BRINGING THE BUZZ: PJ KIRBY

Podcast host of “I’m Grand Mam”, P.J Kirby is one of the boldest, funniest, savvy and brilliant creatives in Ireland right now. P.J, along with his co-host Kevin Twomey, have captured the hearts of many of their listeners with their unique way of dealing with serious and not so serious topics. As a professional dancer, P.J Kirby has worked with Anne-Marie, Calvin Harris, David Guetta and Stormzy. Most recently, he has created his own dance brand, “Throwing Shapes” which provides fun dance classes for all levels. He is now living in Dublin with his Fiancé José where he brings the buzz to his listeners and those around him. 

You have been recording your podcast “I’m Grand Mam” for 4 years now, are there any memorable moments that have had a positive impact on you?

Four years is mad! I can’t believe it’s been that long. I’ve loads of fond memories from the pod but I loved recording our 100th episode. We recorded it in front of a live audience in Dublin and it was the day after we were on the Late Late show so our mams were with us. Watching my mam work the room and talk to all the listeners in person was a scream.

Congratulations on your sold out tour of your one man show “Cliché”, Can you share any highlights from your tour? What made it unique and memorable for you?

Thank you! I was up to ninety before the first show because it got quite dark and I was worried I’d lose people but those bits ended up being peoples favourite parts. Lean into the darker parts of you girls, people need it! A big highlight for me was playing to a sold out Vicar Street. Doing Vicar Street has always been on my bucket list and I couldn’t cope with how lovely the crowd was.

Apart from the Im Grand Mam podcast and your solo show, you also love dancing. Having danced with world renowned artists such as Calvin Harris, Anne-Marie and David Guetta, how do you bring what you have learnt from these experiences to your own dance brand “Throwing Shapes”?

To be honest I started the Throwing Shapes dance classes to reconnect with my love for dance. When it became my profession and all I was doing was going from shoots to the next audition and trying to work a part time job at the same time to afford rent I lost a lot of the passion I had for it. Now Throwing Shapes is all about having fun and getting back to that five year old that forced their parents to watch the shows they made up in their bedroom. With Throwing Shapes we just go into the studio, live our Step Up 2 fantasy and leave feeling like big rides, stunning!

Along with your weekly Tuesday dance lessons, can we expect any other activations with Throwing Shapes in the future?

I’m absolutely gagging to do a summer BBQ party where we do an open air dance class and then have food and drink after with an iconic DJ. The vibes would be immaculate. Tell your brands to expect a pitch from me asap.

How do you balance between addressing important social issues and maintaining a sense of humor and lightheartedness in your work?

I’ve always been vocal about things that I believe in, so I love that I’m able to use what little platform I have to amplify causes that are close to my heart. I think humor is an incredible way to make people feel relaxed when talking about a more serious topic. Obviously you have to get the balance right and make sure you’re not making light of a serious situation but using everyday language and humor keeps people engaged and makes it feel more like a chat and less like an official PSA. I volunteered to work with the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre on their “We Consent” campaign and our main goal was to hammer home that practice makes perfect when it comes to consent, highlighting that consent isn’t a simple yes/no decision that you save for the big moments, but something you practice in lots of little ways every day. I think the content strikes the right balance and will help take the fear out of openly practicing consent in our everyday lives.

As someone who has gained a significant following and influence, what do you think is the secret to your success?

Oh no clue! I do think people can tell when someone is putting on a show though so my main thing is always just be yourself. We’re all human and constantly learning so don’t try to act like you’ve it all figured out.

Do you have any recommendations for things to do in Dublin? Where are your go-to bars/restaurants?

I’ve become one of those annoying sea swimmers so I’d tell people to go to Vico Baths to connect with mother nature, she's the moment. Some stunning brunch places: Slice, Two pups, Daddies and Hens Teeth are running cool events over summer. The iced latte at indigo and cloth is the perfect size, very chic. You have to try a turon from Filipino Bakery and Café

For dinner: The pizza and pints out the back of Bonobo, the chinese menu at Good World and ramen from Nomo

To dance: Have a queer old time dancing the night away in Mother or at Tender when they’ve a night running.

What do you think is the single biggest issue facing our society right now?

Oh very loaded question. Obviously there are many issues facing our society today. I suppose one thing I’m seeing is the rise of extremist groups. Our social media feeds are optimized to show us content that we agree with and our views are rarely challenged. I’m trying to get better at staying calm when having a debate with someone whose views are in opposition to mine. That way I feel like you’ve more of a chance of getting to the root of why they feel that way and possibly get them to see it from your side too. It’s more effective than screaming the head off each other even though sometimes that’s all you want to do!

What is giving you the buzz these days?

Creatives in Ireland. People here are so talented. I feel like a lot of the time we look elsewhere for inspiration and only rate people that have been validated overseas but people are doing incredible things right here that need to be supported.

What is your biggest ‘pinch me moment?

I’m trying to get better at stopping to process achievements and my latest pinch me moment was launching my first book with my best friend Kevin who I do the podcast with. I’m so proud of it and you can pre order it now. Yes that’s a shameless plug.