Jordie Ireland is going through the Stages of Heartbreak and making it sound damn good. The songwriter and producer, who is classically trained in five instruments, has released his debut EP Stages of Heartbreak with a stellar lineup of features including David Hugo, Dasha, Bby Ivy and Cam Robertson. We spke to the artist about behind the scenes of creating his debut project:

The EP is so good, tell us about creating it. When did you begin writing it? What was inspiring you?

Thank you! The creation of this project started way back in 2019 when I wrote 'Different Way' with Cyrus and Dom Youdan. When we wrote this song I was going through an extremely tough period in my life, going through my first ever break up. During this time, I became fascinated by the concept that humans naturally all go through stages of grief when experiencing a tough time. I remember at this exact moment thinking, maybe it's finally time to put together my debut EP where each song would conceptually outline a different stage of pain I went through during this time.

What was your aim with this EP? How do you hope people feel listening to it?

Honestly, if even one person listening to the EP can relate to the feelings we wrote about, and can find comfort in knowing that they aren't alone in their feelings, then this EP has already been a huge success.

Who did you work with on the EP that you learnt a lot from?

I had so many incredible collaborators on this EP that it would be impossible to choose one person. whether it was enhancing my songwriting skills with Cyrus and Dom, working with incredible featured artists such as David Hugo, Dasha and bby Ivy, or even achieving a goal of mine of working with Cam Robertson from GLADES, I learnt so much from working on this project and I can't wait to use all of that invaluable knowledge moving forwards in my career.  

How hard was it to decide on the final five songs? Do you believe there are 5 stages of heartbreak? :)

By the time we got to writing the 4th and 5th song of this project it started to become a bit of a struggle, knowing that the final two songs had to fit the concept perfectly. Eventually, we wrote those final two songs, 2 years after writing the first, and the rest is history!

Is there a song that was especially hard for you to write or perhaps ne you’re super proud of?

'Different Way' is always going to have a special place in my heart. It's the most vulnerable I have allowed myself to be, when writing the song and I feel like the song is a direct representation of how I felt at the time. Also, being the first song I have ever sung on is the beginning of a special moment in my career.

It’s incredible that you’re classically trained in 5 instruments. That musical knowledge is so special. How do you think this has informed your music making process?

When I first learnt these instruments when I was 11, I honestly thought I was the most uncool person at school, carrying around 3, sometimes 4 instruments at a time. I eventually stopped playing these instruments for a few years because of this but, I am so unbelievably happy knowing that learning these instruments from a young age, set a strong foundation for me to expand on, becoming the artists I am today.  

Who inspires the world of Jordie Ireland?

Throughout my career my inspiration has changed so much. In 2012 I saw Avicii play at an under 18s festival and from that moment onwards I knew I wanted to be an Artist. Whilst Avicii will always be the reason I started this career, my musical inspiration has changed so much over the years. Nowadays, whilst I still listen to, and find inspiration from all gernes of music, I have directed my attention more so to writing lyrics and creating pieces of work that evoke emotions more than sticking to one "sound".

What’s something you’re passionate about - aside from music? Is there something you hope to bring attention to as your platform grows?

Aside from music, I'm a big sports guy. On my days off you will catch me watching the NBA, NFL or just spending time at the beach. On top of this, I'm a big gamer. I love so many different types of video games and they really helped me get through COVID.

What’s next? We’re excited for your journey!

I'm so stoked that this project is finally out so that I can start directing my attention towards live shows and performing for an audience. I also want to make sure that I continue to sing more on my tracks and hopefully my voice will become a regular occurrence!

Listen to the Stages of Heartbreak HERE.

@jordieireland