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Rónán Johnston, also affectionately known as Rojo, has spent much of the past decade locked mole-like in studio producing and writing material for other artists, and for TV, Film and Theatre.
Now, he turns his hand to his first solo album, a collection of finely honed accoustic songs of kitchen dramas, of love, loss and household chores!
Twice nominated for IFTA’s (the Irish Oscars) for his soundtrack writing, Rónán has played piano, hammond B3 and Accordion with the “Black Velvet Band”, has been the main mover in 1990’s and 2000’s Gospel Act “Emmaus”, and has been the producer and cowriter of Zig and Zag’s “Never Mind the Zogabongs” and five “Dustin” albums, with whom he also recorded Bob Geldof, Ronan Keating and others. He has also worked with their natural successors, Podge and Rodge. In Ireland, between albums and singles he has produced and written, he has scored more than 33 platinum discs over the past decade, and been reponsible for over 15 number 1’s in the Irish territory. He composed the soundtrack for “Over Ireland” a PBS TV special with an hour’s worth of music put to footage of Ireland’s great sights and landmarks, all shot from the air. In Ireland he is well known as the musical director of hit TV shows “You’re a Star” (now in its fifth season) and Irish “Popstars” in addition to being a host on long-running TV hit show, “The Lyrics Board”.
In recent times, he has returned to his first love, writing songs about the ordinary stuff of life. His wry sense of humour is still alive in tracks like “High” while there’s a natural exuberance just bursting forth in tracks like “Call My Name” and “Overnight Mechanic”. The forthcoming album is entitled “Songs of Consolation” as much of the album was written following the untimely death of his mother. Despite well over a decade in the business, this is his first solo offering.
He is married to Joanne (also his beautiful backing vocalist on this album!) and they have two children Naoise (5) and Siún (2), and they live in County Wicklow, Ireland.
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