Culture
25 Jan 22

Royseven Score iTunes No.1 in Advance of Whelan’s Gig

Dublin rock band Royseven will perform at Whelan's, Dublin on February 24th this year.

Irish outfit Royseven have secured an iTunes No.1 with new single 'L.O.V.E.' yesterday, building up anticipation for the six-piece's return to the stage at Whelan's, in Dublin, next month.

Royseven formed in September 2003 and were the subject of serious record company interest the following year – ultimately signing a deal with the Universal Music Group in 2005. The increasingly popular alt-rock band earned critical and commercial acclaim after releasing debut album The Art of Insincerity in 2006, followed by You Say, We Say in 2011. The rockers performed at Oxegen in 2007 and supported Kaiser Chiefs and The Fratellis in Marlay Park the same year.

Royseven's catalogue spanned hits like 'Dance' and 'We Should Be Lovers', gaining an impressive name for themselves on the Irish music scene, as well as internationally. Impressively, the latter single was the most played track on Irish radio in 2011. The Dubliners announced their split in 2014.

"With heavy hearts we’ve decided to bring down the curtain on our Royseven adventure. Rather than disappointment, we feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude and satisfaction for the last eleven years of creativity, performance and friendship," the band wrote to fans at the time. "We each intend to continue writing and performing but this musical chapter has come to an end. We’ll be forever grateful for the wonderful memories you’ve gifted us."

During the hiatus, frontman Paul Walsh began working with RTÉ, presenting shows like Doctors on Call and Gifted Live. Walsh was also a guest mentor on The Voice Ireland.

The Choice Music Prize winners returned in 2021 with a live stream concert on Valentine’s Day from the Button Factory and re-released their No.1 anthem ‘We Should Be Lovers’, which was an immediate radio hit. 'No Romance' and You Say, We Say were also re-released last February and March respectively.

Royseven's current line-up is Paul O’Hara on keys, drummer Darragh Oglesby, bassist Bernard O’Neill, Stuart Grey, a new addition on guitars, and enigmatic frontman Paul Walsh. Royseven met through mutual friends, as well as through an advert in Hot Press. Singer Paul Walsh and guitarist Eamonn Barrett were hunting for a dummer. They interviewed several but quickly decided on Darragh Oglesby. It was he who suggested keyboard player Paul O’Hara. Bass player Bernard O’Neill and guitarist Sam Garland completed the Royseven family.

Speaking to Hot Press about the unveiling of new single 'L.O.V.E.', Walsh couldn't contain his excitement.

"It feels incredible to be writing music and performing again," he said. "We missed it. Eleven years exactly since ‘We Should Be Lovers’ hit the airwaves, and the response we’ve had to our new single from the public and the radio stations has been more than we could have asked for. I can’t wait for Whelan’s on the 24th."

Time will tell whether 'L.O.V.E.' will prove to be another Valentine's No.1, 11 years after the success of 'We Should Be Lovers', but we'd bet on Royseven's success any day.

Check out a snippet of the lyric video for 'L.O.V.E.' below: