Dani Larkin is a singer-songwriter, baring her soul with a hopeful vulnerability on her latest LP, Next of Kin (out now). Blending indie sensibilities with a folkier sound, Larkin explores the complexities of life with a heartfelt poignancy, providing comfort in a wayward world. With her UK and Ireland tour starting later this month (including a London date), I asked Larkin ten questions to get a firmer grasp of her inspirations and influences.
THE ARGUS FAR FIVE
How would you describe the sound of Dani Larkin?
Alternative folk, pushing the boundaries of the traditional and folk realms into indie music.
What are your biggest non-music influences?
Mary Oliver, James Baldwin, Audre Lorde, Andrea Gibson.
If you had to cover any song and put your spin on it, which would you choose?
Joni Mitchell, ‘Blue’.
What is your earliest memory of music?
Singing a song about a crocodile at my Auntie’s wedding. I was 6.
What does 2026 have in store for you?
2026 is a big year with the release of Next Of Kin, headline tours across the UK + Ireland, collaborations with the Ulster Orchestra and a few more that I can’t list at present.
THE DANI LARKIN FIVE
Your latest album, Next Of Kin, is written as a trilogy, working its way through the complexities of life. Why did you decide to structure the album like this?
When I had finished writing the album, the idea of the trilogy became quite clear. The almost birth, life, death, cycle. Within that there’s traditional songs, coming-of-age track, ‘David’, and adulthood with songs like, ‘To Be Enough’ and ‘Come Home To Me’. The record itself is intended to be Next Of Kin for the person listening through all the seasons of their life.
Your London show is at a church (St John on Bethnal Green). How do you think this setting will interact with your music?
I’m really looking forward to this show. This will be my biggest headline show to date in London and the venue looks incredible. There’s something about the cavernous setting of churches that allow vocals to come to life and I’m looking forward to playing with that in the room.
How was it to win the inaugural PRS for Music NI Creator of the Year Award?
This was a real shock! It was really cool to be acknowledged for all the different aspects of artistry and creativity that goes into making Dani Larkin happen.
Next Of Kin feels intensely intimate, as does all your music, but I’ve seen that you’ve play with orchestras. How do you think this affects the intimacy of the performance?
Playing with an orchestra is a real treat. It’s magic to have every emotion within a song expressed musically. However, I don’t usually tour with an orchestra. My usual band setup is as a three piece and it’s quite an expansive sound embedded with field recordings. If there’s an orchestra out there that wants to tour together though, let me know!
You opened up support slots on your tour for up-and-coming musicians. Should more acts do this, and why?
I wanted to share some of my privilege as an artist with other artists. It can be really hard to get a foothold in an industry, especially if you want to be a touring artist. I can’t speak for other artists and why they make their choices, everyone is different, but it is a cool thing to share stages with people and discover new music.
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Argus Far 
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