‘Crybaby’
Out 17th April 2021
The Cranberries’ Noel Hogan and singer and actress Bronagh Gallagher have joined forces to release their brand-new track ‘Crybaby’ out 17th April. This will be Noel’s first release since The Cranberries released Grammy-nominated In the End in April 2019 – the band’s eighth and final studio album, which they had been working on prior to Dolores’ premature passing in January 2018.
The collaboration came about when the pair were introduced by a mutual friend and remained in touch. Noel had been working on a number of tracks and when he heard Bronagh’s voice thought this track would be perfect for her. So like many projects over the last year, through song-writing sessions over phone-calls and messages, the two collaborated and produced the single virtually.
A transformational voyage takes place throughout the song, as the narrator embarks on a journey of self-actualisation and sheds their anguish at being ‘left to dance alone’, made feel like they were ‘interrupting’ their lover, rather than thriving together. They decide to wash away the overwhelming sadness that has gripped them for too long and learn to embrace the beauty of the world around them on their pursuit for happiness: ‘I don’t want to cry no more’.
The use of violins adds an epic, intergalactic element to the track with Bronagh’s velvety-rich vocals captivating the listener and enticing them to float along on this odyssey of growth and emotion. In fact, Bronagh watched a number of space documentaries and old Hollywood romance films when she was penning the lyrics – something that evidently seeped through into the finished work.
Noel Hogan said: “I have kept writing since the band ended and built up a collection of songs. This track was influenced by the sound of older records from the sixties – with big strings and horn sections. Bronagh and I met through a mutual friend, not having met because of lockdown. Through phone calls and messages, the song was put together. It’s not Bronagh’s usual style of song but that was the idea!”
Bronagh Gallagher: “I was honoured to be asked if I would be interested in co-writing with Noel and just thought it was a lovely idea to try and make something together, as it was a whole new challenge and a way of writing that I hadn’t explored before. Noel sent me the music and I spent the first three months of lockdown last year wandering the back roads of Derry and Donegal on my own, listening to it and coming up with a narrative about this character who was not yet able to see the great beauty of life – but through music and dance, she began to find her happiness and see the miracle of creation. So, I guess it’s kind of a fairytale… I’m blown away with how it’s all turned out and the production Noel had created around it all.”
Noel is currently working on a soundtrack for a new HBO documentary, while Bronagh is filming season three of the hit comedy series Brassic for Sky TV and writing music for a new release later this year.
‘Crybaby’ co-written by Noel and Bronagh, is available for download and streaming everywhere from 17th April 2021.