How do you unwind at the weekend?
I sometimes enjoy a good movie and like classics like Braveheart. Recently I watched Goodfellas which was great. Pre-Covid we were used to gigging every weekend and going out and before the lockdown we had a tour booked with dates in Belfast, London and Manchester. We started out at school, Assumption Grammar in Ballynahinch, busking at the beginning. Now we have 410k Youtube followers, 29k on Instagram. We don't focus on being a girl band and are named after a Celtic deity as we didn't want to be called The Chicks or something. We like to go to concerts too and last year, went to see Fleetwood Mac in Dublin at the RDS. We're great fans and cover their work as we love 70s music so we hung around and managed to talk to John McVeigh and Mick Fleetwood.
How were weekends growing up?
We used to go to Mass every Sunday in Carryduff, and yes, I was in the choir. I didn't really like it; it was one of those things, as soon as you could give it up, you did. Back in the day, I also played piano and a bit of guitar in the Ulster Youth Jazz Orchestra, We'd busk everywhere and rehearsed in Methody. I suppose I would also hang out. My parents have been supportive of our decision to pursue music. My father, Bernard McGinn, is very musical and was in the Tiberius Minnows band so it's in the genes.
Friday night or Saturday night?
Oh, I'm a Friday night person as you need the weekend to recover. I miss going to the small music venues like Voodoo and the Limelight where you'd catch local bands, often our friends.
Do you have a must-listen to radio show at weekends?
Not really as I'm not a radio person.
Weekend TV show or box set?
Game of Thrones. I like Daenaerys and supported her to the end. And I liked the fact that it was filmed here. I watched The Fall the other day and walking round Belfst, you think, 'Oh, that's where so-and-so grew up' and I liked hearing Belfast accents.
Favourite eatery or is it a takeaway?
Definitely a Chinese restaurant which is always good. I like the spicy stuff and I enjoy the buffets with lots of choice.
Is Sunday still special?
No, I wouldn't think it's still special. That is what I used to hate, the sense of obligation and duty not pleasure in going to church.
How do you feel on Sunday night about Monday morning?
Well, Sunday night is a bit your homework night. You have to catch up on everything. I do Instagram a good bit and ring people. I like a good phone call better than a text. It's a random sort of schedule. If I am lucky, I can lie in on Monday but we might be working.
Dea Matrona's single Make You My Star is available via Spotify, YouTube and other digital platforms. The band recently played a benefit gig in aid of food bank charity The Trussell Trust (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGGxSp6EF0c).
