Live Report: Bradley Marshall shares incredible vocal talent on the Y&E Series

Dublin singer-songwriter Bradley Marshall gave a riveting performance on Sunday night's Y&E takeover. The effortless strength and assurance he demonstrates in his set is a rare find for any artist - and for him it's a lifelong dream. Just this week, Bradley joined fellow Y&E performer Lea Heart as a special guest at her headline Academy shows.

The young artist's talent has not gone unnoticed. His career began at a young age, succeeding at local performance art competitions. Since then he's earned a major following on social media – including over 5.5 million likes on TikTok.

While he may be known for his covers, he’s spent the last few months carefully honing his craft with some of the country’s top songwriters. His latest single, ‘Make Believe’, marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter in his career.

He begins the set with 'Better Left Unsaid', an unreleased track which he says "might be coming soon."

His pure talent becomes immediately recognisable. It's not always the case that live vocalists deliver the same technical prowess that we hear in studio recorded tracks - but Bradley is the real deal. He has clearly taken this passion seriously and devoted himself to the art.

He then treats us to 'All I Want' by Kodaline which he says is one of his all time favourite covers to perform.

He follows up with 'For Better or for Worse', another not yet released song. The deeply introspective and apologetic song is a revealing glimpse into the singer's life. "I tried to fix myself, but I broke somebody else," he belts.

He grabs his acoustic guitar for 'Lost' his top single on Spotify. His voice softens here, but remains just as gripping as he sings the wistful lyrics. 'Lost' and 2021 single 'Off My Mind' both secured the No. 1 spot on iTunes upon their release, receiving remarkable feedback from those who related to the lyrics.

'Make Believe' is his most recent single which he thinks may be his best work so far. The influence of the likes of Bruno Mars, James Arthur, Justin Bieber and Dermot Kennedy are visible within his work, with Bradley relating to their style of songwriting and vocal abilities.

He finishes with a cover of 'Fix You' by Coldplay, pulling from a well of emotion to perform the fan-favourite song.

He graciously thanks his commenters by name, all of us hoping that the new songs will be released to stream soon.

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Coming up on the Y&E Series:

Thursday, April 21: Dáwna

Hailing from Tipperary, Dáwna initially built up his reputation busking in cities and towns around Ireland. Since 2019, he's steadily been releasing a selection of well-received singles – including his latest track, 'I L L I A D'. He's also clocked up support slots for the likes of Hermitage Green and Susan O'Neill, and launched his latest single with a sold-out headline show at The Kenyon Bar in Nenagh.

Friday, April 22: PrYmary Colours

Featuring Cayisha on vocals and Daz on production, PrYmary Colours have brought a bold new energy to the Irish dance music scene. This duo have already made their mark at the House Of Yes club in New York, the Olympia Theatre in Dublin and a wide selection of festival stages. In October, they released their powerful single ‘The Movement’ – a rallying cry against racial injustice.

Saturday, April 23: Caleb Kunle

Drawing inspiration from the three locations he calls home – Lagos, Laois and London – Caleb Kunle is rapidly emerging as a captivating new talent on the international stage, with his unique blend of soul, folk, jazz and more. Back in November, he shared his latest single, 'Could Be Good' – which is his first release on Hackney-based independent label Pony Recordings.

Sunday, April 24: BRÍDÍN

Hailing from Co. Sligo, BRÍDÍN carries the tradition of Irish music into the fourth generation of her family – playing harp, flute, piano and dancing sean nós. After achieving a master’s degree in music, she’s continued to develop her own unique style, bringing a modern energy to her traditional influences. She released her Ocean Of Stars EP in 2021, which featured an appearance from Colm Mac Con Iomaire.

Monday, April 25: Amberlight

Made up of vocalist Lauren Doherty and guitarist/producer/songwriter Paul Casey, this Derry duo have been busy over the last two years, releasing an exciting selection of singles and accompanying videos, including the likes of 'The Song My Heart Sings' , 'Strong Enough', 'Only Love (A Fisherman's Lament)' and 'Peace at Last'. They also contributed to the Rave On, Van Morrison series, performing a cover of 'Celtic New Year'.