Noted by esteemed film music journalist Daniel Schweiger as a Composer To Watch, Danny Forde has composed a number of music pieces for the soundtrack of the recent Irish-Danish-Canadian independent film The Apprentice, alongside composers Martin Dirkov, and fellow Irishmen David Holmes and Brian Irvine. Co-produced by Tailored Films (IE), the film has been nominated this season for two Academy Awards for Best Actor (Sebastian Stan) and Best Supporting Actor (Jeremy Strong) for their portrayal of Donal Trump and Roy Cohn respectively; it’s nominated in 4 categories at the 2025 Irish Film and TV Academy awards (IFTAs; including Best Original Music and Best Film); and it has received the nod from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts Awards (BAFTAs) for 3 awards.
Danny’s previous composing credits include original music for the Abbey Theatre, Setagaya Theatre Tokyo, and for RTÉ TV series. Reflecting on his experience of working on The Apprentice, Danny says:
“it was wonderful to be a part of the process, working with visionary director Ali Abbassi on the music, and being part of its meteoric rise from the premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, to the worldwide cinema release and now reaping a wealth of award nominations. It’s very inspiring and gives a very hopeful outlook for the future of independent film in Ireland”
Danny is also a recording and performing artist under the moniker Every Thing The Light Touches, and is releasing the single Don’t Start Fighting Me Again on February 28th and a 5-track mini album this Spring (March 28th), following on the success of critically lauded debut single ‘Animal’, which was featured on Apple Music’s flagship playlist ‘Today’s Hits’. The songs are a meditation on the diverse types of love, from family love to romantic love to universal love, and were crafted in sessions in Dublin, New York, Los Angeles, Stockholm and Cape Town, during a period of extensive traveling, making it a recording that truly embraces the global village.
Self-described as Art Folk, Every Thing The Lights Touches’ music sits at the crossroads of Elbow, Bon Iver, Crosby Stills & Nash, Damien Rice and Nick Drake, lushly instrumented with fingerpicking guitar, vocal harmony, piano, string quartet, singing bowls and carefully placed drums. Every Thing The Light Touches’ greatest inspiration comes from the power of music to bring people together, to heal and uplift spirits in a way that transcends social structures.
“Danny’s elegant voice glides in alongside delicate piano notes to thread beautiful melodies…from hushed tones to airy falsetto…a spectacular first outing…brought to life by sensational vocal performance and stunning musicianship” -Plastic Mag
“Masterful storytelling and emotional depth…with lyrics that resonate with authenticity and sincerity…embodies a rich tapestry of musical influences and cultural backgrounds.” -We Write About Music
“Nothing short of instrumental mastery, brimful with intention and poetic prowess.” -KIMU
“A gifted and intuitive artist” -Anaïs Mitchell