They’re the hot new six-piece boy band tipped for the top – but how did Ireland’s HomeTown, managed by pop supremo Louis Walsh, cope when you guys sent in some questions for them on Twitter to @SourceMag? Two thirds of the band – Brendan, Dayl, Josh and Dean – took time out from life on the road to answer your questions
@derperdirection: What’s your favourite memory as a band so far?
Brendan: I’d say my favourite memory with the band is probably when we got number one back in Ireland last December. That was a big moment for all of us.
Dean: Probably going to South Africa to film the video for Where I Belong. We got to walk around with lions and cheetahs and stuff, that was pretty amazing.
Josh: So far, my favourite memory is probably going to South Africa or getting number one in Ireland for our first single release. That was pretty special as well.
Dayl: We did a gig supporting The Vamps in Cork, and we hadn’t done a gig in Ireland in a while. We came back and the response we got was incredible. The fans and our family and friends were all there, and the support was the biggest we’ve had since we started. It was just amazing.
@hometown_homies: Favourite home-cooked meal?
Dean: It depends on how I’m feeling and how long I’ve been away from home. My favourite meal is spaghetti Bolognese, but right now, I could go some shepherd’s pie. That hits the spot when you go home.
Brendan: I’d say lasagne.
Dayl: Lasagne for me. My mum makes a good lasagne.
@sarahcalvertxx: What’s your biggest goal music-wise?
Brendan: My biggest goal would be an arena tour for all of us. That would be the biggest one. I’d like to play Croke Park or Wembley – that would be massive, that would be the dream.
Dean: I suppose, you look at our band and other Irish acts like The Script – and I think having a gig in Croke Park would be the big one.
Josh: Maybe our own headline tour. That would be great for us. I’d like to get a few hits – that would be the dream.
Dayl: Probably to have a sell-out tour around the world. I know that’s asking a lot, but that would be a dream come true if that ever happened for us.
@itsmegrainne: How do you decide on songs for your 30-second covers?
Dean: We all have different tastes in music, so we’ll look at the chart and see what’s on Spotify, what big songs are coming out next and what we think will be huge – and also who we like.
Brendan: We maybe do two a week, and work around harmonies and see whose voice suits what and put it together from there.
@shanz_ox: If you could add a seventh member to the band, who would it be?
Brendan: Seven? That might be a bit much! Can it be anyone? I’d pick Ed Sheeran, someone cool like that. He could play guitar along with us and write a few songs for us.
Dean: Arianna Grande!
Josh: That’s a tough one. I’ll say Camilla out of Fifth Harmony. I think she’d be good in the band!
@ ciara_coybib: If you had three wishes, what would you use them on?
Dean: For the band to be successful. To have a really long career in music. And three more wishes.
Josh: A number one in the UK would be great. For myself, I’d love to play Madison Square Garden with the lads. And my third wish would be for a cool pair of shoes that never get dirty!
Dayl: I would have unlimited supply of McDonalds, an unlimited supply of Domino’s and then I would have a constant six-pack and never put on any weight from eating all that food!
@EndUpHere1D: If you could choose any destination in the world to visit where would you go?
Brendan: Tokyo. Definitely. We went to Sweden last August, and that was amazing – we were there for 10 days on a big recording trip. And we went to South Africa as well to suit two videos over there.
Dean: I was thinking somewhere like Hawaii. You see so much of it on TV – is it actually as great as they say? I think that’d be pretty cool.
Josh: Probably New York or LA.
Dayl: I’d like to go to Miami. It sounds class.
@daisy_stalker: Out of all the covers you’ve done, which is your favourite?
Brendan: Probably Fireproof by One Direction.
Dean: I have two. One of them would be Wherever You Will Go, and we did a mashup of two Ed Sheeran songs – I See Fire and Lego House. I loved that one.
Josh: One of my favourites is Mirrors, because I’m a massive Justin Timberlake fan. And also Wherever You Will Go by The Calling.
Dayl: I liked Fireproof. That’s a One Direction cover we did, we had a lot of fun doing that one.
@n0doy: What is your biggest fear?
Brendan: Spiders! They’re horrible.
Dean: Spiders! Definitely spiders. I don’t think anyone’s a big fan of spiders, are they? Ryan used to have a pet tarantula actually.
Josh: I don’t like snakes, I hate snakes. I’m fine with everything else – spiders and stuff, no problem. But the one thing I can’t stand is snakes. I just get freaked out. It’s probably from Watching Snakes On a Plane.
Dayl: My biggest fear is snakes and spiders. I hate them. With a passion. They are the scariest things ever. I’m getting chills just thinking about them!
@cianxmorrin: If you had to perform with anyone famous, who would it be?
Brendan: Either John Legend or Sam Smith.
Dean: Michael Buble. He’s a big performer, and I love that. I’ve been a big fan since such a young age, and I just think he’s an unbelievable entertainer.
Josh: Justin Timberlake or Michael Buble. They’re two pretty cool guys.
Dayl: I’d like to perform with Usher, that would be cool. He’s an amazing dancer.
@Alice_Wragg1999: If you could swap voices with anyone else in the band, who would it be?
Brendan: I would probably swap voices with Cian.
Dean: Brendan.
Josh: Probably Brendan.
Dayl: Probably Josh. Josh has a falsetto, a high range, a low range – he’s got the lot.
@Hollister_niall: If you could be a superhero for the day, who would you be?
Brendan: Captain America.
Dean: Iron Man.
Josh: Oh, Spiderman, 100%. All day, every day. He’s the best superhero. He can climb walls, jump really high – he’s pretty cool. And that way you can hide your face as well.
Dayl: The Hulk! He’s big and strong, he’s class.
@ErinPRoberts: Would you ever date a fan?
Brendan: I don’t know really. Maybe. It depends. If you got to know them. It’s a possibility!
Dean: Hopefully I actually get a date eventually, and that person is a fan of our music and what we do. So if you look at it that way, yeah!
Josh: Of course!
Dayl: I don’t know. I suppose if they like you for you, they’re not really a fan. But yeah, I suppose I would.
@frozenftstyles: What is the most memorable thing a fan has given you?
Brendan: Eggs. There’s a guy who comes to our gigs a lot when we’re in Ireland and he always brings us a packet of eggs each, and writes our names on them. No explanation whatsoever.
Dean: We actually got really, really good gifts at Christmas. We had a fan from Dubai who flew over and gave us PS4s and iPads. Which was crazy. It was the best thing ever, though – it’s kept us occupied on the road! Everyone’s head is buried in their gadgets. That’s not a regular thing though, that’s a one-off. The eggs are more of a regular occurrence.
Dayl: The eggs are probably the weirdest. At Christmas, a lot of fans bought us onesies. It was quite random. Someone bought us all Minions socks one time, which was a bit weird, but we still use them.
@ughdirksenx: If people were going to visit Ireland, where would you recommend that they visit?
Brendan: I’m from the west of Ireland, so I’d say Connemara, somewhere like that.
Dean: Dublin. I’m from there, but I think the experience of Dublin is something else, especially in the evenings. It’s a real touristy place, you should go see it. The west of Ireland is really nice too. It’s really pretty, really nice scenery. Cian and Brendan live out there, so we travel out that way a lot for rehearsals.
Dayl: Gallway is a lovely city to go visit.
@ MaeveRyan15: What’s your most embarrassing moment from your time in the band?
Brendan: Probably forgetting lyrics on stage at a concert.
Josh: For myself, we went on a recording trip to Sweden last year and the producer had this big massive mansion in an acre of land which was on a lake. In our spare time, we were messing about at the lake, jumping off the pier, and I decided I was going for a swim. It was pitch black, I left my clothes at the side, jumped in and turned round and the lads were gone – and so were my clothes. I had to chase them through a field to get back to the house, but they got there before me and locked the door. And it started lashing with rain, so I had to jump into the pool to keep warm.
Josh: I was flicking through a magazine and saw this woman in it, and I thought she was really good looking. I was saying to the lads if I ever met her, I’d be up talking to her. And then our tour manager had her number, he rang her, and gave me the phone. I totally froze and couldn’t speak – I was so embarrassed.
@charlotteapxx: Is there anything you would change about the other guys in the band?
Brendan: No, they’re all good – they’re all grand! At the minute. We all get on well, so I’d leave them the way they are.
Josh: No, I wouldn’t change anything. They’re all nice they way they are. For now anyway.
Dayl: No, I don’t think so. I think they’re all find the way they are. So far!
@katlyn_bourke: Will there be an album coming out soon?
Brendan: We have a good few songs recorded at the minute, so we’re about halfway there. Hopefully we’ll be getting back to recording soon.
@hometownftR5: What would you be doing if you weren’t in HomeTown?
Josh: I would’ve just finished school, so I was probably going to go to college to study music or art.
Dayl: I’d probably be dancing on cruise ships or trying to get into the West End. I studied performing arts in England, and I was in my third year. I would’ve been doing stuff like that when I graduated.
HomeTown’s debut single Where I Belong is out 4 September