INTERVIEW: ‘Anxiety is something I struggle with when I’m not busy’

Paro Pablo is a rapper and songwriter from Finglas in Dublin and Clonmel’s Cathal O’Reilly has sat down for a chat with him. Check out the interview below:

Cathal - People regard you as a creative person. Do you agree?

Paro Pablo - I’d like to think so. Otherwise, I’d probably work building someone else’s dream.

Cathal - How did you get into your creative work?

Paro Pablo - I started writing poems in 2008, my sister had past on and this was kind of my escape mechanism. It was around the year I was doing my Junior Cert. I had bought On The Low, an album by a local rap group and hearing lads I knew and grew up with in Finglas rap, with my accent was refreshing.

So I decided to transfer the poems onto instrumentals and they were absolutely terrible haha.

Cathal - What is creativity to you? Do you consider yourself to be creative? Why or why not?

Paro Pablo - I think creativity comes in all shapes and forms, I can write stories and paint pictures with words, but I can’t draw or paint a picture with a paint brush. I think everyone is creative in their own right, you just need to find your own avenue.

Cathal - Do you critique your own work? Tell me about this process?

Paro Pablo - Yes, absolutely. Being a songwriter is not easy. Some days I will go to the studio and not get out of bed for a day or two afterwards if I’m not happy with my work. I suppose with being a perfectionist this is part of it. I’ve quit every second week in the last year.

But on the flip side, writing is part of who I am. I didn’t want to be a rapper but I am one and I can’t change that.

My process is pretty straight forward. I will get a piece of music from my producer and then depending on the mood of the music I will write around it. Sometimes I will get a beat and it might not be what I’m feeling on that specific day so I will leave it and come back to it. You probably understand by now my music is based on feelings.

Cathal - What inspires you? What do you do to get inside your creative zone?

Paro Pablo - It’s quite cliche to say but everyday life. But I grew up with my grandparents in Finglas and we were poor, everyone on the road was. We always had enough but never had the luxuries. The road was destroyed with addiction and crime hence why I grew up with my grandparents. So that inspired me instead of defeating me like it did with others.

Sometimes I listen to old Irish traditional music like Luke Kelly or Finbar Fury to remind me of our roots and also Bob Marley as his music was quite political. But I don’t think there is anything that I would say puts me in a creative space other than some days it’s there and some days it’s not. Most important thing is catching it (the creative space) when it is tough.

Cathal - What is your favourite accomplishment?

Paro Pablo - I’ve had a lot of them. Opening shows for Aslan & also 2pac’s group The Outlawz were huge. But I think the biggest achievement would either be selling out the Academy in Dublin in 2010 or being number 1 in the single charts last year on iTunes with my song Ghost On Me.

Cathal - Do you pay attention to other people’s strong reactions to your work? Does this affect what you create?

Paro Pablo - I try get back to most messages from fans because I’m just a normal chap and I would be rude if I didn’t. At the end of the day without them my music wouldn’t leave the bedroom. I probably get three or four messages a day which is 95% positive but there’s always a few that try to put you down but that’s water off a duck’s back at this stage.

Cathal - Do you think creativity is something you are born with or is it something that can be encouraged and nurtured?

Paro Pablo - I think if you become obsessed with anything enough you can become good at it. As I said when I started I was terrible.

Now I’m getting comparisons with Eminem which is crazy and it was just me completely obsessed with music and working on it day in and day out.

Cathal - What do you wish to accomplish with your music?

Paro Pablo - I hope to help people who grew up in the same situation as me and give those people a voice. I’d like a sold out show in Vicar Street, a UK tour and I think that’s very possible. If anything bigger happens we’ll cross the bridge when we get there.

Cathal - What music are you playing at the moment?

Paro Pablo - I’m listening to a lot of Ghetts.

His new album is phenomenal. Also, J Cole. I listen to more Irish music though. Ciaran Moran is class and I’ve written some tracks for him also .

Cathal - Do you think music and creating music helps with your mental health? How?

Paro Pablo - 10,000% because it puts me in a different world. It’s like the problems in life are put on hold for that time you’re writing or recording or on stage. And even just writing in general it’s like you can let go of issues instead of bottling them up which causes sleepless nights and anxiety which is something I still struggle with when I’m not busy.

Cathal - Do you think creative endeavours like music can be negative for mental health?

Paro Pablo - It depends on how you deal with it. The setbacks in music can get you down. But the more experienced you become the more you know how to deal with them.

Cathal - Do you ever get overwhelmed when making music? If so, how do you combat this feeling?

Paro Pablo - It’s kinda surreal when you rub shoulders with people you’ve grown up listening to or watching on TV but you have to stay in control of the situation. I suppose with being an independent artist, it’s a lot easier to deal with pressure.

Cathal - Does creativity make you feel more in alignment with your true purpose?

Paro Pablo - Yes. My father was a blues musician. His father was a traditional Irish musician so I think I am carrying the torch now.

Cathal - Do you feel like you are doing what you were born to do when making music?

Paro Pablo - Yes. As I said I became completely obsessed so it’s my first thought in the morning and last at night.

Be sure to follow Paro Pablo on his socials @paropablomusic on Instagram & Paro Pablo on Spotify & YouTube.