Star-Telegram published a five question interview with Dolores O’Riordan on May 13:

Dolores O’Riordan joined the Cranberries at age 18 and didn’t look back. Five albums and roughly 13 years later, the group took a break, allowing the 35-year-old singer to live life and enjoy her children. Gradually, O’Riordan began writing again, taking four years to piece together her first solo record, Are You Listening?, which hits stores Tuesday. O’Riordan called from Dublin, Ireland, to talk about the new album, her gradual return to the spotlight and the Cranberries’ legacy.
1 Did you have any kind of road map, a grand plan for this record?
No, I didn’t at all. I just wrote. Basically, I took a break from the music and entertainment industry for the first time in my life, since I was 18. As you get older, you start having kids and whatnot, it slows down a little bit. After the greatest-hits record came out and things ended between [the Cranberries] and Universal, I figured that was the right time to switch o , get completely o the merry-go-round. I loved the whole idea of not being contractually bound; I kind of became myself again.
2 What song from Are You Listening? would surprise fans?
I would say Black Widow, because it’s very di erent. … Stay With Me is kind of nice, because it’s darker chords but the chorus is unpredictable. I had a great time experimenting.
3 While you were away from music, did you keep listening to other bands?
Completely pulled myself out. To be honest with you, between the fourth and fifth Cranberries albums, I wasn’t listening to much, more so because you’re having babies, you’re reading What to Expect When You’re Expecting, you’re breast-feeding. And if you’re not doing that, you’re reading books about houses and kitchens and that kind of normal family stu .
4 Were you concerned that because the musical landscape has changed so much in the last few years, you might have a tough time finding an audience?
No, I don’t worry too much about that stu because I have a belief in the power of music, or the power of art, whatever you’re doing and if it’s good, it’s good and if it’s [junk], it’s [junk]. At the end of the day, I think that’s what really matters. If you do get something beautiful in your hands — I think people out there have ears. … The music will get out there if it’s good enough.
5 Has enough time passed for you to look back and assess what the Cranberries accomplished, what you’re proud of?
Strangely enough, it has — at the time, you’re in the eye of the storm and you don’t really realize what’s happening. I think taking the four years o was really cool because then suddenly … you’re pulling all these things out of boxes, and you’re actually looking at them. Now you’ve time to look at things, you’ve time to look at the bigger picture. … We actually did something cool.