Grian Chatten

Raised in Dublin, Ireland has always been at the core of singer/songwriter Grian Chatten's identity. Best known as the frontman for Fontaines D.C. -- albeit with some solo releases under his belt -- Chatten's ability to tap into his darker side has produced a plethora of insightful and thought-provoking lyrics, most notably on his debut solo record, 2023's Chaos for the Fly. He grew up in Skerries, Northern Dublin, in a large family of musically minded individuals. His father was a musician, and his five siblings and his mother would regularly sing for each other and engage in musical performances. It was no surprise that Chatten had begun writing his own music by the age of nine. He attended Skerries Community College before going to Irish music college BIMM, where he met his Fontaines D.C. bandmates, and with these new kindred spirits released a debut album, Dogrel, in 2019. The record was transportive, offering a glimpse of what it was like growing up in the Irish capitol, warts and all. Dogrel catapulted the band into the spotlight, and their second album, A Hero's Death, grappled with the dissociative feeling that comes from a busy touring schedule and audiences relating to deeply personal music. He permanently moved to London amid the COVID-19 lockdowns, deepening his sense of his own identity and feeling a little guilty for having left Ireland behind despite owing it so much. These themes were explored and reconciled on Fontaines D.C.'s third album, Skinty Fia. While he was touring the second and third albums, Chatten had been working on his solo material, in which he explored different sonic avenues, including acoustic anthems and trippy vaudeville. This culminated in 2023's Chaos for the Fly, which helped him purge some of his negative feelings through the most personal lyrics he had written to date.
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