Allie Sherlock:
Between the Street and the Stage
Words & Images by: Carolina Fernandez Bold
In two hours, Allie Sherlock will step out onto London’s Bush Hall stage. The chatter and anticipation of the crowd, already here, reaches us backstage; a glimmer of what’s to come.
Confident, excited, and completely in her element, Allie sits with me on the sofa in her dressing room, offering insight into her experience from street corners to sold-out shows, and reflections on busking, artistry and embracing vulnerability.
Allie Sherlock is no stranger to the spotlight. She began busking on the streets of Cork and Dublin at just eleven years old. By twelve, her undeniable vocal and musical talent landed her an appearance on The Ellen Show and secured her a record deal, following her viral cover of Ed Sheeran’s “Supermarket Flowers”.
“Things blew up for me really quickly,” she remembers. “It was really weird having people come up to me asking for photos. I got used to it, and now I love it when they come up. And I still busk, even now! I love to perform.”
Allie is well-acquainted with the power of performance, the magnetic space where connection happens. “When you’re busking you get to capture people right off the street, who are just wandering, shopping, doing their own thing.” In a world where musical success is measured by faceless numbers of streams and sales, it is a special thing to witness a passer-by transformed into a listener.
Of course, performing live shows has its own distinct pull. Now in the final stretch of her European Damage Control tour, Allie reflects on the motivation she draws from being surrounded by the people who are supporting her journey. On stage, the immediacy of the street is replaced by a shared intention. “People have bought tickets to come see you,” Allie says.
“There’s something special about that.” It’s a different kind of exchange than busking. No longer spontaneous, but no less charged with connection.
True to her roots, at twenty years old Allie continues to release and perform covers. She moves easily between pop anthems, tender acoustic ballads, and reimagined classics that span decades.
“Every Monday I’ll sit down. I’ll go through playlists: new songs from the charts, old songs, classics, everything. I’ll know instantly what song will work for me.” Her choice of songs follows instinct, not a formula. “Sometimes I listen to a song and I just know, okay, this will work.” It’s a feeling she can’t quite explain; an intangible connection that tells her the song will fit.
Allie opens up about the vulnerability she feels releasing her own original songs. “It’s scary,” she admits. “People already have their opinions of these covers. So, when a brand-new song comes out that I’ve written, I’m like, are they going to hate it? Am I the only person who likes this song?” She smiles. “But thankfully, I’ve had really good reactions to the originals I’ve released.”
Her latest single, the original song “I Don’t Need Saving” draws on Allie’s experience of a confusing romantic situation[ship]. “I wasn’t even seeing this guy … there was a little thing…super causal. He didn’t do anything wrong, technically.” She follows up by explaining,
“After we went out, that same night he went out and got with like five girls. And tried to get with one of my friends.” Balancing contradiction and tenderness, the lyrics of “I Don’t Need Saving” embrace the complexities of navigating desire, boundaries, and raw honesty. It’s the kind of song writing that stirs real excitement for where Allie’s music will go next. Her evolving artistry is likewise on full display in her music video for this song, where her face is transformed into several different looks that draw on art references like Man Ray and Roy Lichtenstein, as well as a film noir look and a “smudged, storm” look.
Together, these visuals embrace the song’s drama and emotional intensity. Looking ahead, Allie hints at “something bigger in the summer of next year,” although the details remain under wraps. Long-term, her aspirations remain tied to the streets where it all began: “It’s my dream to play in the 3Arena in Dublin. And, if I’m doing that, I’m 100% coming on to Grafton Street and doing a busking sesh,” she says.
“I’ve always said I’ll busk until I can’t busk anymore,” she adds, a statement that reflects her dedication and groundedness. A reminder that beyond fame and success, Allie Sherlock’s music is first and foremost about connection and the sheer joy of performing.