Your Story
Donna Bisset | Singer-Songwriter
Billie Barry kid
I was a Billie Barry kid. I’ve been performing and dancing and singing since I was four literally, and probably before that. I’ve done loads of musical theatre and pantos, I played Cinderella in the Gaiety and I’ve done Eurovision twice: backing singing and dancer which I loved, but I always knew that I wanted to do something that was just me.
My biggest challenge
My biggest challenge would have been overcoming insecurities, lack of confidence and self-doubt; not being in a strong enough position to say, “I can do this”. I worried a lot about what people thought of me: What if they think I look stupid? Or my voice isn’t good enough, or they’d say, “Who does she think she is, you’re 32 what are you doing?”
Crippled with fear
About five years ago, I let the fear get into me at a gig. I literally was so crippled with fear and self-doubt; I felt like I didn’t know the stuff. I ended up just backing out and bottled it. I allowed my fear and lack of confidence to get in the way of something that probably would have been an amazing opportunity. When that happened I was so annoyed and disappointed. I told myself I’m never gonna let that happen again.
Huge for me
Eventually I had to tell myself, nobody really cares that much about you, they’ve all got their own stuff going on. I never ever imagined that I could release my own song so I think overcoming that was so huge for me.
Over the last two years, I got into a really good place, I was doing a lot of positive things in my life, I met an amazing guy. So it was probably then that I realised, OK I need to be active here, I need to get in the studio, start writing, start recording.
Practice gratitude
I had to work at this a lot but when I go to bed at night I go through everything I’m grateful for because it’s so easy to get caught up in what’s negative. I practice gratitude and mindfulness religiously. In the morning I wake up and go, “Yes, I’m really grateful, I’m really happy, I’m lucky, I’m alive. It could be much worse” that’s the way I think about it.
I can be a bad-ass >>View Video>>
It took time for me to go, “I can do this, I can be a bad-ass, I can do a music video and release a song and put it out there”, and you feel very vulnerable but I did it and I think that for me was one of the biggest challenges that I’ve overcome and it’s changed my life and it’s changed everything for me in such a positive away.
At the moment there’s a lot going on, we’re currently working on my track “Get Down”, we’re gonna turn it into a dance track. We’re in the studio every week, writing and recording new stuff.
Remember, if you’re a member of the Irish music industry, you can talk to a counsellor free of charge at any time of the day or night. Simply call the phone number below.
Billie Barry kid
I’m a Billie Barry kid. I’ve been performing and dancing and singing since I was four literally, and probably before that. I’ve done loads of musical theatre and pantos, I played Cinderella in the Gaiety and I’ve done Eurovision twice: backing singing and dancer which I loved, but I always knew that I wanted to do something that was just me.
My biggest challenge
My biggest challenge would have been overcoming insecurities, lack of confidence and self-doubt; not being in a strong enough position to say, “I can do this”. I worried a lot about what people thought of me: What if they think I look stupid? Or my voice isn’t good enough, or they’d say, “Who does she think she is, you’re 32 what are you doing?”
Crippled with fear
About five years ago, I let the fear get into me at a gig. I literally was so crippled with fear and self-doubt; I felt like I didn’t know the stuff. I ended up just backing out and bottled it. I allowed my fear and lack of confidence to get in the way of something that probably would have been an amazing opportunity. When that happened I was so annoyed and disappointed. I told myself I’m never gonna let that happen again.
Huge for me
Eventually I had to tell myself, nobody really cares that much about you, they’ve all got their own stuff going on. I never ever imagined that I could release my own song so I think overcoming that was so huge for me.
Over the last two years, I got into a really good place, I was doing a lot of positive things in my life, I met an amazing guy. So it was probably then that I realised, OK I need to be active here, I need to get in the studio, start writing, start recording.
Practice gratitude
I had to work at this a lot but when I go to bed at night I go through everything I’m grateful for because it’s so easy to get caught up in what’s negative. I practice gratitude and mindfulness religiously. In the morning I wake up and go, “Yes, I’m really grateful, I’m really happy, I’m lucky, I’m alive. It could be much worse” that’s the way I think about it.
I can be a bad-ass >>View Video>>
It took time for me to go, “I can do this, I can be a bad-ass, I can do a music video and release a song and put it out there”, and you feel very vulnerable but I did it and I think that for me was one of the biggest challenges that I’ve overcome and it’s changed my life and it’s changed everything for me in such a positive away.
At the moment there’s a lot going on, we’re currently working on my track “Get Down”, we’re gonna turn it into a dance track. We’re in the studio every week, writing and recording new stuff.
Remember, if you’re a member of the Irish music industry, you can talk to a counsellor free of charge at any time of the day or night. Simply call the phone number below.