With an ebb and flow: Irish singer-songwriter Foy Vance finds inspiration from moments in life

Sep. 21—Foy Vance is feeling great.

He's taking the morning to sit on the patio of his hotel room and relax.

The Irish singer-songwriter is also celebrating the release of the anniversary edition of "Joy of Nothing." The album was released on Aug. 18, and marks the 10th anniversary of the original album.

"It's kind of hard to believe that a decade has passed," Vance says. "Remember how everything from the age of seven until your mid-20s takes ages to pass," he says. "Then as you hit your 30s, time seems to speed up, and you can't seem to keep up or make it slow down."

Vance is currently on tour in the United States. His tour is set to make a stop at St. Francis Auditorium at the New Mexico Museum of Art in Santa Fe on Monday, Sept. 25.

There are three new tracks on "Joy of Nothing" and Vance says the new tracks worked with the arc of the album.

"The thread of the new songs is each one is looking at the past and future," he says. "It all fits together quite nicely."

As Vance got ready to head out on the road, he knew there had to be a plan, so he worked with his team on it all.

When it comes to a set list, he will make a set of songs that he wants to play.

Yet, he never sticks to the list.

"Things change so much on stage, that I can be reminded of a song and then want to perform it," he says. "I like an ebb and flow to my shows. There are certain songs I want to play and there are songs that I was to bring to a service. I also like being surprised. Like that moment when I play something I wasn't going to. It's almost like I'm a voyeur too. I'm getting to see myself in a different way."

Music has been a huge part of Vance's life and enjoys every moment.

Alongside co-writer Ed Sheeran and producer Max Martin, Vance was recently nominated for a 2023 Primetime Emmy Award for "Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics" for Sheeran's "A Beautiful Game" from the Apple TV+ series "Ted Lasso."

For more than a decade, he's been an in-demand songwriter.

He's collaborations include co-writing four cuts including "Galway Girl" on Ed Sheeran's 2017 album "Divide."

He has also worked with Alicia Keys, Rag'n'Bone Man, Keith Urban, Kacey Musgraves, Miranda Lambert, Plan B and Rudimental among many others.

Vance is proud of his successes and says there is no winning formula to songwriting.

Yet, he does say that his approach has been the same since he started in music.

"Everyone has their own way of articulating," he says. "For me, it's a little bit like the song is already there, and you need to listen for it. I've worked on my craft for years so that when the song reveals itself, I'm able to take it and run. Songs are like cats. If you ignore them and stay really still and quiet, they will come to you."

Vance is looking forward to being back in Santa Fe to perform. He'd visited the area on his last tour and was impressed.

"I went horseback riding, which was fun," he says. "I also remember drinking a margarita and feeling like it was stronger than I was used to. I was quickly reminded that the altitude has an effect."

Vance's writing process is personal and admits that he only releases about 15% of his songs.

"Eighty-five percent of the songs I write are super personal and not ready for the world to hear," he says. "As I've gotten older, I'm enjoying the live shows more too as it's an opportunity for me to show my vulnerable side. I'll mess up lyrics or songs and have to begin again. It's always an adventure."