Niamh Beatrix, Cedalia, Skipper's Revenge and Ellisha have been picked as East Coast FM's local finalists in the A New Local Hero national talent search - a key part of Irish Music Month which is taking place on 22 stations across Ireland.

As one of the central features of Irish Music Month, A New Local Hero is a major call to arms for Irish musicians and bands – with all 22 participating radio stations having reached out for submissions in recent months. The excitement is rising, with a slew of announcements arriving over the next few days. Each of the acts selected by the stations will perform and be interviewed on their local station, with one act from each station going forward onto the long-list of contenders for the national A New Local Hero award.

Launched in 2021, Irish Music Month is an initiative of Hot Press and the Independent Broadcasters of Ireland, and is funded by Coimisiún na Meán. Irish Music Month is also supported by IMRO, RAAP and Live Nation, along with Ticketmaster, Rubyworks, Camden Recording Studios and Spéir Mix and Master.

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.

What Irish Music Month means, across participating independent stations, is:

– More Irish music song plays

– More Irish music artist mentions

– More Irish music features

– More Irish artist gig pushes

– More Irish artist interviews

And – what's more – we'll be putting over €100,000 into the hands of music makers and their crews across the country too.

Without further ado, let's meet East Coast FM's shortlisted artists...

Niamh Beatrix

15 year-old South African-Irish singer-songwriter Niamh Beatrix Smith is an emerging young artist who lives in Roundwood, Co Wicklow. At 14, Niamh was selected to sing the South African national anthem alongside the Irish Army Band at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium, performing in front of more than 40,000 people at the Ireland Vs South Africa international. She was also a Top 3 finalist in Junior Eurovision Ireland. Her unique voice brings a raw tenderness that conveys strong emotion.

Niamh Beatrix

Cedalia

Hailing from North Wicklow/South Dublin and formed in 2024, Cedalia are an indie rock five-piece already making waves in the Irish music scene. Their tracks comprise a range of influences including math rock, pop, progressive rock and more. They have already established themselves as a strong player in the country's rock world, having played shows in key venues in the capital, such as the Grand Social and the Soundhouse. They are currently preparing to record their debut album.

Cedalia

Skipper's Revenge

Skipper's Revenge are a six piece disco-funk band that formed in 2024. Four of the group met in Templeogue College with two more members joining the band later. They are known for high-energy live performances and their fun and groovy melodies - with a dedicated brass section made up of saxophone and trumpet. Their debut EP is set to launch soon and they have played many gigs including at Whelan's, The Grand Social and The Workman's Club in Dublin.

Skipper's Revenge

Ellisha

Ellisha (Taylor) is a 20 year old Co Wicklow native from Newcastle. Equally passionate about singing and songwriting, her music has enjoyed airplay on East Coast FM and she has performed as part of the East Coast FM Wicklow Wide Coffee Morning (in aid of the county's cancer support services and The Wicklow Hospice). Her music lingers rather than shouts, with a deeply clear, focused sense of her acoustic sound.

Ellisha

• Keep an eye on hotpress.com and listen to your local participating station for more news on Irish Music Month, A New Local Hero and the Irish song competition, Amhrán na Laoch.