It’s no secret that some of the greatest artists of all time have come from Ireland.
From the show stopping U2, to the mesmerising voice of Sinéad O’Connor – there is no doubt we have great talent on our small island.
And our up-and-coming artists are no different.
So to shine a light on some amazing Irish artists, we’ve listed some of our faves to watch out for…
Soda Blonde
This Alt-Pop group was formed by most members of Little Green Cars, after they disbanded last year.
Led by powerhouse vocalist Faye O’ Reily, this newly constructed band has already made headlines in Ireland.
Their debut gig was sold out, and they appeared on the Late Late Show just days after they officially announced their formation.
Watch this space!
Aoife Nessa Frances
This talented singer-songwriter used to be part of the Dublin band Princess, but now she’s decided to go solo.
With a more alternative indie tone to her music, the 28-year-old’s song Blow Up is a beautiful soothing tune.
Her album Land Of No Junction was released at the start of this year.
TOUCAN
TOUCAN is an explosive ten-piece funk-pop ensemble, that has already received critical acclaim across Ireland.
The band burst onto the scene last year, and they’re already playing sold-out concerts.
TOUCAN released their extended play So Easy To Love at the end of 2019, and we’re sure they have another promising year ahead of them.
Greyface
This alternative group based in Dublin is definitely a band to watch out for.
Their stylised mix of electronica, hip-hop and rock is showcased through their high energy performances, which is led by the talented Roy Geary.
The band’s philosophy is stemmed from the Freudian idea of the inner beast.
The group has enjoyed many successes in their early career, including the time they opened for As It Is in The Academy.
Junior Brother
Junior Brother (real name Ronan Kealy) has received plenty of attention for all the right reasons.
The Killarney native has put his own twist on Irish folk music, and was tipped as a “rising star” by RTÉ back in 2018.
His debut album Pull The Right Rope was released in 2019, and it received a phenomenal response – picking up fans such as Blindboy Boatclub and Cillian Murphy.
Rushes
Rushes is an Irish singer-songwriter who has taken inspiration from artists such as Pharrell Williams and Frank Ocean.
His single Wave appeared on Spotify’s New Music Friday playlist throughout the year, and it hit over 100k streams online.
Included in RTE 2FM’s Rising Artist list of 2019, this rising star will encourage you to dig deeper with each listen.
SOAK
This Derry starlet came onto the music scene when she was only fourteen years old, and she has been entertaining audiences ever since.
Now at eighteen years of age, she’s already released two studio albums.
She’s also supported huge stars like The Lumineers and Sinéad O’Connor, and she’s even appeared on Seth Meyer’s Late Night Show in New York City.
We think SOAK is going to have another stellar year.
Just Mustard
Just Mustard are a five-piece band from Dundalk, who have created their own unique blend of electronic and trip-hop influenced music.
Their debut album Wednesday rose to critical acclaim, and was even nominated as Album of the Year in the 2018 Choice Music Prize.
Not a bad introduction to the music industry!
