Unless you've been hiding under a rock for the past few years I'm sure you are aware that we are currently in the middle of a recession. And although it may seem all doom and gloom, surprisingly not every facet of Irish culture has suffered. While the economy has been in utter turmoil and the financial crisis grows worse each day, the Irish music industry has seen the exciting birth of a new wave of Irish musicians and music. Now, more than ever, we need inspiring new music to drown out the cries of our empty wallets and just as needed we have delivered.
Repression, in this case financial, elicits creativity and one need look no further than the Emerging Talent section of the AMA Music Agency's website to find an abundance of phenomenally original Irish talent which has rose to the forefront of the international music scene due to the extraordinary uniqueness of these exceptionally gifted artists.
Bat Kinane
Bat Kinane is an emerging artist from Ballyknockan, Co.Wicklow who, as well as solo artist, is guitarist and songwriter in highly acclaimed Irish rock band Glyde who have toured Europe many times and have opened for top international acts like Slash and Metallica. During some off time from Glyder Bat continued to pursue his passion for creating music. The end result is an eclectic album of rock, folk and blues called “A lifetime to Kill” which critics have praised as being “a fantastic and welcome change of pace from an extremely talented songwriter” (Steven Reid, Sea of Tranquility/Fireworks).
The Shoos
The Shoos caused quite a stir with the release of their single “Distance” in May 2010, which achieved widespread airplay and the band impressed with live radio sessions including Today FM’s Ray D’Arcy Show, Radio One’s Arena and Pat Kenny shows and FM104’s Strawberry Alarm to name a few. “Distance” reached number 1 in the national physical sales chart and 21 in the combined physical and download charts. The success of “Distance” attracted major label interest, including Universal Music Ireland who plan to release new material early 2011 as well as Interscope in the States which have since invited the band to LA to work with a number of producers including Warren Huart (The Fray). They spent most of October 2010 in LA and played several shows including a headline gig at the legendary Viper Room and are currently in the studio putting the finishing touches to the tracks to be included on their upcoming Universal Ireland release.
Tupelo
Tupelo
are one of the nation’s most unique bands, blending classic Irish influences and instrumentation with the less expected influence of American folk and bluegrass music. Their eclectic line-up includes banjo, fiddle, brass and double bass – all blended into a sound that is both unusual and familiar. The band have been honing their sound up and down Ireland for the past few years, playing at festivals such as the Electric Picnic and Cork Jazz and picking up fans of the stature of Dave Fanning and Imelda May. Having just released their debut album “Dirty Money”, itself coming on the back of a top ten single, Tupelo are back to doing what they do best – playing live to packed houses all over Ireland.
Keywest
With significant label interest on both sides of the Atlantic, Keywest have won many fans both in the public and the music industry and 2011 looks like being an exciting year for the band. Their 2009 single “Miss You Most” has already raised their profile when it was snapped up by the producers of the IFTA nominated RTE 2 TV series; Aislings Diary for its soundtrack in an episode, while two of the band’s other original tracks also featured in the series. The band’’s sound can best be described as LA Rock-meets-pop infused by the melting pot of raw talent that characterizes each individual. So unique is the result that the merest introduction of their sound has brought them to the attention of national TV and radio. The band has recently played on the Late Late Show and The Cafe as well as a number of national and local radio stations around Ireland and will continue to prosper both here and abroad in the coming years.
Andrew Mann
Andrew Mann is an extraordinary and exceptionally gifted Irish singer and writer who has been performing professionally around Ireland and Europe for the last six years. After writing literally hundreds of songs over the last ten years he has earned a name for himself on the Irish music scene as someone with a powerful and
soulful voice and armed with an intense magnetic set that never disappoints. 2010 is set to be a big year for Andrew Mann. Armed with a debut album “Hidden In Plain Sight” that is filled with belting, heartfelt and deeply personal acoustic and rock songs and an obvious fire in his belly, Andrew Mann is ready to hit the road and share his songs of Irish soul with the world.
This electrifying smorgasbord of emerging raw Irish talent is enough to draw all attention of the recession and onto the exciting prospects in the Irish music industry in 2011.