Throughout their performance on the Hot Press Lockdown Sessions’ Y&E Series, Greywind said “hi” to every one of their viewers by name. Every time Steph O’Sullivan stopped singing, her brother and bandmate Paul O’Sullivan would open Instagram live and banter with the fans, who sent hearts, crying emojis, and My Chemical Romance lyrics in the chat. This close attention to listeners evokes Greywind’s musical idols: pop-punk bands like MCR, Paramore and 21 Pilots who built massive fandoms around their edgy style and emotionally honest hits.

Greywind’s sound and look have this same infectious quality. With her bleached hair and blood-red lipstick, Steph has the aesthetic of a 2000s emo star; it’s hard to imagine her walking down the street in the siblings’ native Killarney. When she sings, Steph combines the sneering magnetism of Tom DeLonge with the vocal power of Dolores O’Riordan. Her cover of the latter’s hit ‘Zombie’, which came toward the end of the livestream, felt like a dispatch from a parallel world where the Cranberries put out music on Tumblr.

Greywind’s own songs were no less memorable. On their stream supported by the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, the duo played four originals: ‘Desolate’, ‘Stitch on my Wings’, ‘Car Spin’ and ‘Afterthoughts’. Stripped down to acoustic guitar and voice, the songs took on a new simplicity and rawness. As Steph sang ‘Afterthoughts’, the track which started Greywind’s career, it was easy to imagine her and her brother sitting down one day in County Kerry, writing the song and, without knowing it, changing their lives forever.

You can rewatch Greywind’s performance on the Hot Press Instagram below.

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Upcoming concerts on the Hot Press Lockdown Sessions' Y&E Series:

Wednesday, July 22: SEAMUS HARTY

Tralee's Seamus Harty has rapidly risen from teenage busking sensation to one of the country's most hotly tipped talents. Armed with a powerful voice that belies his young years, Seamus has kept busy during lockdown, recording in his make-shift studio and serenading his neighbours with performances outside his house – the videos of which have been shared widely online.

Thursday, July 23: ROBERT GRACE

A recent signee to Sony Music, singer-songwriter Robert Grace is on course for international stardom. Following a string of well-received releases, he shared his stunning new single, 'Fake Fine' last month. The Kilkenny musician has proven a hit on TikTok too – having clocked up over one million likes on his videos.

The Y&E Series, supported by the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, is broadcast live at 19:30 every night from the Hot Press Instagram (@hotpressmagazine).