For Aaron Rowe, music was an instinct rather than a pursuit. Growing up in Monkstown Farm, a working-class pocket of South Dublin, he wasn’t surrounded by music. In his community, becoming a musician wasn’t an obvious path. “Inside of me, I always wanted to be a musician, but I kind of hid it,” he admits. Instead, he spent years kickboxing and boxing, even considering a more practical path as an electrician, trying to fit in.
Encouraged by choir teachers at school, Aaron Rowe sang quietly but kept his passion hidden from friends at home. That changed at 17 when he made a defining choice – playing his guitar outside his house for those who had never heard him before. It was now or never. “I was sure they were going to rip me apart for it, but they actually loved it.” From that pivotal moment on, persistence fuelled his journey.
As Aaron often jokes, great things seem to happen to him in the pub. So that’s where he cut his teeth encouraged by older musicians in his area, he started gigging in pubs, often playing “four or five gigs in one day – full two-hour sets, performing for eight, nine, even ten hours.”
Songwriting came naturally, mostly inspired by real-life events. “If you’re paying attention, the stories always come.” Influenced by American soul legends like Sam Cooke, Otis Redding, and James Brown, alongside British bands like The Stone Roses and Oasis, Aaron developed a sound shaped by raw emotion and lived experience. Songwriting became his way of processing life – from personal struggles to tragic losses, including friends who passed away too young. He found a way to transform grief into melody connecting to listeners through honesty & authenticity. “I want people to feel like it’s real, that it’s me in every note,” he shares. “I know what I want to say, and if people connect with that, then that’s the most important thing.”
From early struggles with identity to embracing his talent and passion for music, Aaron’s journey is one of resilience, self-discovery, and authenticity – a testament to the power of music to transcend barriers.