Irish Duo Saint Sister Share New Single “The Place That I Work” Featuring Lisa Hannigan
Irish duo Saint Sister have shared their second single of 2020 in advance of their new album due out next year. The pair of Morgan MacIntyre and Gemma Doherty first met in 2014, and quickly knew there was an opportunity to collaborate. Doherty is the arranger/producer of the group, while MacIntyre plays the role of songwriter, and on their new single “The Place Where I Work”, they’ve brought in Irish vocalist Lisa Hannigan.
Crisp, interlocking three way harmonies lead the song, with a soft instrumentation of strings, synthesizers, and birdsong accompanying the vocals. The story of a reconciled friendship comes to life through the lyrics, immediately setting the scene: ‘The day you walked into the bookstore truth is I was glad to see you but I couldn’t smile, I thought about the last time we spoke, what you said had hurt, and now you show up talking nicely at the place where I work.’ With an endearing simplicity, the track grabs your attention as the three vocalists tell the story of the two individuals reconnecting unexpectedly. The music video – aptly set in a bookshop – is warm and inviting, as the trio brings the story to life.
“I wrote this song while I was working as a Christmas temp in Dublin’s oldest bookshop,” MacIntyre explains. “One day a friend, who I hadn’t seen since we had a misunderstanding, came in and caught me completely off guard. I was, all at once, angry that we hadn’t talked for months and that they had chosen now, to come to where I worked to make peace, but also undeniably relieved and happy to see them, to know we were still friends.”
About the arrangement, Doherty says that it became apparent after a few attempts that the song should be vocally driven. “We’re so used to signing as a duo…but with three voices you can find a real sense of completion within the chords,” she says. “When we first started thinking of it in three-parts, the first voice that came to mind was Lisa [Hannigan’s].” The three artists have previously toured together, with Hannigan having invited Saint Sister to open for her on her 2017 European Tour.
The trio first performed the song for “The Ruby Sessions At Home” series in March, which benefited the Dublin Simon Community. Wanting to continue to show support, Doherty and MacIntyre commissioned a limited edition print, inspired by the lyrics and designed by Joshua Fanning, and will be donating a third of the proceeds to the charity. “It’s a mad old time…Mind yourselves and each other.” ‘The Place Where I Work’ is available through all streaming platforms, and you can watch the music video below:
