Rea Garvey: Does daughter Aamor want to make it in music?

Rea Garvey’s (51) new album “HALO” is being released this Friday (September 13). For the music video for the title track, the Irish singer appeared in front of the camera for the first time with his daughter Aamor Garvey (19). She also sang the background vocals and is a guest duet artist on the album track “I Give Up I Love You”. In the spring, she was already on stage with her father at several “Halo” shows as a surprise guest.

In an interview with the news agency spot on news, Rea Garvey reveals why his daughter is now appearing more in public, how the musical collaboration between the two works and why the duo brought tears to Garvey’s wife Josephine’s eyes.

As a father of two, you have kept your children out of the public eye for a long time. How did you come to be seen with your daughter?

Rea Garvey: To be honest, Aamor is no longer a child, she is a young woman and makes her own decisions. When we asked her if she wanted to be in the video for a song she inspired, she said yes. Her performance and presence brought “Halo” full circle. I am a proud father and happy that she wants to share these moments with me.

Did you also have concerns about her being in the public eye?

Garvey: I guess the more importance you give to a decision, the more weight it carries in your life. Aamor wasn’t looking for notoriety by being in the video, she just wanted to be a part of what she’s seen us do her whole life. Aamor has always been six feet away from the public, she grew up backstage and behind the scenes, but she knew what to expect when she got in front of the camera and on stage. I don’t think Aamor has to make a decision about what she wants to be in life yet, so being in my music video was just that and nothing more. I waited until she was 18 to let her be a part of what Josephine and I do so that she could make informed decisions as an adult and not be overwhelmed as a child. Whether she will be in another video or on stage is something she will decide when the opportunity arises.

So how did the musical collaboration for “I Give Up I Love You” come about and why is it a suitable song for both of you?

Garvey: I think true success is when your kids want to spend time with you after they leave the house. My daughter and I love to sing and singing together wasn’t a big step for us. I have high standards for all the people I work with in the studio and she was no exception. But she knows what music means to me and she approached the recording session knowing that what we were doing was important. The song was one of Josephine’s favorite songs that I had written for the album. I had recorded an upbeat version that I love but we both felt that the original demo was special in its acoustic form too. When we decided to put both recordings on the deluxe album I asked Aamor if she would sing it with me. She makes the record complete, her voice brings the innocence that I can no longer provide, that’s why I love it.

What did your wife say about the collaboration?

Garvey: My wife Josephine is a great mother who often leaves me speechless when I think about everything she does for our family. She often puts herself last because she loves to celebrate the successes of her husband and children. She cried with joy when she saw Aamor for the first time in the video and for the first time on stage in Vienna. So when it comes to what she said when she saw us working together, I would say she spoke with her eyes (laughs).

What is it like to work with your daughter? Are there any disagreements between the two of you?

Garvey: I try not to be the helicopter dad, I like it when she disagrees or has a different opinion, it’s an important part of growth. When I was young my dad challenged my opinion almost every day, but he did that so I learned to own my opinions and stand up for what I think is important. Aamor and I have a similar relationship.

“Halo” is about wanting to protect your children and support them in difficult situations. In what areas do you feel you need to protect them the most?

Garvey: I think we need to support our children until they reach an age where they have developed some confidence and belief in themselves. We all struggle with criticism, and children can be carriers of unfiltered truths that can hurt and cause a child to lose confidence and belief in themselves. I think that a child who knows (like I did) that there is always someone in their corner who will love, care and support them unconditionally learns to get back up after a fall. Social media can be a dark place for children, and for all its positive qualities, it is the parent’s responsibility to protect their child from the haters and trolls. Young adults have their challenges too, but they are more resilient and the calls home for advice are becoming less frequent. I still call my parents every now and then to ask for advice. Maybe it’s a force of habit, or maybe it’s a childish desire for comfort that never lets go.

Your daughter has also been a surprise guest at your concerts. How does it feel to be on stage with her?

Garvey: I told Aamor that everyone who tours with me prepares for the concerts for months, so if she wants to get on stage, she has to prepare, which she did. When she went on stage in Vienna and sang, she did a great job! Of course I was proud, but I think I was mostly happy that she gave a great performance. I didn’t think about anything else but her leaving the stage with a great memory that we will keep forever, and that’s exactly what it was.

Are there any further joint projects planned with your daughter?

Garvey: Aamor started college this year and that’s her focus right now. I did the same thing at her age and although I wasn’t a model student, looking back it was one of the best times of my life, figuring out who I was and what I wanted to be. I’m sure that in the next three years she will learn a lot more about herself and maybe figure out what her passion is and then follow that dream, whatever that may be.

Does your daughter want to start her own musical career? If so, what would you like to pass on to her?

Garvey: To be honest, it’s too early to decide and my advice is to find your passion and follow it. In all areas of life there are good days and bad days but if you are passionate you have something that helps you get through the difficult phases.

In a video on Instagram, it becomes clear in a question and answer session that they have a lot in common: in what ways is your daughter similar to you and in what ways is she not?

Garvey: We are both creative, music lovers, sensitive to our fellow human beings and love a challenge in life. We struggle with authority but respect it, have Irish pride and can only settle where we feel welcome. We both talk too much and enjoy each other’s success as much as our own. Aamor can be much more understanding than I am when it comes to other people’s feelings, she learns lyrics better than her father who writes them and when it comes to business acumen and leadership skills she is more like her mother and less like her father (laughs).

In the “either-or game” they both choose Dublin over Berlin. Does your daughter also have a close connection to your homeland Ireland?

Garvey: Aamor knows her Irish roots and is proud of them. She was born and raised in Berlin and loves Germany, as do all of us in the family, but the fact that she has Irish and Romanian parents only adds more colors to her flag.