How has your songwriting or sound evolved from your earliest singles up to ‘Darla’?
GK: If there’s something we’re not shy about, it’s getting deep. We’ve always leaned on the darker and macabre thematics, but we just gained more confidence to do it unapologetically. In the earlier days we felt like we needed to polish it enough that it was digestible, though now we’re not too concerned about that and just writing with our inner monologues.
Ian: ‘Eighteen Crows’ was written during a very difficult time for GK. Would you say that the themes of illness, resilience, and fantasy have become central motifs in your music? How did they shape the ‘Ivy Tree’?
GK: Absolutely. It was quite a common thing I experienced whilst ill; such a desire to be liberated from such a dire situation. I think many people turn to fantasy in those times, as a modicum of escapism. Crows are associated with death in such a beautiful and tender way, the passing of one plane to another. Looking at it like that made it easier to face, where it isn’t necessarily the grandiose inevitability like it is socially for humans. The sisterhood during times of trials and tribulations, arguably our biggest trial being my illness, is what kept this band together when it so easily could have fallen apart. This is why resilience is so important to us topically, and a big part of what we write about today. Our new single ‘Ivy Tree’ really touches on the importance of companionship and female friendship.
Ian: With ‘Ivy Tree’ (assuming it’s your latest work), what were the main inspirations, musical, personal or otherwise, for that piece? How does it connect with or diverge from your previous singles?
GK: Briefly touching upon this just before, I think more than anything ‘Ivy Tree’ is a story of resilience. Resilience can be packaged in a few different ways for Ivy Tree, with a lot of the initial inspiration being the overturn of Roe v. Wade. It is tiresome and exhausting watching your own rights be governed in such a disappointing manner. This is why ‘Ivy Tree’ dances around a fanatical dreamscape, painting a picture of a matriarchy instead of a patriarchy.
Ian: The song ‘Darla’ speaks of female companionship and the idea of being “two halves of the same whole.” How do collaboration and the dynamic between band members influence your music, both in the studio and live?
Eliza: The interplay between us all as induvidual musicians creates the bedrock of our sound and our experience as a band, it’s how all of the songs find their way really – we’re a really collaborative unit. We come from such varied stylistic backgrounds and tastes that we each tend to all add our own little flavour to a song and that hopefully results in something really unique.
Being in such a tight knit band as we are, particularly all being women, is also this very distinct social experience. It’s a friendship that’s somehow also collegial, democratic, and familial. It’s a real sisterhood. So we reflect on that experience a lot and that works it’s way into our songs and how we interact on stage.
Ian: Your sound has been described in terms like goth‑grunge, with riot grrrl influences, with poetic storytelling. When starting a new song, do you tend to focus first on lyrics or on the sonic identity? How do you balance those?
Eliza: Increasingly, we don’t have a uniform approach to writing music. I think we have our preferences as individual songwriters but each song can take shape a little differently. Often it might begin with lyrics, or the core meaning or reflection that’s going to go on. Though sometimes it starts as something referential sonically. Say we hear a song we all really love, we might think okay wouldn’t it be great to capture some of this energy in our own way. A lot of the time it’s a mood we’re trying to capture or a musical inspiration that’s resonant at that particular moment.
Ian: The production of ‘Darla’ involved Sugar House and was mixed/mastered by Romesh Dodangoda. How did working with those producers shape the final sound? Did it push you in directions that surprised you?
Eliza: Any producer you take a song to is going to contribute to what that final sonic form looks like so this was definitley no exception. It’s always a journey of coming into the studio with this vision and then being able to have an exchange with a production team that’s hearing it with fresh ears and so can help you to interrogate every musical decision. It’s always a push and pull between indulging your own sonic wish list for a song that you’re so close to and making sure you’re creating something that’s really going to land with the audience – the production experience is really all about that.
Ian: When releasing so many singles rather than (or before) a full album, what are the advantages and challenges for you as a band? Do you view ‘Ivy Tree’ as a step toward a larger body of work (EP/full album)?
Hannah: We’re very much of the mindset that when we release our debut album, we’re going to do it right. By that, we mean we’re viewing the successive releases of singles as our pathway to build our fanbase and our writing capabilities- that way, we know that when we release an album we’ll have the groundwork already laid to ensure it’s received well. As much as there’s strategy, there’s also the financial aspect to consider when writing an album. It costs a lot to create, to market, to visualise. As a band of working class origin who have self funded 80% of everything we’ve released to date, a large body of work frankly hasn’t been financially viable for us in the past. All that being said, it’s not to say we haven’t got material in the works or our eyes set firmly on what our album is going to look like. ‘Ivy Tree’ is certainly a bridge to what’s to come in 2026, and we’re excited to keep building.
Ian: You’re about to embark on some headline dates in October 2025, with your first ever show in Ireland at Whelans in Dublin. What does it mean to you to play your first Irish show, and what are you looking forward to most?
Hannah: Ireland is both home and a home-from-home to multiple members of our band. Our new drummer, Alannagh Doherty (drummer in Derry based pop-punk band CHERYM) is from the North having only recently moved to the UK. GK’s blood is also 100% Irish, her mum hailing from Limerick and her paternal grandparents from co. Cork and co. Wicklow, so she spent a lot of her formative years in Ireland. Our manager John is also from Ireland, so we’re excited to bring the show to him for a change!
It’s very special as GK’s close-knit Irish family will be able to see us play for the first time, as well as meeting our incredible Irish coven (fans) who sold our original venue out 5 months in advance- it’s a long overdue trip! Whelans itself is a venue we’ve wanted to play for a long time so we’re excited to finally make it happen.
Ian: How are you preparing for the live versions of your newer songs (‘Darla’ / ‘Eighteen’ / ‘Crows’ & ‘Ivy Tree’) versus the older tracks? Do you test arrangements live, or adapt them specially for tours?
Hannah: We tend to adapt them specially for tours and again for festival slots- you’ve always got to consider the crowd and the allocated set times to tailor live renditions of your catalogue. Headline shows are always so fun though, as they allow you time to really build ambience and explore theatrics. This run of dates in October is seeing a set facelift… Expect spooky intros, a spellbinding cover, and unreleased songs.
Ian: Mental health, illness, and personal struggle have been part of your narrative as a band (especially for GK). How do you take care of yourselves on tour, and how do you make sure that performing these emotionally intense songs doesn’t take too heavy a toll?
Hannah: Honestly, the secret is simply the support network within the band. We have such a tight bond, seeing each other as friends first and bandmates second. There’s a variety of mental and physical ailments in the band that we have a safe space to talk through and really understand within one another. If something is too much, if someone is upset, if we face any obstacles, the solution is always talking it out and hearing everyone fairly. It’s very easy to get swept up in the long days and extreme opposite ends of the emotional spectrum- from exhaustion to elation, excitement to missing home. Having an unshakeable friendship at the core of everything we do really helps make the best out of the incredible experience that is being in a band.
Ian: As you gain momentum with critical acclaim, headlining shows, and festivals, how do you balance staying true to your identity and staying open to evolution? What might Venus Grrrls sound like in another 2‑3 years?
Hannah: Luckily we are five people who really know how to touch grass. Venus Grrrls hasn’t been a straightforward journey- facing the pandemic very early in our careers, a cancer diagnosis and tricky decisions here and there. Being working class women amongst it all is a challenge in itself, but also brings out the best in us. Growing up with and still being challenged by having little money or security helps us stay grounded, and lights a fire under us to talk about how difficult that is in this industries current climate. We always joke that we’ve been humbled a lot after everything we’ve gone through together, but we’ve taken good lessons from our experiences we can take forward through our careers making everything we’re achieving that bit more special.
We’re very open to exploring our sonic signature- the demos we’ve been writing recently explore the themes mentioned above and more, encapsulated in wilder guitar tones and heavier rhythm. The editions of Eliza and Alannagh over the last 2 years have injected new directions and inspiration, whilst shaping us to sound like the most ‘us’ we’ve ever felt. Overlapping in grunge and hard rock, we’re hitting on the sound that will define us for the next couple of years.
Ian: Finally, for fans coming to the Dublin show and the rest of the upcoming live dates: is there anything special you plan (set‑list surprises, stage design, or collaborations)? Anything they should be watching out for?
Hannah: As previously mentioned, our set has had a huge makeover. We’re throwing ourselves into making it more of a ‘show’ in a theatrical way. That’s not to say we’ll be throwing jazz hands and bursting into song in unison obviously- more in the feel of the looming synths, spooky interludes and encompassing flow of the set. We want it to feel like an experience, as opposed to showing up and bashing a set out. We’ve made a few changes physically too, allowing GK more freedom to perform and interact with the crowd. That’s all we’re saying for now, but be sure to grab the remaining tickets whilst you can!
Catch Venus Grrls live in October:
Dublin 3rd October – Whelans http://Buy Tickets
London 16th October – Oslo Hackney http://Buy Tickets
Leeds 17th October – The Key Club http://Buy Tickets
Words – Ian Mc Donnell @mcgigmusic
Photo credit – press photo