The New Citizen Kane Connects on His Bold New EP ‘CAUSING A COMMOTION’ and the Seductive Single "Subconscious"
- STAFF
- Sep 8
- 14 min read
By: Staff
The New Citizen Kane delivers a mesmerizing, boundary-pushing sonic masterpiece with "Subconscious," a captivating confession of raw emotion and irresistible allure.
The New Citizen Kane returns with the captivating new EP ‘CAUSING A COMMOTION’, a tantalizing journey that stirs the senses and unsettles the soul. At the heart of this release is the evocative single Subconscious, a seductive confession whispered from the depths of the mind, exploring forbidden desires that rise when least expected. With a sound that is equal parts dreamy and raw, the EP sweeps listeners into a sun-drenched world where lust, memory, and impulse collide in a kinetic blend of emotion and rhythm.
We spoke with The New Citizen Kane to uncover the stories behind the music and the layers beneath the surface. What inspired the choice to embody vulnerability so completely, placing himself as the sole figure in the haunting Subconscious video? How does this intimate confession reflect a personal journey of unexpected attraction and the chaos that unfolds before logic can catch up? The EP’s title track, ‘CAUSING A COMMOTION’, brings its own texture and depth, adding to the complex emotional landscape that defines this release.
This is more than just music; it is an immersive experience that spans beyond sound into realms of film, design, and mindfulness. The New Citizen Kane reveals how these disciplines have shaped his artistic vision and how he navigates the provocative edges of his work without hesitation. How does one decide when to push boundaries and when to hold back? What does it mean to live inside such a multi-sensory universe and invite listeners into it?
From the bold vulnerability in songwriting to the exploration of raw and often taboo emotions, this conversation pulls back the curtain on an artist unafraid to cause a commotion. Dive into the full interview to discover what drives The New Citizen Kane and what lies ahead on his remarkable path.
Here’s how it went:
Begin Interview:
Hello The New Citizen Kane, we’re thrilled to have you here for this interview! We've had an amazing time exploring your music and diving into your creative journey. Now, we’re even more intrigued to get a deeper look into both your brand and your personal and professional inspirations.
Q. Ok, we want to say that we’ve been fans of your music for some time now. We’ve dived deep into your previous and current projects and want to make one thing clear. When we read “CAUSING A COMMOTION” as the name of your EP, we were like, OMG!! There’s no more appropriate name for this. Your looks, come on, you know it, cause a commotion. Your music causes a commotion. Your style and swagger literally exude from everything you do, even just entering a room you cause a commotion. So this name couldn’t be more perfect. This isn’t really a question, but we couldn’t hold back from explaining the obvious. At least now we know you’re self-aware, and that’s exactly why we love your music so much. So for the readers, let’s drag some details out of The New Citizen Kane.
A. Hahaha, thanks guys… Self aware, yes, but I still blush every now & then! It was definitely meant to be a bit tongue-in-cheek about the title, because why play it safe right?! Life’s too short..
Q. We loved CAUSING A COMMOTION. This EP feels like a sun-drenched, emotionally-charged ride through lust, memory, and impulse, equal parts dreamy, raw, and irresistibly kinetic. After experiencing this, we want to know, when and how did you go from making music in your own world to realizing this wasn’t just a passion, but the path, that this could actually be your future as a professional artist in the music industry?
A. Well, I’ve been in & out of the industry for 20+ years, sometimes behind the scenes, sometimes out front & centre.. I knew early on that indie was the way for me, I was too head strong with a clear vision of what I wanted to do to sign to a label, and because of my appearance, conversations with labels earlier on in my career always ended up in “boyband, pop, teen girls, we’ll write the songs” territory, and that just is not what I wanted. As a writer I ended up with the same disillusionment of labels always wanting cookie-cutter hits, and so eventually after releasing “It’s Not Science.. It’s A Feeling” independently, and having a good year or so touring clubs & festivals, I thought I was done with music and could focus on a “normal” career etc. In those early days I fell into the same trap a lot of artists do, you know the “people will find me cause the music speaks for itself”, and I never actually did all my homework to understand in detail all the different ways to make money, the various collection agencies, sync opportunities, how to market yourself like a product - I never detached myself the person from myself the artist. When I got back into making & releasing music last year I understood the power of streaming for the first time, as a marketing tool, to reach a global audience, and the need to advertise, just like any other product, in order to reach the right audience - it finally clicked that I can make a living making music, if I think like a label, and if I can keep going long enough for a regular income stream to develop.. So I set up my own label and after lots of trial and error I feel like I’m getting somewhere in recent months.
Q. We watched and listened to the video for “Subconscious.” What was the idea behind putting yourself as the main and also sole character, and alluding to being nude? How does that tie into the song’s meaning and the message you want listeners to absorb?
A. Alluding!? Who says I’m not nude…? Haha. Well you guys also got to see the original cut of the video which didn’t feature me at all, and for a long time I wanted to make videos that didn’t feature me at all, but I’m not stupid, I can see the numbers and the engagement rate of the songs & videos is always much higher when I put myself in there. It makes sense, people want to connect with you as an artist. Subconscious is a song about desire, it’s about seduction, it’s about that inner conflict we all have between what we think we should want & do and what we really want deep down. Since I came back with Endless Summer, I’ve taken on making my own music videos as a creative extension of the storytelling. I have always been creative & have so many ideas whizzing around my head constantly that I decided to put faith in my vision 100%. And so I wanted to lean into that sultry, seductive vibe for this video to represent the song fully. It didn’t need an extra character because although the song is about a situation that occurred with another person, it’s also not. It’s really about the inner predicament & struggle, you see what I mean?
Q. The title “SUBCONSCIOUS” suggests hidden layers beneath awareness. Why did you choose this name, and what does it signify for you personally?
A. There was no second option for this one when it came to naming the song. We all battle constantly on a daily basis with multiple inner voices, personalities if you will, over a myriad of topics. Our “conscious” self is merely the part of us we’ve chosen to share with the world. When it comes to sexuality this condition multiplies even more with various societal constraints & norms people try to live up to, but as far down as we may try to keep certain desires they have a way of coming up for air eventually.
Q. We already know “Subconscious” is about one specific person in your life, don’t even deny it. Without naming names, give us the backstory, and where is this connection in your life now? Is it resolved or not?
A. It is definitely resolved, yes.. I am happily married at this point in my life! The song is about a situationship that took place 10/11 years ago. I was part of a very close knit group of friends for about 2 years, and we did everything together over those 2 summers… One of them, who had a boyfriend, also had this strong energy with me & after weeks of telling myself I was imagining it, one night after a dinner party & way too much wine, walking home together it happened you know?! We had this pull that was impossible to resist, and we would be stealing kisses while our friends were in the next room. I mean looking back it seemed so obvious, I’m sure everyone knew and we were just telling ourselves it was this big secret. I understood eventually that he wasn’t leaving his boyfriend, and I certainly wasn’t going to demand that. I broke away and moved on with my life. We still have friends in common and bump into each other occasionally but there’s definitely nothing there from my side. Once the castle crumbles, I don’t tend to go back.
Q. You write about forbidden feelings that rise unexpectedly. How do you approach expressing emotions that feel taboo or dangerous in real life? Do you still act on these feelings, or are your songs a kind of cosplay for your thoughts, an outlet where you explore them safely?
A. I wouldn’t say my songs are cosplay, I always write from a personal perspective, either an experience I’ve lived through or my observations on life, so although it didn’t happen yesterday and it may not be an impulse I’d be acting on right now, it is a lived experience, and I can take myself back to that moment when I’m writing or recording and be in that headspace for an afternoon. I write about the human experience essentially, and I always try to write from an honest point of view of how I’ve observed or experienced something, and that is why people reach out & message me all the time to say they can relate to a particular song so much. That means the world to me. After Ratbag Joy I wouldn’t consider Subconscious to be particularly taboo, it might not be talked about openly often, but it’s a much more “mainstream” feeling & situation that most people experience compared to Ratbag Joy’s thematic.
Q. Now that everyone you know and all your fans will have questions, how does vulnerability factor into your songwriting when revealing such intimate stories? Do you let the song tell all, or do you keep some deeper details gated in your personal circles?
A. I made a conscious choice to be completely open & vulnerable this time around, it wasn’t even a choice, it was a NEED when I was making The Tales Of Morpheus, which was such a cathartic experience and a reckoning with my life up until that moment. I’ve always been an open book with my friends, I’m just making that pool of friends wider now with the sharing. My one concern with some songs was how my husband would feel about them, or about me sharing some stories, but he is so supportive! He loves what I’ve been creating, and understands certain stories are from my past, we all have a past, right?! And I just share a LOT of mine, hahaha. I will never reveal names of people who are involved in certain songs, but these are my tales to tell, and there’s a freedom in being open & vulnerable. I don’t believe in shaming or what not, live life, learn from your mistakes, share your lessons & wisdom.
Q. You describe “SUBCONSCIOUS” as a whispered confession. We loved how the two radio mixes represent different internal voices. What does it feel like to embody both the mind’s restraint and the heart’s urgency in one track? Why was this important for this particular song?
A. The whole theme of the songs is the push & pull between logic & passion, reason & unfiltered desire… I’m always looking for an interesting way to represent my songs musically, and I thought, let’s represent those 2 voices as 2 core mixes: the main version, or the reason radio mix as it’s become, is conversational in tone & delivery, you can almost hear me trying to convince myself into something. The primordial radio mix, if balls to the wall disco-dance throbbing passion.. The music has an urgency to it, from the first notes of the strings to the crescendo in the pre-chorus. I had a lot of fun recording it, where I often tend to opt for a more restrained mellow vocal delivery, on this one I was singing right down in my belly, going back to my theatre days!
Q. “Causing A Commotion” is an EP exclusive. We think this was pivotal in adding uniqueness and depth to the project. What made you choose that track for this purpose? And did it ultimately give the EP its name?
A. So I LOVE LOVE LOVE the title of the song, it’s a fun song about those early days of infatuation and early love or lust, when really your hormones ARE causing chaos in your body. But lyrically it’s not particularly deep or profound or emotional, so it was just sitting there, it wasn’t up for consideration to be included in PSYCHEDELIKA. But I hate to waste a song, and why can’t a song just be a bit of fun?! So when I decided to put together the EP as a kind of farewell kiss to summer, and a celebration of the summer's successes, of course I was including some new unreleased versions of old songs but I wanted there to be one original too, and it kind of became a no brainer that Causing A Commotion would be that song and that it had to be the titular song.
Q. Your album universe spans music, film, design, mindfulness, and live performance. We’ve seen you explore these mediums so powerfully. How did you become so experienced and entrenched in these disciplines? Did you study them formally, work in those fields, or was it all self-taught?
A. Well I studied music & music production formally in university, and I went to a performing arts school throughout high school studying music, dance & acting until I was 19 performing professionally in Dublin when I was 19/20. I’ve also studied photography formally but just as a hobby. Design has always been a part of my life, I studied art & design through high school, I come from a creative family and my mom is an accomplished painter & designer, so although I never went on to formally study design in my later education I have always created even just for myself. With film & editing it’s really been self-taught, but I think once you are creative in one field, you naturally have ideas that cross over into other disciplines but usually we hope for someone to interpret our ideas & bring it to life. That’s what I did in the past, but this time around I wanted to really express my vision completely. I’ve always had a curious mind and I love learning new things constantly, likewise I’ve always been a bit hyperactive and in need of a project. When I was younger that energy would often be channeled towards partying & fun, but as I’ve grown I’ve learned to channel that energy constructively. The idea of creating a full visual album may seem daunting to many, and I actually never set out with that intention for The Tales Of Morpheus; initially I was making videos that were edits of video clips I had on phone from holidays or exhibitions, and pop culture clips I would find, and then build a narrative through them… I would send them to a couple of friends who I knew would enjoy my visual take on the song and one of them asking “wow, Kane, are you going to make a video for every song on the album” and I laughed at how absurd that was. But the thing about creating is that the more you bring your ideas to life, the more ideas come to life in your mind! Forget The World was the first REAL music video that I made that was recording from scratch with that intention and it’s pretty fu*#in’ awesome I think!! I’ve gradually been getting better & learning new tricks as I go, and they may not always be perfect but fans get to see the evolution as well. In the end you can do a lot with very little budget if you’re willing to think outside the box a little.
Q. Given that your music isn’t afraid to be provocative or cutting-edge, how do you gauge when to push further into discomfort and when to pull back? Have you ever reached a limit where you said, “Okay, that’s enough”? Can you describe that moment?
A. I’m a song writer first and foremost, everything I do now is in service to the song. I’m never actively trying to be provocative for provocative’s sake, I’m just writing about real things we all go through, and I’m not sugarcoating them. I think because musically I toe the line between mainstream sounds and experimental, especially with more commercial sounding productions people are caught off guard when the lyrical subject matter is quite so blatant and no-holes barred. If my lyrics were set to dark techno, or heavy metal in those cases, people wouldn’t bat an eyelid - because it’s expected. I hate expectations, I love to subvert them, whether it’s through my songwriting, through genre-hopping, through a video… Basically - never think that you know what I’m going to do next, because you’ll be disappointed, that I can promise.
Q. How do you hope listeners will engage with the multi-sensory universe you’re creating with this incredible body of work? What kind of experience do you want to leave them with?
A. I hope they come to it with an open mind and open heart. That they get from the music what they need to, and that they appreciate the different facets of the universe that will be unveiled bit by bit. Everything will come together in a unique way.. Stay tuned for announcements soon! Whatever I create I try to make it a positive experience for those that engage, there will be a few surprises I hope, but for those that are curious & want to dive in, there will be a lot to explore.. :)
Q. Ok, just a few more things that have been lingering in our minds.
A. Shoot! Nothing’s off the table…
Q. What do you want people to remember most about you after hearing this EP and reading this interview?
A. Oh geez, my name so they can go and find me on youtube or their favourite streaming platform! Hahaha.. I don’t know, I guess if it’s a positive impression they’re left with, just to stay tuned, keep coming back, spread the word.. It all helps keep the engine running. Heck, if something I said or one of my songs resonated with you, reach out on socials & let me know, I love to connect!
Q. Outside of music, who or what has had the biggest influence on your personal growth or artistic perspective?
A. Certain friends for sure have inspired me to be my authentic self, my husband’s unwavering support, a documentary film about the artist Jean Cocteau, Bjork and everything she does, anyone who refuses to fall in line with big money & industry standards, young people with dreams, old people who still dream.. Life is inspiration, everyday I learn a little more & grow from it.
Q. This question we’ve wanted to ask for what feels like forever. Your name is so unique. We’ve never heard anything that lands quite like it. Can you tell us the backstory? How did you choose the name The New Citizen Kane?
A. Well, it was pretty easy actually. My mum named me Kane after the movie Citizen Kane, and also because at the time it was quite uncommon as a first name in Ireland, you’d hear it used more as a surname. When I was restarting in London back in 2009, I wanted to create a persona, something tied to pop culture… something I thought would make me more interesting. I didn’t realise at the time the most interesting thing I could be was myself, who’d have known?!?! So I kept the name when I decided to release last year, but it’s evolved from being a “persona” I could hide behind back in 2013, to the most authentic expression of myself now in 2025.
Q. And finally, what’s next? The New Citizen Kane, we can’t thank you enough for sharing these intimate details. So, what’s next? Can you give us the inside scoop on your upcoming projects and what fans should be excited about? We’d love for the readers to hear the news directly from you.
A. There is SOOO much coming! But firstly Psychedelika!! Part 1 comes out this November, but insider SCOOP: It will be available to fans to purchase through my website one month before - and I don’t mean pre-order, I mean available to listen and flick through the lyrics & art booklet if you buy the physical copy one whole month before it lands on streaming platforms. Direct to fans is the future of the indie music scene, streaming is really just a marketing tool.
Another SCOOP: I have developed a companion app for Psychedelika, fans will get access to the app when they purchase the album. As well as the full music and visual versions of the album, there will be games & mindfulness exercises that unlock exclusive content, a community section to interact with me & each other, and much much more leading into Psychedelika part 2 next year.
I may have said too much already, but there’s more to come… I’m excited, I hope you are too!
The New Citizen Kane, thank you so much, we appreciate you taking the time to talk to us!
End Interview
We’re happy to have shared The New Citizen Kane’s exciting journey with you and uncovered such inspiring insights about their creative process.
