Noella Hutton's new album hits right note

Ubertalented Derry singer-songwriter Noella Hutton has released a new album.

Comprising seven new songs, ‘Shakin’ Heaven and Hell’ is available to download free at www.noellahutton.bandcamp. It will also be officially launched in CD form, upstairs in Tinney’s Bar in the city, on December 28.

Speaking to Derry Now, Noella said she wanted to do an album for free to say ‘Thank you’ to everybody who supported her through the pandemic and other things in her life.

Noella with the late Sinead O'Connor.

‘Shakin’ Heaven and Hell’ was produced by Eamonn Karran and Noella at The Attic Studio.

“It is basically about the ups and the downs and the goods and the bads in life,” said Noella. “You have to take it all in and just go through life and not worry too much about the hard times or not cling to much to the good times and realise when there is an up, there is going to be a massive down as well. That is the general vibe of the album.

“One of my favourite songs on there is called ‘Egos In a Blinkered Life’ and that is about the state of the world right now. It goes, ‘Concrete lips and fake smiles, phoney tits and sad eyes, think how lucky you were born, now you just look surprised.’ The chorus is ‘What are we going to leave behind? We are all egos in a blinkered life.’

“All of the songs were written for the album. I decided in April I wanted to record an album and I went into the studio in July. It took about six weeks and now that it is all finished, I just wanted to get it out there.

“I love it, absolutely love it. Eamonn is an amazing talent. We arranged all the strings. He is somebody I have always worked with. He is just brilliant. I have done a few wee videos and people seem to love it but promoting your work  is a tough old business.”

Noella said she had been singing since she was “knee high to a grasshopper”.

Noella with Van Morrison.

“I was always singing,” she laughed. “I was one of the youngest members of the Long Tower Folk Group and I sang in primary school and secondary school. Everything that was going on I was involved in it.

“I did a lot in St Columb’s Hall. I did all the shows. It was all for the craic. I taught myself how to play guitar when I was about 14 and as soon as I learned three or four chords, I started writing songs.”

Noella described herself as “one of the Huttons”.

“My daddy, John, was from Blucher Street. They were all footballers and singers. Mammy, who is called Josephine, was from the Lecky Road.

“My sister, Jeanette, is also an amazing singer. She has been a massive influence on me. In fact, she has also recorded her own album, which is also going to be launched on December 28 in Tinney’s. It is more acoustic than ‘Shakin’ Heaven and Hell’. It is brilliant.

“My other sisters are Martina and Sharon and my brothers are Paul and Eamonn and Sean, who passed away a few years ago. Jeanette actually wrote a song about our Sean. It is called ‘Horses in Heaven’ because Sean was incredibly lucky in the bookies.”

During covid, Noella lived on her own with her dog, Bubba.

“I was outside Culmore Manor every day, hail, rain or snow, shouting in the window to Mammy,” she said. “Covid was difficult but I entertained people online during the pandemic. That was great.”

Elaborating on her incredible life story, Noella revealed she was away from Derry for almost 20 years.

She added: “I released two albums in the States. Before I left Ireland, I was singing Van Morrison and people like that. Then I lived in London but that is a whole other story. I was signed by Universal in London and I was flown over to the States.

“The first person to offer me a record deal was Boy George, in London, but I turned him down. I didn’t want to be just associated with being gay, I didn’t like that concept because that is a small part of who I am.

“I waited it out and within a month I was called by the head of Universal. They flew me straight to LA, where I met everybody and I recorded my first album out there, ‘Noella Hutton’.

“I was touring away. I played everywhere. All over America. I stayed in the Chelsea Hotel in New York. The record company kept me in New York for a year just to sing all around New York and promote the album. I was about 24 or 26 when the album was released.”

Noella said it  was her  therapy to sing and to write songs.

“That was the only thing I knew,” she said. “I did a live TV show when I was 19. It was called ‘The Show’ in Belfast and Van Morrison was there with his band and Arty McGlynn was playing guitar along with me, doing one of my original songs.

“The producers of the show then asked me to end the show as well, which was not scripted and Van came over and said just use my band. I sang again with them up at a big festival in San Jose.

“I have so many stories I can’t begin to tell you. There was one time I was invited to the Playboy mansion, one Hallowe’en night. I can safely say it was a memorable party. Hugh Hefner was an absolute gentleman and such an interesting and generous soul. There's a lot more I could say but I'm going to keep it for the biography.

“I did the Lilith Fair with Stevie Nicks, Sarah McLachlan,Chrissie Hynde and The Dixie Chicks. In the Rosebowl in Pasadena in front of 30,000 people. Then, I came home to Derry in 2004. It was great for the first year and then I just found Derry very tough. America to me was a dream. Derry was hard to get gigs and to be taken seriously.”

Noella was repeatedly at pains to stress she wanted to thank people who were supportive of her and kept her going over the past few years.

“Honestly it was pretty dire for most of us but, generally speaking, people here are so lovely. I have never made a plan. I don’t believe in them.”

‘Shakin’ Heaven and Hell’ will be launched in Tinney’s Bar, on December 28. Doors open at 9.00pm. Tickets cost £10. For more information, follow Noella on Facebook: www.facebook.com/thefirstnoella.