Donegal singer songwriter Cuan – releases second original single “Success”

Equipped with a stripped-back acoustic sound and poetic lyrics, the folk singer-songwriter received warm praise for September debut single ‘On A Ship’, a portrait of a life shaped by cycles of departure and return from land to sea, which earned support from Hot Press, Front View Magazine, Folking, Amazing Radio and more.

Cuan, who is the son of one Ireland’s few remaining harp makers, Jan Muyllaert, continues down his own path with upcoming second single ‘Success’, releasing November 28th. Paired with a captivating music video recorded by Marc Littler, the minimalistic yet powerful visual and sparse accompaniment combine to leave listeners engrossed from the first moment.

The single is about that moment of stillness – a moment to recognise where you are and who you are, and accept it. Cuan explains, “It’s a bit corny, but in a world of hyper-competitiveness it is important to be kind to yourself. It’s necessary to be still sometimes”.

Penning the song at his kitchen table in Donegal on a rainy Spring morning, a sense of peace came over the artist, in the stillness of the moment. He says, “I was feeling a bit confused about which way my life was going. Pretty, normal for me, and I suspect I wouldn’t be completely alone in that either. The writing brought me back to myself and I was pretty sure it felt like a complete song”.

In developing the song’s arrangement, Cuan sought to incorporate the piano, though he was not locally acquainted with any pianists.  Similar to the creation of debut single ‘On A Ship’, which was recorded spontaneously whilst abroad in Colorado, a moment of musical fate unfolded: “I was spending some time in Ennistymon in County Clare a few months later visiting my friend and producer Quentin Cooper. I was doing some rough recordings of my tracks, just to see how things might sound. On a break from the studio I went for a wander and ended up in a cafe, sitting on one end of a three seater couch reading a book and passing the  afternoon as peacefully as I could. A couple sat down beside me and given our close proximity and my propensity to strike up conversations with strangers, I did just that. The conversation turned to music and it turned out one of the couple was an accomplished pianist and had toured her own music in Edinburgh”

He continues, “After a pleasant swapping of stories, I figured I might as well ask the question if she would be interested in doing an arrangement for my song. She said she would be honoured and that was good enough for me. A few weeks later, Quentin did a live recording in her house in Ennis, where she had written a sparse arrangement that fitted really well. The recording sounded great, but it wasn’t until I sent it to my friend and producer Ross Tones, that I was fully sure about it. His enthusiasm was reassuring, and so, ‘Success’ seemed to be complete”

The single’s accompanying music video was created by filmmaker Marc Littler (M.A Littler), a close connection of Cuan, who recorded the visual in The Glen of Kilcar in Southwest Donegal. After a little deliberation, the pair settled on a close-up, continuous shot of Cuan’s face, which was completed in one take.

“It was an emotional experience for me, because having someone honour your song with their own talent and creativity is a real privilege. That is what came through for me as we shot it. I hope that’s what shines through to anyone who sees it. A moment of stillness in a turbulent world. I hope it brings a bit of peace to you too”

With its deft balance of reflection, vulnerability, and candour, ‘Success’ draws listeners deeper into the vitality of a sincere new talent in Irish folk.