Steo Wall

Not everybody can boast such collaborators as Luka Bloom, Damien Dempsey and Davey Spillane on their debut album. But when you meet Steo Wall for the first time, you quickly understand why such legendary musicians wanted to get involved with Where I’m From – Steo’s debut album. A sound bloke, quick to laugh, with a rich Dublin accent and the wit to go match it; Where I’m From boasts eleven heartfelt biographical tracks.  Damien Dempsey calls Steo’s work ‘Irish soul music', and was quick to ask Steo to be his warm up act on national tours in 2016/17 at Christmas, 2018 he again opened for Damo to a full house at Vicar St. Steo is accompanied by Damien, on the first track to be released from his album - What’s wrong with the world Ma.

Mixing traditional Irish folk with some contemporary Irish rap, Steo brings the listener on a journey from the badlands of Dublin, working class, housing estates to the beauty of Ireland’s west coast. Steo paints a picture of rebellious, loved friends and adored, family members, the album being an homage to those gone before him. It’s these family members who give us an understanding of the depth of Steo’s musical influences. When Steo told Davey Spillane of the family connection to the world renowned, gypsy, uillean pipers, Johnny and Felix Doran, Davey offered to put his sound onto one of the tracks. Sarah Doran, an ode to Steo's traveller grandmother is the third track on the album, and Davey Spillane’s whistle is a beautifully-fitting tribute.

Growing up in Dublin gave Steo a grounding in rap, ‘Though I was more Toothpick then Tupac’, he jokes.  But it also saw him lose friends and family members to prison and drugs. Steo left Dublin for Co. Clare in 2012, and started working as a fish smoker in Lisdoonvarna. He quickly immersed himself in the vibrant local music scene of North and West Clare, which is where he met his partner and the mother of his two children, Fair City actor Jacinta Sheerin, a fellow Dubliner born and bred. Jacinta sings backing vocals on a number of tracks from the album. The pair also sing as a duo in local pubs and clubs where Jacinta always encouraged Steo to sing his own songs. One of these songs, Little Babe, a love song to his unborn child, caught the attention of Irish folk legend Luka Bloom. Luka agreed to teach Steo the art of recording in studio, and co-produced ‘Where I’m From’; alongside Steo and Martin O’ Malley, who owns Malbay Studios in Miltown Malbay in West Clare, where the album was recorded.

‘Where I’m From’ is a love letter to the people and places who raised him from a boy, into a man, who wears his heart on his sleeve. With authentic lyrics, beautiful musicianship and melodies that you’ll find yourself singing for days ‘Where I’m From’ is like a burst of colour on a monochrome musical landscape.