Music
21 Oct 21

Beauty Sleep, Brigid Mae Power, and NewDad to play SXSW 2022 Festival

The Austin, Texas event is set to return from March 14-20.

Irish Talent Beauty Sleep, Brigid Mae Power, and NewDad have been announced as official music acts for the 2022 SXSW Festival.

The annual music, film and media event is aiming to return to action in-person next year in Austin, Texas after its 2020 and 2021 editions were cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

SXSW’s music festival is set to run in multiple venues in Austin from March 14-20, with over 240 artists being announced so far.

“Our first round of Showcasing Artists is a taste of what you can expect to see at SXSW 2022; a diverse line-up full of adventurous talent that’s ripe for discovery,” James Minor, Head of SXSW Music Festival, said in a statement.

“We’re looking forward to bringing the music world back together next March to see where we’re headed.”

In a statement released back in March about next year’s festival, SXSW’s organisers said: “We at SXSW are hopeful that once people feel it’s safe enough to return to what will be the new normal of life, there will be a real enthusiasm for getting back to the things that brought them joy or opportunity or just the simple need to be out amongst humanity.

“We can’t wait to bring people together once again to meet and share ideas”.

The festival has announced three Irish Acts at this time to perform in Texas this year, including Beauty Sleep, Brigid Mae Power, and NewDad.

Known as "the Irish King and Queen of Indie-Pop", Derry band Beauty Sleep's dreamy soundscapes and dizzying songwriting have drawn comparisons to Tame Impala, Orange Juice, and Confidence Man. The radical art-pop sweethearts that make up the producer and songwriting duo, Cheylene and Ryan, were shortlisted for Best Album at the Northern Irish Music Prize and garner national radio support from BBC Radio One, 6Music, and RTE2fm.

Irish singer-songwriter Brigid Mae Power is known for her new country and traditional folk tunes, like an overheard lament, a scrubbed clean yarn with plenty unravelling in the process. Her effortless storyelling has been compared to the likes of Judee Sill, Bill Callahan and Sharon Van Etten. The Irish folk artist Brigid Mae Power has announced a headline show at Dublin's Workman's Club on November 6th, 2021.

Hot Press 'Hot for 2021' act NewDad have rapidly established themselves as one of the most thrilling emerging acts in Ireland. Previously featured on Hot Press's Y&E Series in April, the Galway band's irresistible energy has garnered them many devoted fans, with over two million streams on Spotify alone. The 4-piece alternative rock band have announced a show at Dublin's The Workman's Club on November 11.

The SXSW news comes after Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued an executive order banning COVID-19 vaccine mandates. It is unclear how Abbott's executive order will impact next year's festival.

You can see the line-up for SXSW 2022 so far by heading here.