Irish musician Danny Forde's music is nominated for Best Original Music at the IFTAS this Friday for the for the Irish co-produced movie The Apprentice. We asked him the BIG questions . . .
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The Irish Danish-Canadian independent film, starring Sebastian Stan and Jeremy Strong, tells the story of the rise of Donald Trump and his relationship with political fixer Roy Cohn and it is also nominated for an Oscar this March and a Bafta, which take place this Sunday.
Danny composed a number of music pieces for the soundtrack of The Apprentice, alongside composers Martin Dirkov, and fellow Irishmen David Holmes and Brian Irvine.
Read our review of The Apprentice
It's nominated in four categories at the 2025 Irish Film and TV Academy awards, including Best Original Music and Best Film, and it has received the nod from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts Awards for three awards.
Reflecting on his experience of working on The Apprentice, he says, "It was wonderful to be a part of the process, working with visionary director Ali Abbassi on the music, and being part of its meteoric rise from the premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, to the worldwide cinema release and now reaping a wealth of award nominations.
"It’s very inspiring and gives a very hopeful outlook for the future of independent film in Ireland."
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Danny is also a recording and performing artist under the moniker Every Thing The Light Touches and is releasing a single and a five-track mini-album this Spring.
Tell us three things about yourself . . .
I love new things - places, people, instruments, adventures. It fills me up. I wear many hats in my work - I work as a singer-songwriter, composer, music director, and multi-instrumentalist. I also used to work as a Yoga teacher. It helps a lot to have a few strings to your bow in this industry. I love travelling and the great outdoors - nature is a great healer and inspiration for me.
How would you describe your music?
It's acoustic music but it takes a big influence from the composer part of me - I love lots of vocal harmonies and string quartets and they run their way through my music. I love big build-ups and swells - I like it when music takes you on a journey, and I feel the music I write often embodies this, going from the most delicate piano note to driving crescendos that almost hark back to my early indie-rock days as a teenager. I write a lot about love in its multitude of varieties, from family love to romantic love to universal or higher love. I also write about nature and about the possibility of a better world.
Who are your musical inspirations?
Elbow, Anaïs Mitchell, Bon Iver, Damien Rice, James Taylor, Nick Drake, Max Richter.
What was the first gig you ever went to?
My uncle took me to see Moby at the Point Theatre. I remember him leaping around the stage playing every instrument in sight, and there was an epic light show.
What was the first record you ever bought?
I bought The Cranberries’ No Need To Argue on cassette tape with the money I got for making my Holy Communion.
What’s your favourite song right now?
I was recently listening to Evergreen by Yebba on repeat. I discovered the song through Säje, who did an epic vocal arrangement of it.
Favourite lyric of all time?
Wow. That's a difficult one. I really love this song Lay My Heart by Rachel Sermanni - it's filled with these very simple but emotionally and visually striking images - "Laying upon a darkened lawn, Silent borealis, This is where I lay my heart..."
If you could only listen to one song for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Lippy Kids by Elbow.
Where can people find your music/more information?
Come and join me over on Instagram and my website, where I'll be sharing the new single and EP and gig announcements. You can also find me on Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal and any streaming service.
Alan Corr
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