About The Album

"From the Vault" is Fiona Gill’s latest EP, featuring a collection of previously unreleased tracks that resonate with depth and emotion.

Co-written with collaborators, including her husband and producer, Philip Magee, this EP showcases a blend of intimate storytelling and lyrical introspection. The selection includes notable tracks such as "Treasure," "Lost Soul," "Drifted," "1058," and "Now I Know," each offering a glimpse into Fiona's artistic journey over the years.

This compilation not only revisits the roots of her musical influences but also celebrates her evolution as a songwriter.

Artist Q+A

Q: Why are you revisiting your older music?

FG: I denied myself writing and singing for years. Life happens in between and sometimes you create narratives that are easier to believe. I've come full circle with these songs, these soundscapes. They now feel fully me, where before I felt they weren't enough. Though I have no idea what bar I was holding it up to.

My truth lies in the words and melodies and it sometimes takes time for me to fully see the picture I was creating. 20 years on from some of these tracks being made, some of these songs being written, I have such appreciation and respect for them.

I also want to give my daughters a little piece of their mum and dad. To be able to hold a record or listen to songs that we wrote together so many years ago, I feel, is just as special as an heirloom.

Lyrics

Step into the world of Heirloom with these lyric videos. Each video is an invitation to immerse in the carefully crafted words behind Fiona Gill's music.

LYRICS: LOST SOUL
Written by Gill / Magee 2005

  • Lost Soul (2005)
    This song was written by my now husband, Philip and I, in his childhood bedroom in 2005. I was working through some teenage things and had no sense of what I should do next and feared the next step I'd take would be the wrong one. I was breaking up with parts of myself that no longer served a purpose but I was terrified what I would be without the old programming. Lost Soul in a crowd; I felt like everyone had found their way, their purpose and I was just floating aimlessly but with a real need and want to do something worthwhile with my life, something important. 

    Listening Now 
    This song is definitely like reading a diiary entry, it's so full of angst and uncertainty and urgency too. I only wish younger me knew that nobody knew what there were doing ( they probably felt very similar but they were better at hiding it) and just how crucial and necessary that uncomfortable period of time was to help me evolve and grow. This song makes me smile at my younger self and want to hold her hand.

LYRICS: NOW I KNOW
Written By Gill / Magee / Garrigan/ Prendergast 2011

  • Now I Know ( 2011)

    This song came about while Philip and I were doing a songwriting session with the very talented and lovely Stephen Garrigan and Mark Prendergast( Kodaline). I truly had the most fun at this writing session. It was in the middle of the “Big Freeze” in Ireland, we were all in Philips family sitting room, sharing stories and melodies, all mic’d up. I remember having belly aches during this session cos we laughed so much. The song itself, is about breaking up with the person you thought was your person and love would conquer all. I was so nervous during this writing session, but I’m so proud of myself for using that energy and allowing myself to express my ideas and melodies and create something so beautiful with these amazing guys. 

    The actual vocals for this song were recorded in a wardrobe, that was full of clothes to provide sound proofing .. haha! 


    Listening Now
    This song has so much in it. The accomplished writing of it, the structure of a perfect pop ballad, you can feel the difference in this song, I learned so much from Philip, Stephen and Mark with this song. The song was also picked up for an Irish movie, and that fills me with pride that art I created with this amazing team was selected and shared. 

LYRICS: TREASURE
Written By Gill / Magee 2004

  • Treasure (2004)
    This song is so special to me. It took me years to really open up and try to process the grief for the sudden passing of a friend of my little sister, and family friend. Weeks before her tragic passing, we had a birthday party in our home. My Dad always took VHS home videos of our family events. I remember the camera was acting up and we only had a few minutes of video, and it was this beautiful girl, running past the camera, laughing and giggling with her golden hair, it felt like the epitome of childhood captured in a few minutes,  

    I love this song because I couldn't bring myself to talk or feel this loss any other way.  By constructing a story around it, it gave me enough distance so that I could feel all of the sadness, and honour it rather than run from it. 

    Listening Now
    Now I listen to this song and I’m struck by the way I used imagery to paint such a strong, contrast in the verses, it almost feels like a poem. The chorus gave me peace and a real tangible way of remembering the person without only experiencing the grief and sadness.I am so proud of this song and what it was able to give me. It gave me so much space to feel. It makes me so proud of younger me for allowing myself to write with my whole heart.

LYRICS: DRIFTED
Written by Gill/ Magee 2006

  • Drifted ( 2006)

    This song we wrote in Philip’s childhood bedroom. We always preferred to jam out songs. Press record and see what stuck or felt good. This song came so naturally and quickly. It is a song close to my heart because I can remember recording it in an actual Recording studio that some of my favourite artists had recorded and sung in. I felt like I could be an actual artist. This is a very special song to me. 

    Listening Now
    My goodness the nostalgia of this song is unbelievable. I remember hearing Philip add all the sound effects, like the reversed piano note. And just being completely blown away by the polished sounding outcome. I also, vividly, performing this at my very first live performance in a pub in Dublin City Centre with Philip and our good friend, Paul and playing the video back to Philip’s mam later that night. It’s very special to me.

LYRICS: 1058
Written By Gill / Magee 2010

  • 1058 (2010)

    This song was written by me one night at 10:58pm. I was in out spare room of our rented home and it was such an amazing time in my life. The excitement of moving in and creating a life together with my now husband. I set up my phone upside down on the manuscript ledge and pressed record. This song just fell out. All the things I wanted to say but found hard to just left me. I decided to leave the name as the time it was recorded cos there was something so magical about that time, I wanted to remember it. 


    Listening Now
    This song brings me such joy, I really pushed myself to have my voice full and open, I played piano and hadn’t actually done that before. I remember our time in the studio down in Drumlish in Co. Longford, just myself and Philip and a bucket of dreams.

Q: Why is music important to you?

FG: Music, singing and songwriting has always provided me with the space to feel, express and process.

It's my home, where I can speak my truth without judgement, without fear or inhibition and without, sometimes, even fully understanding what I'm processing.

It colours in the feelings I find it hard to speak to. It makes my ugly beautiful enough to accept. There is so much freedom I afford myself when creating music and songs. It's meditative.

Q: How did you get into singing?

FG: I can remember at the age of 7 volunteering myself to perform at a school event. I have no idea why I thought I was best suited, but I did fight for the position. During that performance, I stumbled over some words and that did not deter me. I loved singing in front of everyone. That was my first indication that maybe, I like singing.

I played violin from the age of 4. Music was always part of our home and music lessons were part of our weekly schedules. When I got into secondary school, I realised that I could get out of class at various times throughout the year by joining the choir; this, coupled with the fact that I could practically pass my Music State exam by performing weeks before the written paper, made me decide to pursue singing. I always liked the idea of knowing where I would land with results and, in order to remove any pressure from myself, I learned and performed 6 pieces. (I passed by the way!).

In 2002, I met my now husband (the love of my life). He was a guitarist, a music teacher and training to become a Sound Engineer. To me, he was and always will be the coolest person ever (but please don't tell him). We began jamming in his bedroom and creating songs which has led to us songwriting.

In 2008, I recorded a cover of "Somewhere Over The Rainbow"; my Aunt Ruth was very ill and she played it on repeat until she passed away. That meant so much to me that I was able to give her some peace through singing. It transcended all visiting limitations or risk of wearing her out. It was a way of communicating love to her.

I performed at my Aunt Ruth's funeral. It was one of the hardest but most touching things I had ever done. I learned that day that Aunt Ruth wasn't in fact my aunt though. She was my grandmother's best friend of 50 years. So she was our honorary aunt and part of so many of our big family memories and events for my whole life. Aunt Ruth was actually the aunt of Paul Hewson (a.k.a Bono) and yes, that meant I did, in fact, sing at my first funeral in front of Bono.

Covers

Step into the studio and enjoy Fiona Gill cover songs from artists she loves.