Gemma Cox shares 'Hard to Heal' ahead of tonight's Workman's gig

23-year-old Gemma Cox is building the anticipation for tonight's Workman's Cellar show by releasing a new single, 'Hard to Heal'.

Opening with gentle but meticulously planned piano chords, the Kildare pianist and singer-songwriter's vocal talent is on fire. Lamenting the loss of a relationship, Gemma recounts small moments of falling in love, high on life.

"It was you, it had always been you/I remember every inch of your room/On the night we met, we danced with the moon/I never knew anything could be so true/But love doesn't suddenly stop," Cox opens on the single. The song was written at the beginning of lockdown, describing the struggle to end a romantic connection.

Soft harmonies fill out the song's backing noise, but the instrumentation remains minimal and lush - never outshining Gemma's stunning voice as she tells the relatable story.

Beginning with piano lessons at the age of 6, Cox's passion for music grew stronger by the day. Gemma started performing her self-written tracks at the age of 12, later playing the Dublin circuit for a number of years. She's played the likes of the Grand Social, Whelans, the Sound House, Bruxelles and many more. Cox spent summer and Christmas busking on Grafton Street to hone her craft while she studied Music and French in Trinity College Dublin.

We've also seen the talented artist perform on Hot Press’ Lockdown Sessions livestream and winning the Thorntons/ Hotpress competition for the Ritmüller modern 112 upright piano, with her entry selected from 10,000 other entries.

Elsewhere, Gemma was also one of the winners of the Ulster Orchestra Your Song Now competition, where she recorded her original song with the Ulster Orchestra in the Waterfront Hall in Belfast. 'Whale On My Shoulder', her debut single, arrived back in November 2021 to critical acclaim.

Her music is a blend of alternative pop and folk, influenced by the likes of Sara Bareilles, Regina Spektor, and Carole King. Pairing the emotive lyricism of Phoebe Bridgers with the unique vocal harmonies of Imogen Heap; Gemma looks both to the past and present for inspiration. Keep a keen eye on Cox, she's got golden vocal chords.

Listen to 'Hard to Heal' below.