Born and raised in Co. Kilkenny, Ireland, Ali Comerford started playing and studying classical music at the age of 4. After obtaining a Masters of Violin Performance from London's Royal College of Music, she relocated to New York, completing a Masters of Music in Viola Performance at the Manhattan School of Music on scholarship. Ali’s journey in music has seen her grace the likes of New York’s Carnegie Hall, London’s Royal Albert Hall and Dublin’s National Concert Hall. She has toured the world with Lincoln Center Stage, playing sold out shows around Australia, New Zealand and the United States. After years as a freelance musician for various string ensembles and chamber orchestras in New York, January 2020 saw Ali come home to her native Jenkinstown in Co. Kilkenny. Faced with her biggest stretch of free time in 14 years, Ali used her artistry to process and bring closure to the various ups and downs oflife she experienced during her time traveling the world with her craft.
After releasing her debut album Knots in 2021, Ali Comerford now returns with her new single "Cool Girl", an acknowledgement that it’s time to stop playing along with what’s not good for you and to commit to what’s best for you.
About the song Comerford says "Cool Girl is a song about being tired of trying to please people. I grew up afraid to upset anyone and just wanting everyone to be happy with me but I think the older I get the more comfortable I am with the idea that you’re not going to please everyone, you just have to do your best. The song also looks at lines that are used to placate people when really they are condescending, the “it’s not you it’s me” trope and how in 2022 maybe it’s time to retire that. If someone really thinks they are not worthy of you then maybe they shouldn’t chase after you to begin with."
"I really wanted to make my strings the feature of this song. Playing violin and viola is such a big part of who I am as a musician. I came into the studio with a full score and recorded nearly 150 channels of strings before I put down any vocals. This is also my first time letting others have an input into my music and it was such a magical experience. Producing this song with Shane Tobler and Sean Montgomery Dietz was unforgettable. We used found sounds from around the studio to create most of the beat, it opened up my eyes to so many new possibilities and I’m grateful to both of them for it."
Starting with some pizzicato, the self confidence and determination shines through this track straight away. From her vocal delivery you get a sense that Comerford is ready to start over and do what she feels is right. For herself and nobody else. The strings soften the overall impact of the words and make the overall vibe more atmospheric.
Artwork: Kevin W Condon
"But I’m not wasting time
On those that bring an empty cup
If they think that they’re not good enough
Stay away"
