Irish Women in Harmony for Safe Ireland: ROE on Dolores O'Riordan and women in music

When we were booking the Hot Press lockdown sessions 'Young and Emerging' seris, ROE's name came up pretty quickly. The Derry native is quickly climbing the music industry ladder, producing what she has coined 'grumpy electro pop'. It's a modern sound, one emblematic of Gen Z, and it's easy enough to draw parallels between ROE and Dolores O'Riordan.

"She paved the way for female Irish musicians to come after," ROE says. "Dolores was a role model to me growing up in Ireland, her voice and presence was so unique and watching her succeed as an Irish musician was a big inspiration for me starting out in the music industry."

A regular on the festival circuit, ROE knows how tough it can be for a female musician. "The majority of lineups that I’ve seen for online festivals (And some physical festival line-ups announced before lockdown) were predominantly male, so to be a part of something with so many incredible Irish female musicians, to be able showcase how much female talent there is out here and to do it all for a good cause was important."

That good cause is Safe Ireland, a charity organisation that deals with women and children affected by domestic violence. "To be going through isolation whilst living with a domestic abuser is a horrible scenario that many people are living as a reality right now," Roe laments. "Charities like Safe Ireland give support to those suffering and, with lockdown restrictions in place, now more than ever it is so important that we help raise the necessary funds in order for them to help those in need."

What does she hope the world will get from Irish Women in Harmony? "Together we are powerful."

• Text SAFE to 50300 to donate 4 to Safe Ireland.

Watch 'Dreams' below.