Trophy Wife

Trophy Wife (Ruby Smyth) is a singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer from Ireland. Decidedly Indie Rock, TW manages to be in constant conversation with other genres most prominently 70's and 90's Rock & Indie Rock. Inspired by her all time favourite lyricists Donald Fagen (Steely Dan), Carole King and Joni Mitchell, TW Blends jangle and drive with softness and whimsy - always keeping musicality at the forefront.

No stranger to the live scene of Dublin's top venues such as Vicar Street, The Grand Social, Workman's, The Button Factory, Whelan's and The Soundhouse, TW has played many headline gigs and has been included in line ups for "We've Only Just Begun" & "One's to Watch". In 2023 she has opened for Men I Trust, Haley Blais, Rozi Plain, The Pearl Harts and Caroline Rose.

Trophy Wife’s debut EP “Art” was well received with radio play from RTE one’s John Creedon, Lilian Smith and Fiachna O’ Braoinan alongside 98fm, KCLR, Cork FM and more. Irish media giants such as Hotpress, Nialler9, Goldenplec, the thin air and Trinity News also covered the release alongside online and indie publications. Her latest EP ‘Showpony’ (released March 1st 2024) had collective singles surpassing 100 radio plays (both national and international) with the EP amassing over 20,000 streams on Spotify. Trophy Wife also put on a sucessful EP launch in Workman's Cellar (March 3rd) with Singular Artists.

Showpony is TW’s most ambitious yet, seeing her lean into the more 70's rock and 90's grunge aspects of her sonic palette while still staying true to the elevated and sophisticated TW sound. Centring around totems of the wild vs the domesticated, the public vs the private as well as complex queer love and loss, this EP is just as thematically rich as its sonics.

Press quotes:

HotPress
"Inspired by the likes of Joni Mitchell and Miles Davis, the Dubliner also known as Ruby Smyth boldly incorporates literary and artistic influences into her remarkable output. Penned whilst living in Barcelona, her debut manages to be all squelchy and electro one moment, and primetime Joni Mitchell the next."

GoldenPlec
"Italy becomes a passionate sermon letting the listener know; while Trophy Wife intends to operate within the sphere of Pop music, she will not be bound by any of its rules – If she wants to let rip a la Gary Moore, she’s going to let rip."
"‘Art’ is a promising debut EP. If there is a downside, perhaps it’s that there doesn’t seem to be a consistent sonic thread throughout. No definable Trophy Wife “sound”. But maybe that’s essentially what Smyth is trying to say. Maybe that’s the beauty of Art."

Nialler9
"Ruby Smyth is the artist behind the Trophy Wife project whose just-released debut EP entitled Art copper-fastened her appeal.
The singles ‘On The Phone’ and ‘Beauty Queen’ display an individual penchant for immediate alt-pop with the funk bump of the former contrasting with the indie-soul of the latter. A unique prospect”

Maeve Harris, Trinity News:
“For Trophy Wife, a solo artist and skilled producer, influences come from every walk of life as she finetunes every aspect of her artistic zeal. While many artists prioritize the melodic science behind producing songs, Smyth focuses on all aspects of her brand, from image to song material to album art.”
“Trophy Wife exudes an energy similar to that of a seasoned veteran and a musician with decades of experience and knowledge. Speaking with her about music is like being taught the art of negligence by Trinity College: a lesson from a maestro. For Ruby Smyth, her musical career is only beginning. And as a master of all things expressive, Trophy Wife’s artistry is only on the up.”

N-eight Online Zine:
“Fusing a depth of knowledge of Art, Literature and Music, Trophy Wife has created an upcoming EP that is simultaneously Pop and Alternative. Creating from a perspective of recognising and embracing the highs of Pop Culture, Trophy Wife remains aware of its darker side, aiming to create accessible, popular music whilst infusing this with challenging concepts and lyrics”