The C2C Sit Down with Alyssa Flaherty
Hot off the release of her debut EP, Heartbreak, Thank You, last summer Alyssa Flaherty wasted no time in making her UK debut with performances at The Long Road and Country Calling Festival. With the UK crowd having taken her in as one of their own at this shows, Alyssa is now getting set for her second trip to our shores in just a matter of months as she prepares to head to C2C Festival at London’s O2 Arena where she will be performing as part of the Song Suffragettes Songwriters Round and also on the festival stages. We caught up with Alyssa to look ahead to her latest trip.
Hey there.
Hi, how are you?
Not bad, how are you today?
So good!
Thank you for taking the time.
Oh, thank you for having me, I'm so excited!
We are too as you're backed this way in just a few weeks' time now.
I cannot wait, it's gonna be so much fun.
Did you think it would be so soon after the last trip that you’d be getting ready to get on a plane back to us again?
I honestly did not. I thought, okay, maybe we'll be back next summer, maybe we'll make it back in the next year, but I'm so fired up to be coming back as soon as I am. I feel like we were just there, but it also feels like it's been years. I'm so excited.
You're going to now have people who are going to know your music a bit more than last time, and then people will be seeing you for the first time.
Yes! I remember the first show I had over there, we were in York. My EP had just come out a month before, and I was like, oh my gosh, this is just gonna be fun to go and play some songs, and people were singing the words back already, and I was like, this is insane! This is just… you guys are such incredible fans, it's so cool, I love it.
And you're going back to York again, aren't you?
Yes, yes, yes. I'm like, I got to, I gotta go back. It is so cool. I love that city so much, it's so awesome.
Hey there.
Hi, how are you?
Not bad, how are you today?
So good!
Thank you for taking the time.
Oh, thank you for having me, I'm so excited!
We are too as you're backed this way in just a few weeks' time now.
I cannot wait, it's gonna be so much fun.
Did you think it would be so soon after the last trip that you’d be getting ready to get on a plane back to us again?
I honestly did not. I thought, okay, maybe we'll be back next summer, maybe we'll make it back in the next year, but I'm so fired up to be coming back as soon as I am. I feel like we were just there, but it also feels like it's been years. I'm so excited.
You're going to now have people who are going to know your music a bit more than last time, and then people will be seeing you for the first time.
Yes! I remember the first show I had over there, we were in York. My EP had just come out a month before, and I was like, oh my gosh, this is just gonna be fun to go and play some songs, and people were singing the words back already, and I was like, this is insane! This is just… you guys are such incredible fans, it's so cool, I love it.
And you're going back to York again, aren't you?
Yes, yes, yes. I'm like, I got to, I gotta go back. It is so cool. I love that city so much, it's so awesome.
This time around, the main event of the trip is going to be the C2C Festival in London. It’s only your second trip and you’ve now ticked off The Long Road, Country Calling and C2C.
I don’t know how I've managed to be so lucky, but I'm like, alright, I'm coming back! It is such a cool energy there and it's so fun to see friends that I know that are gonna be playing. It's a vibe and everyone's excited to be there. There’re little vendors, there's shops, there's music, it’s the best atmosphere you can possibly be in, and especially just to play in. I'm so fired up to go and watch and perform and just be a part of all of it. It's such a cool experience.
You've got a couple of sets at the festival including Song Suffragettes. Is that quite nice to get to do more than one set on a festival weekend so plenty of people experience your music?
I think it's gonna be so special - especially the Song Suffragettes. Crazy enough, I ended up going to see one of their shows at the listening room here in Nashville when I first moved and it's very much a case of you just sit and listen. It's just like the fan base in the UK as you guys are so incredible at just sitting and listening and wanting to hear the songs, and we're so used to rowdy people in bars that don't stop talking, and you're like, I hope you heard any of this song! Song Suffragettes is a really, really cool company, and I'm just so honoured to be able to do a round with them. I'm really excited for that because it feels like a full-circle moment for me from one of the first shows I got to see in Nashville, and now I get to go do that with those girls overseas. The Roundup Stage is gonna be so much fun, too. I'm just happy to be a part of it any way I can. It's gonna be so cool.
Having experienced it in Nashville, how does it feel to see events like Song Suffragettes embracing how country music has gone global?
It’s just so cool to see that real-time progression. They're doing something so awesome, empowering women, and doing their thing, so that's really, really cool to see. It's an honour to be over there, and for people to be able to sit and hear the stories about how the songs were made, and it's just such a unique experience for the artist and the listener. I'm such a huge fan of Hannah McFarlane, she's someone I've been following and have known for a little while, so it's just really cool to get to go do that with people that you also are fans of and support everything they're doing just adds to the camaraderie and makes it super special.
I don’t know how I've managed to be so lucky, but I'm like, alright, I'm coming back! It is such a cool energy there and it's so fun to see friends that I know that are gonna be playing. It's a vibe and everyone's excited to be there. There’re little vendors, there's shops, there's music, it’s the best atmosphere you can possibly be in, and especially just to play in. I'm so fired up to go and watch and perform and just be a part of all of it. It's such a cool experience.
You've got a couple of sets at the festival including Song Suffragettes. Is that quite nice to get to do more than one set on a festival weekend so plenty of people experience your music?
I think it's gonna be so special - especially the Song Suffragettes. Crazy enough, I ended up going to see one of their shows at the listening room here in Nashville when I first moved and it's very much a case of you just sit and listen. It's just like the fan base in the UK as you guys are so incredible at just sitting and listening and wanting to hear the songs, and we're so used to rowdy people in bars that don't stop talking, and you're like, I hope you heard any of this song! Song Suffragettes is a really, really cool company, and I'm just so honoured to be able to do a round with them. I'm really excited for that because it feels like a full-circle moment for me from one of the first shows I got to see in Nashville, and now I get to go do that with those girls overseas. The Roundup Stage is gonna be so much fun, too. I'm just happy to be a part of it any way I can. It's gonna be so cool.
Having experienced it in Nashville, how does it feel to see events like Song Suffragettes embracing how country music has gone global?
It’s just so cool to see that real-time progression. They're doing something so awesome, empowering women, and doing their thing, so that's really, really cool to see. It's an honour to be over there, and for people to be able to sit and hear the stories about how the songs were made, and it's just such a unique experience for the artist and the listener. I'm such a huge fan of Hannah McFarlane, she's someone I've been following and have known for a little while, so it's just really cool to get to go do that with people that you also are fans of and support everything they're doing just adds to the camaraderie and makes it super special.
This time around, you get to do another few dates on top of those at C2C. Are you seeing the importance of getting out beyond the festivals?
Yeah, it was like, where can we go and hope that we're gonna sell some tickets! Obviously, C2C is going to be incredible, and I'm so excited to meet those fans and be a part of that whole thing. After C2C, we're going to Manchester for a show at the Rat and Pigeon, which will be really, really cool as I've always wanted to go to Manchester and York will be so much fun again. Hitting those little spots and finding those fans and getting to be in person and meet them is so special. It's very surreal. You work so hard for certain things like this to hopefully happen, and then when you're doing it, you're like, I can't believe we’re actually here. That's how I felt last time, so I'm just excited to do it again.
How much does it mean, though, to get invited back to 45 Vinyl in York, as this time you’ll be there for two nights?
Oh, my God. What I was shocked about, is I had said let's do Friday or Saturday and they came back saying how about Friday and Saturday. I was like, are we sure? Are you serious? Are we ready? Even just that is a huge honour and such a huge compliment. I'm just so excited to be there in person again. It's such an intimate venue, and it's such a cool spot. I fell in love with York. That was the first place we went last time, you can walk everywhere, it's so cute, it's just beautiful and quaint. My mom and I are both can't wait to go back and hopefully see friends we met last time.
Have you noticed between these two trips people reaching out on socials, saying that they've seen you; they’ve heard about you now; they’re gutted they missed your last shows; or that they're coming again to shows?
I'm blown away by the response and support from people from the UK. It is truly so cool, and it's just wild to think that my music is hitting over there and people are connecting with it. It's so surreal. With the whole social media thing, I think for artists, sometimes we can get caught up, but to really see it's connecting with people and then they end up showing up to shows, it’s such a special thing and it's just crazy when you think about that.
Yeah, it was like, where can we go and hope that we're gonna sell some tickets! Obviously, C2C is going to be incredible, and I'm so excited to meet those fans and be a part of that whole thing. After C2C, we're going to Manchester for a show at the Rat and Pigeon, which will be really, really cool as I've always wanted to go to Manchester and York will be so much fun again. Hitting those little spots and finding those fans and getting to be in person and meet them is so special. It's very surreal. You work so hard for certain things like this to hopefully happen, and then when you're doing it, you're like, I can't believe we’re actually here. That's how I felt last time, so I'm just excited to do it again.
How much does it mean, though, to get invited back to 45 Vinyl in York, as this time you’ll be there for two nights?
Oh, my God. What I was shocked about, is I had said let's do Friday or Saturday and they came back saying how about Friday and Saturday. I was like, are we sure? Are you serious? Are we ready? Even just that is a huge honour and such a huge compliment. I'm just so excited to be there in person again. It's such an intimate venue, and it's such a cool spot. I fell in love with York. That was the first place we went last time, you can walk everywhere, it's so cute, it's just beautiful and quaint. My mom and I are both can't wait to go back and hopefully see friends we met last time.
Have you noticed between these two trips people reaching out on socials, saying that they've seen you; they’ve heard about you now; they’re gutted they missed your last shows; or that they're coming again to shows?
I'm blown away by the response and support from people from the UK. It is truly so cool, and it's just wild to think that my music is hitting over there and people are connecting with it. It's so surreal. With the whole social media thing, I think for artists, sometimes we can get caught up, but to really see it's connecting with people and then they end up showing up to shows, it’s such a special thing and it's just crazy when you think about that.
As an artist still in the early stages of your career having only moved to Nashville six years ago, people wouldn’t blame you if you were solely focusing on the Nashville area markets either.
1000%. It's wild. Our whole strategy was let's get over there as soon as we can and just start building those fans one by one. Fans are fans, and that's the most important part. You do this for the fans; you want to connect with the fans. Getting to go over there and talk with people and meet so many people fills up my cup so much. That's my favourite part. Getting to talk to people after a show and seeing them show up somewhere else, or if they're ever here and they come to a show, it's the most special reunion ever. I think it's just really cool that we've gotten to go over there. It was my first time ever almost leaving the country. To get to go do what I love and share what I do all the time with people, and feel the love and excitement is just so cool. You can't go wrong getting over there as early as you possibly can because it's a snowball effect. You go one time, people are excited, they love it, they start following you. You go again, they bring friends to the show, and then you get to meet them, and you get to just build that fan base, and really see how it does grow. Even when I was over there in August, someone came to a show in York, and then they came to the Long Road, and they brought friends with them. It was already that little snowball. I think it's so smart and so exciting to go over there as soon as you can, and I'm just thrilled. I'm like, okay, I can't wait even till next time. I want to go back again, I want to have another date on the calendar!
1000%. It's wild. Our whole strategy was let's get over there as soon as we can and just start building those fans one by one. Fans are fans, and that's the most important part. You do this for the fans; you want to connect with the fans. Getting to go over there and talk with people and meet so many people fills up my cup so much. That's my favourite part. Getting to talk to people after a show and seeing them show up somewhere else, or if they're ever here and they come to a show, it's the most special reunion ever. I think it's just really cool that we've gotten to go over there. It was my first time ever almost leaving the country. To get to go do what I love and share what I do all the time with people, and feel the love and excitement is just so cool. You can't go wrong getting over there as early as you possibly can because it's a snowball effect. You go one time, people are excited, they love it, they start following you. You go again, they bring friends to the show, and then you get to meet them, and you get to just build that fan base, and really see how it does grow. Even when I was over there in August, someone came to a show in York, and then they came to the Long Road, and they brought friends with them. It was already that little snowball. I think it's so smart and so exciting to go over there as soon as you can, and I'm just thrilled. I'm like, okay, I can't wait even till next time. I want to go back again, I want to have another date on the calendar!
Last time, the EP had literally come out, we're talking weeks beforehand, whereas now we're 7 months on. Is it nice to feel like the EP's had that chance to breathe, people have had time to see your name again and taken time to listen?
Yeah, when we went for the first time, I was coming off the EP release, other dates here in the US and it was almost like this whirlwind summer of, okay, where are we going next? What are we doing? Like, da-da-da-da. I feel now touring hasn't been too crazy in the fall and winter, this is my first tour dates of the year and so it's exciting to be like, alright, we've been working on some new music, been writing some songs, excited to go play some stuff, and just show people what I've been doing since I was there last time. So, I'm really, really, really fired up for that.
I guess the tricky bit's gonna be sorting a set list, because you're going to now have people who want to hear songs you played last time and people who are experiencing you for the first time and might know if a song is new or old.
I know! You know what? I'm like, if you're requesting a song, I'm gonna play the song. I'm happy about it!
Now that you’re getting ready for your second trip to the UK, do you think you're going to push further into Europe on future trips?
Oh my gosh, I would be like, put me in coach, anywhere you want me, I'm ready to go. I'm like, please, let's go! For sure. Let's add to this trip! Like, come on!
The good bit about C2C is it's so early in the year. You can almost come back later in the year and it feels like you haven’t been this year at all.
Exactly! I’ll be like, it's been 6 months, let’s go again!
With the EP behind you and building over here, have you got big plans at home for 2026?
I think this year's gonna be really, really fun. Again, last year was so cool, and I always think, let's beat it out. Let's do this year 10 times over. I'm really excited for some new music. I've been writing a lot, and that's kind of what I've been doing the last couple of months. I’ve been getting stuff that I love, and so it's gonna be exciting to hopefully get into the studio and work out those songs and really bring them to life, so I'm really fired up about that. Hopefully we’ll be on the road a good bit this year too.
I for one can’t wait to see you in London in just a few weeks.
I cannot believe we are less than a month away. It's insane. I desperately need to start packing.
Thank you so much for the time, Alyssa and we can't wait to have you back!
I'm so excited, I cannot wait, it's gonna be the best time.
3.15 London (C2C London Song Suffragettes Writers Round)
3.18 Upminster, UK - Taproom Upminster
3.19 Manchester, UK - The Rat & Pigeon
3.20 York, UK - Forty Five Vinyl
3.21 York, UK - Forty Five Vinyl
London, Belfast and Glasgow will host the showpiece of the country music calendar- C2C 2026. You can find more details and ticket information on their WEBSITE and socials (FACEBOOK INSTAGRAM & TIKTOK)
Yeah, when we went for the first time, I was coming off the EP release, other dates here in the US and it was almost like this whirlwind summer of, okay, where are we going next? What are we doing? Like, da-da-da-da. I feel now touring hasn't been too crazy in the fall and winter, this is my first tour dates of the year and so it's exciting to be like, alright, we've been working on some new music, been writing some songs, excited to go play some stuff, and just show people what I've been doing since I was there last time. So, I'm really, really, really fired up for that.
I guess the tricky bit's gonna be sorting a set list, because you're going to now have people who want to hear songs you played last time and people who are experiencing you for the first time and might know if a song is new or old.
I know! You know what? I'm like, if you're requesting a song, I'm gonna play the song. I'm happy about it!
Now that you’re getting ready for your second trip to the UK, do you think you're going to push further into Europe on future trips?
Oh my gosh, I would be like, put me in coach, anywhere you want me, I'm ready to go. I'm like, please, let's go! For sure. Let's add to this trip! Like, come on!
The good bit about C2C is it's so early in the year. You can almost come back later in the year and it feels like you haven’t been this year at all.
Exactly! I’ll be like, it's been 6 months, let’s go again!
With the EP behind you and building over here, have you got big plans at home for 2026?
I think this year's gonna be really, really fun. Again, last year was so cool, and I always think, let's beat it out. Let's do this year 10 times over. I'm really excited for some new music. I've been writing a lot, and that's kind of what I've been doing the last couple of months. I’ve been getting stuff that I love, and so it's gonna be exciting to hopefully get into the studio and work out those songs and really bring them to life, so I'm really fired up about that. Hopefully we’ll be on the road a good bit this year too.
I for one can’t wait to see you in London in just a few weeks.
I cannot believe we are less than a month away. It's insane. I desperately need to start packing.
Thank you so much for the time, Alyssa and we can't wait to have you back!
I'm so excited, I cannot wait, it's gonna be the best time.
3.15 London (C2C London Song Suffragettes Writers Round)
3.18 Upminster, UK - Taproom Upminster
3.19 Manchester, UK - The Rat & Pigeon
3.20 York, UK - Forty Five Vinyl
3.21 York, UK - Forty Five Vinyl
London, Belfast and Glasgow will host the showpiece of the country music calendar- C2C 2026. You can find more details and ticket information on their WEBSITE and socials (FACEBOOK INSTAGRAM & TIKTOK)
