Belfast rock duo Dea Matrona join Mark Millar on the XS Noize Podcast to discuss their second album, Hate That I Care — a bold, more personal and self-assured new chapter for Mollie McGinn and Orláith Forsythe.
Written, recorded and produced entirely by the band, Hate That I Care finds Dea Matrona leaning further into alt-rock while exploring vulnerability, identity, pressure, friendship, self-production and the feeling of not fitting neatly into other people’s expectations.
In this in-depth conversation, Mollie and Orláith look back on what they learned from their debut album, For Your Sins, how that record helped them understand who Dea Matrona were, and why Hate That I Care feels like the album where they are now telling people who they really are.
They discuss the title track, which Mollie describes as being written to herself, the exhaustion of masking emotions, and how the album became a way of processing difficult feelings through songwriting.
The conversation also explores “My Own Party” and the powerful line “always feeling like an outsider at my own party,” the heavier emotional world of “John Doe,” the deeply personal story behind “Aisling,” and the moment “Magic Spell” helped unlock the direction of the record.
Mollie and Orláith also talk about producing the album themselves, writing and finishing music while on tour, their creative partnership, the early school-day rivalry that turned into a band, and how they continue to push each other as writers, musicians and producers.
They also reflect on Dea Matrona’s journey from busking in Belfast to playing Reading and Leeds, Electric Picnic, Rock Werchter, touring with The Beaches, and preparing to join Sting on tour across Europe.
As Orláith says near the end of the conversation: “For Your Sins was introducing who we are, and Hate That I Care is telling you who we are.”
Listen to episode #289 of the XS Noize Podcast with Dea Matrona below.
Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Podcasts | YouTube
To celebrate the release, Dea Matrona will embark on a UK & Ireland headline tour later this year:
Hate That I Care 2026 UK & Éire Tour
Sunday 22 November 2026 — Leeds, Wardrobe
Monday 23 November 2026 — London, Islington Assembly Hall
Tuesday 24 November 2026 — Bristol, Thekla
Thursday 26 November 2026 — Glasgow, SWG3 Warehouse
Friday 27 November 2026 — Manchester, New Century Locker
Saturday 28 November 2026 — Dublin, The Academy
Tickets and information: deamatrona.co.uk
About The XS Noize Podcast
With more than 280 episodes, the XS Noize Podcast is a trusted home for in-depth conversations with music’s legends, innovators and trailblazers.
Hosted by Mark Millar, the show has featured guests including Glen Hansard, Steve Lillywhite, Matt Berninger, Gary Numan, John Lydon, Peter Hook, Crowded House, Elbow, Travis, New Order, Simple Minds, Shaun Ryder and many more.
The XS Noize Podcast is ranked in the Top 5% of podcasts globally by Listen Notes, has reached #1 in Apple Podcasts Music Interviews in Ireland, and has also charted inside the UK Top 5 reflecting its growing reputation for thoughtful, long-form music conversations.
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