The Songs Behind: Ocean Tisdall

The end of last month saw exciting Irish alt-pop artist Ocean Tisdall drop his brand new single 'Making It Easy'. This song marks the second chapter of Ocean's new intimate acoustic project, following June's 'Sugar In His Tea'. Both these releases have seen Tisdall adapt a stripped-back yet powerful approach to songwriting, with the most recent single laying bare the pain of heartbreak with striking honesty. Framed by tender instrumentation and his unmistakably soulful vocals, 'Making It Easy' is yet another release that firmly cements Ocean Tisdall as one of the most compelling new voices on the pop scene.

To celebrate the release of 'Making It Easy' I caught up with Ocean Tisdall to hear more about the story behind the song, his evolving sound, and what’s next for this captivating popstar. All before discovering the songs that shaped and influenced Ocean through my 'Songs Behind' feature.

You have just released your incredible new single 'Making It Easy', a track which feels deeply personal for you. How cathartic do you find processing such raw emotions through your songwriting?

“Thank you very much. ‘Making It Easy’ was extremely cathartic to create. I feel like the songs I write are deeply personal, which can involve drowning in your emotions quite a lot and pulling on past experiences. It’s not always comfortable and it’s not always fun to create them - sometimes it can be quite emotionally tiring and overwhelming. But once it’s a finished piece, there’s this massive sense of relief, almost like an emotional weight has been lifted off me and put into the song."



This theme of being emotionally vulnerable is something that has been consistent through alot of your releases, and is something that makes your music even more relatable to listeners. Do you consciously write with the idea that listeners might project their own feelings and stories onto your lyrics? And what does it mean to you to know that your words are bringing comfort to others?

"I find it a huge privilege, to be honest, if people are finding comfort in my songs and lyrics. I don’t go in with the intention of creating something relatable to listeners. I go in to create something that feels honest and real to myself. For this project, that’s been such a big theme - just creating music and songs that I love and that make me feel something. And I think, naturally, as humans we all go through quite similar emotional experiences. So when you express that in music, people just naturally relate to the songs, because we’ve all been there one way or another."



The sonic approach to your last two releases has felt much more intimate and acoustic-backed than your prior releases. How have you found the process of changing the approach for these new singles?

"Yes, for sure, these songs have felt a lot more intimate and acoustic. Changing approach wasn’t even a thought - it just happened so naturally. When we started writing these songs, they already came from a place that was very introverted and contemplative, and the production was just built around the lyrics and melodies. I feel like the production enhances the storytelling, and at times it can feel quite cinematic. But honestly, it’s exactly how I felt it was meant to be."



What can listeners expect from yourself for the remainder of this year?

"Listeners can definitely expect more music from me for the rest of the year. I’ll be in the studio collaborating with some really exciting artists, producers, and songwriters, and there’ll be a steady flow of new music coming out. I’ll also be announcing some live dates towards the end of the year, and I’ve got a few special collaborations lined up for 2026 that I can’t wait to share. Really looking forward to bringing everyone along on my journey"