Sean O'Connor
About Sean O'Connor from Wellington
Sean O’Connor “The Real Me”
“The Real Me” is Wellington singer/songwriter Sean O’Connor’s first solo album. It is a beautiful, challenging, emotional and an intelligent rendition of many of his inner and outer journeys of the last decade. Featuring stunning acoustic/electric guitar and vocals from Sean, tight bass and drums plus melodic cello and flute, the album also showcases partner Amanda O'Connors beautiful harmonies.The two musicians have previously released five albums as a duo, so this is an exciting new venture for Sean. Song styles range from acoustic ballads to radio-friendly folk/pop, similar perhaps to Damien Rice. Celtic and Contemporary Country influences also shine through. Two of the songs, “Miles Go By” and “Wildflower Fire”, were written in 2005 when Sean was living in Nashville, TN. They reflect his family’s travels in the US, including a six-week road tour of the USA performing, sometimes as a family, from Tennessee to California. Also in the US, one of their songs, “Daddy’s Little Girl” was used in the popular TV show “Smallville”, and is still being played around the world.
At the iconic Bluebird Café in Nashville, the O’Connors featured in “Showcase” and “Sunday Best” nights. Host Jeff Pearson said: “I have been hosting The Bluebird for sixteen years, and I know unique when I hear it. The O’Connors’ music is not just unique, it is honest, beautiful and uplifting. Their harmonies are truly moving.” Thought-provoking, emotional lyrics are a real feature of this album: "Many of my songs are about idealism and failures, depression and recovery. For example, the title track is, partly, about the struggle to express anger and pain non-violently – not always successfully. “Ghost of Myself” is about disconnection and how it affects me and the people around me, and it’s about courage and love, trying to find a way through.” I hope the songs reach people’s hearts and inspire them to hope, to engage with their dreams, and non-violence. Of course, like many other songwriters, its also simply about sharing our journeys.”
“The Real Me” was recorded with David Ironside at Eye Inside Productions, Wellington (recent winner of the Qantas Award for television soundtrack music) and mastered with Phil Riley at Life of Riley studio. Musicians include Wellingtonians Bernard Wells and Frits Stitger on bass, Matt Nidek on drums, Stephen Gibbs on cello, Alan Hartshorn and David Ironside also features on electric guitar.
Sean currently works as a woodwork teacher, a position in which he has also helped bring Non-Violent Communication and music to the school, including writing a school song, partly in Te Reo, currently being practiced in assemblies and staff meetings. He also directs “Natural High”, a choir based in Lower Hutt that is developing a strong local profile. He has also worked with perfoming arts with intellectually disabled children with IHC.
His Wellington region shows will be an exciting trio with wife Amanda on flute and vocals, and Stephen Gibbs on cello. Sean is an extremely accomplished live entertainer with a good reputation around NZ. Hawkes Bay Today critic Alice Moult described a live show as
“An extraordinary experience, a manifestation of spiritual currents and submission to powerful emotional forces, encapsulating me in a tiny bubble of happiness and serenity. No other music has done this before…crisp and clever…a spiritual wake-up call”
And at The Lake Taupo Arts Festival, Sean, Amanda and Stephen were described as “one of the highlights of the festival – if you missed them you missed a treat”
You can catch his performance on TV1 (Good Morning) on july 7 where he will be performing some tracks from "The Real Me", Screened on the 14 July. may include his new Music Video "best taht i can" from the Real Me album
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