In the Grey Areas: A Conversation with Mirrors

Written by Sophie Lee . Editor and Founder . 02/02/26

PHOTOGRAPHY by the wonderful Leanne Gabriel.

Mirrors are the first band I sat down with as part of a new Emerging Creatives series, a space for open conversations with artists navigating the early stages of their creative careers. Made up of Jodie Lyne, Joe Kelly, Fionán O’Riordan, Fionnán Sheehan, and Catriona Murphy, Mirrors are a rock band from Cork who have been steadily carving out their place on the Irish music scene. Speaking with Jodie, Fionnán, and Joe, it was clear that the band share a deep passion for music, paired with a refreshing honesty about the realities and hardships of pursuing it as a full-time endeavour.

Mirrors started out playing house parties, and from there began to move into gigging. Interestingly, their debut single Take Me Home was recorded in a studio in Dublin, a step that, for many emerging artists, can feel far more daunting than it needs to be. As lead singer and guitarist Jodie Lyne notes, “You’re not necessarily told when you start out that you can just book a studio and record a song,” a sentiment that captures how, early on, much of the process exists in a kind of grey area.

Their 2024 EP Envious of the Faithful marked a clear moment of growth for the band. When I asked whether there was a defined vision for the release, the emphasis was firmly on cohesion. Not just sonically, but conceptually. Jodie explained, "We were very particular about that EP. With Envious of the Faithful, everything was very thoughtful, and each song is based on a concept rather than more narrow things like situations.” In an industry that increasingly pushes emerging artists to release quickly and constantly, there was something refreshing about how deliberate the band were with this project. Choosing to take their time rather than bending to the pressure to keep up.

While each member brings very different musical tastes to the table, that variety is clearly reflected across Envious of the Faithful. This felt especially apparent when we spoke about Na Saoilse, and the decision to integrate the Irish language. The band explained that the track carried a distinctly Celtic, almost instinctively Irish sound, one they felt could only be done justice through Gaeilge. Guitarist Joe Kelly noted that “it’s nice that people care, that they recognise the effort that it’s in Irish.”

while lead guitarist Fionnán Sheehan added, “there always is a bit of a pride when you’re playing a song in Irish, especially with everything going on nowadays with the revival of the language, it’s never been so prevalent.” It’s clear that Mirrors are a band who value their Irish identity deeply, and that sense of pride runs quietly but powerfully through their music.

Emerging bands are often viewed through rose-coloured glasses and admired for the bravery it takes to pursue music, without much consideration for what that actually costs in practice. When I asked Mirrors about sustainability, particularly in terms of money and the growing pressure to constantly market themselves, the conversation shifted into something far more direct.

While the band spoke about the mutual benefit of creating music they genuinely love,  Joe was refreshingly transparent about the realities behind it all. “In terms of making money, you can’t come into this game thinking you’re going to make money,” he explained.

“You talk to people who have had great success — here, the UK, across Europe and you’d be thinking, God, they must be driving Lambos, or at least not living in their parents’ box rooms. But you talk to them and they say, we made nothing. We got paid enough to feed ourselves while we were touring.” 

It’s a blunt but necessary reminder that the creative industry rarely rewards artists in proportion to their effort and yet, despite that, Mirrors continue with a level of dedication that feels deeply admirable.

Throughout the conversation, it was striking how naturally the three of them bounced off each other, each thought feeding into the next, a clear reflection of the chemistry that exists within the band. They spoke openly about the emotional weight that comes with pursuing music so wholeheartedly, acknowledging that the highs can feel euphoric just as the lows can feel heavy. Yet, being together in a rehearsal room was described as something  therapeutic. As Fionnán put it, “the highs are highs and the lows are lows, but we’re all in it together,” a sentiment that captures the sense of unity that seems to underpin Mirrors as both a band and a support system.

Speaking with Mirrors reinforced just how vital young creatives are. Whether musicians, artists, poets, or anyone trying to build something within the creative industries. They are the people keeping the spark alive, often without certainty or reward. Sitting down with Mirrors felt like a reminder of why these conversations matter in the first place. They are some of the most dedicated and passionate artists I’ve met, honest about the challenges they face and deeply committed to what they’re creating.

The full conversation with Mirrors will be available soon on the Sound Shenanigans podcast.