Of Monsters and Men performing at Bushmills Live

Of Monsters and Men performing at Bushmills Live

Of Monsters and Men want to write songs in Icelandic.

The 'Mountain Sound' hitmakers are gearing up to record their second album in a few months' time and have been dabbling with the daunting idea of penning a track in their native Icelandic as they find it hard to convey their emotions in English.

Speaking at Bushmills Live festival held in the Old Bushmills Distillery in Northern Ireland, singer Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir exclusively told BANG Showbiz: "I think that's a very exciting thing to do. I would love to have a song in Icelandic but I don't know how we can do that. I love singing in Icelandic, it's funny, it brings something else out of you."

Drummer Arnar Rósenkranz Hilmarsson added: "I'm not singer, but when I sing in Icelandic I feel more vulnerable because everything you're saying is so true because it's your language. You don't get that with English, you're more aware of yourself."

However, the indie rockers think most Icelandic tunes sound cheesy and are worried their follow-up could be a flop if they were to write songs in their mother tongue.

Nanna explained: "Maybe we're shy about writing Icelandic songs because it's easy to sound cheesy if you don't put the words together correctly. It's beautiful though, so we should put some time and effort into it!"

Bushmills Master Distiller, Colum Egan, has handcrafted an exclusive single malt for Bushmills Live headliners to celebrate their achievements and recent visit to the Old Bushmills Distillery. There are only six bottles of the special Of Monsters and Men blend in the world - one for each member of the band and one that will stay at the distillery.

Colum said: "A number one band needs a number one whiskey. Like Of Monsters and Men, the Old Bushmills Distillery prides itself in handcraftsmanship. The Icelandic band's craft is music and Bushmills' is whiskey. The creation of the new liquid recognises the centuries-old qualities of making things by hand."

Of Monsters and Men were joined by the likes of Jake Bugg, Foy Vance, Willy Mason and Iain Archer at Bushmills Live festival last month, where 500 fans enjoyed a series of intimate performances in amongst the whiskey barrels.

For further photographs and highlights from Bushmills Live go to Facebook: facebook.com/bushmills1608

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