Six of Ireland's most exciting emerging music acts have been selected to compete in the national finale of A New Local Hero 2026, taking place at The Academy, Dublin, on Wednesday, 28 October.

Following an extensive nationwide talent search led by Hot Press and the Independent Broadcasters of Ireland (IBI) – with all of 21 local and regional radio stations participating – an industry judging panel has selected six acts from a shortlist of 21 regional Local Heroes to take to the stage for a special live showcase.

The six national finalists, listed alphabetically, are:

Groev – Galway Bay FM
Rebecca Lane – FM104
RunTheRed – LMFM
Shimmer Boy – Cork's 96FM
Sitting Room – KFM
WineMom – Radio Nova

The finalists will perform live at The Academy, where one act will be crowned A New Local Hero 2026, securing a prize package worth an estimated €20,000. This includes €5,000 in cash, the opportunity to record a single at the prestigious Camden Recording Studios in Dublin, have it mixed and mastered by the Grammy Award winning Spéir Mix & Master and its release through acclaimed Irish independent record label Rubyworks – the label that discovered Hozier.

Tickets for the live finale are now on sale through Ticketmaster.

A central part of Irish Music Month, A New Local Hero celebrates the extraordinary talent emerging from every corner of Ireland, while providing artists with vital exposure, professional development and opportunities to take their music to the next level.

The stations participating in Irish Music Month are: Clare FM, Classic Hits, Cork's 96FM, East Coast FM, FM104, Galway Bay FM, Highland Radio, KCLR, KFM, Limerick Live 95FM, LMFM, Midlands 103, Midwest Radio, Northern Sound, Ocean FM, Radio Kerry, Radio Nova, Shannonside FM, South East Radio, Sunshine FM, Tipp FM, and WLR FM.

Throughout the campaign, participating independent radio stations selected local acts to perform live on air, with the artists receiving payment for their performances through the support of Coimisiún na Meán under its Sound & Vision scheme. One Local Hero was then chosen to represent each station at national level.

The judges faced the difficult task of narrowing that outstanding regional talent down to just six performers.

“One of the joys of being involved in Irish Music Month, and in the A New Local Hero talent search, is to have it confirmed, clearly and without fear of contradiction, just how many extraordinary artists and bands are out there, creating fantastic music, right across the country, at the moment,” Hot Press editor, Niall Stokes said. “Our 21 participating local stations did us proud in uncovering the brightest and the best from all over Ireland – with the result that the judges were faced with some extraordinarily difficult dilemmas.

"The six finalists captured the imagination of the judges in a really big way – these are the kind of artists that we can imagine filling 3Olympia in the not too distant future, and potentially progressing to 3Arena, in the way that artists like Fontaines D.C., Amble, Kingfishr, Belters Only and The Mary Wallopers have so successfully in recent times.

"But that in no way reflects negatively on the 15 local heroes who haven’t been selected on this occasion,” Niall Stokes added. "On the contrary, each and every one of the Local Heroes are winners. They deserve our congratulations, support and encouragement. And – without naming names – there’s a few of them that we know also have the potential to take on the world successfully. We’ll continue to be right behind all of our local heroes in Hot Press, that’s for sure."

Michael Kelly, Chief Executive of the Independent Broadcasters of Ireland, commented:

“We congratulate the shortlisted acts and thank everyone who entered Irish Music Month and wish them the best. Independent stations make a major contribution to developing and supporting Irish music all year ‘round, and the many participating stations are delighted to work with Hot Press and other partners to amplify new talent all around Ireland through Irish Music Month”.

All 21 Local Heroes still in contention for €2,500 Wildcard Award

While six acts will perform at the national finale, the competition is far from over for the remaining Local Heroes.

All 21 regional finalists are still eligible for the Irish Music Month Wildcard Award, which will be decided by a public vote. The artist receiving the most votes will receive a €2,500 bursary to support the next stage of their musical journey.

Music fans across Ireland are encouraged to listen to the competing artists and support their favourites by casting their vote via the form below.

Mentoring and opportunities beyond the stage

In keeping with the wider aim of Irish Music Month to support and develop emerging Irish talent, all 21 regional Local Heroes are invited to take part in a special day of music industry mentoring, networking and professional photoshoots ahead of the live finale on 28 October.

The sessions will offer artists the opportunity to connect with experienced figures from across the music industry, gaining practical advice on recording, live performance, radio, media coverage and building a sustainable career in music.

The A New Local Hero campaign forms part of Irish Music Month, which will see more than €100,000 invested in Irish artists and their crews through performances, prizes and music industry support.

The previous edition of A New Local Hero saw LMFM representative Calum Agnew crowned the overall winner in 2024. His achievement was praised by then-President Michael D. Higgins, who described him as an "admirable talent" with "enormous potential”.

About Irish Music Month

Launched in 2021, Irish Music Month is an initiative of Hot Press and the Independent Broadcasters of Ireland (IBI), funded by Coimisiún na Meán under its Sound & Vision scheme.

The initiative supports Irish artists through increased radio airplay, live performances, interviews, media exposure and professional development opportunities.

Irish Music Month is supported by Live Nation, IMRO, RAAP, Ticketmaster, Rubyworks, Camden Recording Studios, Spéir Mix & Master and An Post.

Listen to the 21 regional finalists of A New Local Hero below – and make sure to cast your vote for the Wildcard Award: