Máiréad releases ‘If You Loved Me Once’, ft Johnny Brady

After a very successful debut single ‘Searching for Ghosts’, County Tyrone’s Máiréad has returned with her new track ‘If You Loved Me Once’. The new track is a duet with Johnny Brady – an emotional number about a relationship that is no more, with the artists wondering if there might still be something to grab onto. Máiréad had the following to say about the song:-

“About two years ago I wrote this song and always envisaged it as a duet. I have always loved Johnny Brady’s voice, a country star from Ireland and really wanted him to sing on the track. So I recorded the demo as a solo and sent it to Johnny – he replied the same day and agreed to sing on the track with me!! I was ecstatic!!”

“This song tells the story of a couple who were madly in love but fell apart for reasons they can’t even remember anymore. It’s about looking back and wondering ‘if you loved me once, could you still love me today?’ – The age old question! The song talks about reflecting back, looking back on the relationship and remembering the good times, maybe glossing over the bad. I wrote this when I moved away from Ireland and thought of all the relationships I was leaving behind. I actually moved away in September so that’s where the lyric ‘Those September skies were heavy with goodbyes’ came from – the song means a lot to me and the lyrics are really poignant.”

This heartfelt and lyrically strong track is given extra life by Máiréad’s gorgeous vocals, accompanied by Johnny Brady’s impressive voice they work very well together and give an extra depth to the song emotionally, hearing from both characters in the relationship. Máiréad is an artist whom I feel is making some real waves on the U.K country scene and it’s not hard to see why when she is releasing such well-crafted songs like this. There’s a real energy and upbeat feel to the track from both artists as well as the instrumental sections which make this a really pleasant listen and the kind of track you will definitely want to play on repeat. That folk and country music upbringing Máiréad had is very much at the heart and soul of what she does and it gives her a real authenticity about what she does. I can’t see Máiréad not going on to have a wonderful career.

Review written by Craig Brooks (twitter.com/swindonforever)