If you take a trip to any town or city across the island, then chances are you'll find a talented troubadour sitting with an acoustic guitar, spilling their heart out on stage for the entertainment of an adoring crowd – and regardless of the decade or musical trend, that will never change. Here we present to you a taste of some of the country's finest and most promising tunesmiths. Hopefully you'll find your new favourite artist among the acts below.
SOAK
An artist whose name is on the lips of practically every taste-maker around, Derry’s SOAK (AKA Bridie Monds- Watson) achieved the unthinkable this year — she delivered a debut album which actually lived up to the hype. Full of heart-breaking hymns and jaw-dropping vocals, Before We Forgot How To Dream introduced the teen in fine fashion and is sure to be in many end-of-year best-album lists come December.
TRAVIS IS A TOURIST
Travis Is A Tourist is the nom de plume of a barely 20-something from Holywood, Co. Down called Travis Gilbert. Aptly named, his travelling spirit has already seen him take trips to Nashville to write, to Austin to perform and closer to home including gigs at Liverpool Sound City, as well as in bars, clubs and living rooms of friends and fellow restless spirits, across Ireland. The latest stop on his musical journey sees him release his Weekdays EP and it’s a hook-laden offering full of ragged soul and a rock ‘n’ roll heart. Fans of James Bay and Kings Of Leon should check him out.
MEGAN O'NEILL
Born in County Kildare, Megan O’Neill is currently being touted as country music’s next big thing. Her song ‘Don’t You’ featured on the season finale of hit ABC TV show Nashville, she’s shared a stage at London’s O2 with heavy hitters of the genre such as Florida Georgia Line and Lady Antebellum and in Coming Home, her debut EP, she’s released a record which looks set to make her a huge star.
SINEAD WHYTE
Having cut her teeth as a member of RTÉ’s Cór Na nÓG choir, Rathfarnham-raised singer Sinéad Whyte has really started to make a name for herself since striking out solo. Boasting a goose-bump inducing croon, the grade eight piano player’s performances are wise beyond her tender years and hint at a bright future ahead.
PETER MCVEIGH
When the much-fawned-over Eskimos Fall went their separate ways at the start of the decade, the band’s frontman Peter McVeigh picked himself back up, took to the stages of Belfast and beyond and began to carve out a career as a solo performer. This year he saw his hard work bear fruit in the form of his critically acclaimed debut album PM which has taken his music across the globe.
LAURA ELIZABETH HUGHES
After wowing a staggering 1.5 million people on the world wide web with her stunning, home recorded performances (which included a cover of Lana Del Rey’s ‘Video Games’) Dublin’s Laura Elizabeth Hughes ably illustrated she’s also a talented songwriter with her self titled EP. Sounding both world-weary and full of youthful energy, her music is packed with passion and drama.
RAINY BOY SLEEP
The brainchild of singer/songwriter Stevie Martin, the hotly-tipped tunesmith has already ticked off many entries on his musical bucket list (including performing at Glastonbury multiple times) while making all the right tongues wag with his often remarkable folk and electronic-infused songs. Currently signed to major label Universal Music, his impending debut album Waiting Games is sure to be another success for the Co. Derry man.
AMANO
Like many of her peers, Japan-born but Killarney-raised Amano’s musical endeavours started by uploading her performances to YouTube when she was 15. Now 19, she’s played all across Ireland, shared stages with the likes of Mundy and soaked up a wealth of experience for her songwriting along the way. Citing an array of diverse influences (Placebo, Villagers and Lana Del Rey are three touch-stones), her spring-released debut single ‘Skies’ is a bewitching waltz.
CIARAN LAVERY
Hot Press cover star, and recent winner of The Big Break with Alcatel ONETOUCH, Ciaran Lavery has had a remarkable year – and all the acclaim is thoroughly deserved too. Hailing from the small village of Aghagallon, the former member of the criminally underrated Captain Kennedy has been tipped for greatness by everyone from Zane Lowe to Gary Lightbody thanks to his timeless tales of heartbreak. Check out the beautiful video for ‘Left For America’ and prepare to be equally smitten.
ALANA HENDERSON
Eagle-eyed readers may recognise Alana Henderson as a current member of Hozier’s backing band, but it’s only a matter of time before the northern Irish cellist and singer/ songwriter makes a big name for herself in her own right. Musically, her sound fuses folk with elements of classical, blues and pop influences and she combines lyrics of great poetic depth with a burning sense of intellectual enquiry. Check out the superb ‘Wax & Wane’ to see what we mean.
MARC O’REILLY
With two critically-acclaimed albums already under his belt (My Friend Marx and 2014’s Human Herdings), as well as an electro-pop side project called R, Waterford troubadour Marc O’Reilly is clearly an artist with plenty to say. Initially Martyn and Bon Iver, his bluesy, roots-infused sound is made all the more sweeter thanks to his honeyed croon. Now that he’s inked a worldwide publishing deal with Fintage Music International, expect much more music to come from this hard-touring troubadour.
ROSIE CARNEY
During one of Rosie Carney’s first performances she was described as “Adele, only better.” As lofty as the comparison is, anyone who has witnessed the Portsmouth-born, Co. Donegal-based tunesmith sing will agree that she’s on the cusp of something special. Having initially signed with Polydor when she was 16, the Electric Picnic-bound Rosie is now an independent artist and will be releasing new material very soon. In the meantime, check out the heart-swelling ballad ‘Ghosts.’