After two long years away, Ireland's largest gathering of music and arts is back – as Electric Picnic makes its triumphant return to Stradbally Hall, Co. Laois from September 2-4.  To celebrate, we're bringing you the essential guide to all the festival action, with our Electric Picnic 2022 special issue – featuring cover star Tolü Makay!

Having last performed at Electric Picnic as a backing vocalist for Soulé, Tolü Makay is ready to step into the spotlight at this year’s festival. She tells us about her journey from a shy kid at boarding school, to one of the country’s most celebrated emerging stars...

Tolü Makay. Copyright Meryl Prendergast.

Elsewhere in the action-packed special feature...

Melvin Benn – the MD of Festival Republic, whose massive portfolio of live music events includes Electric Picnic – talks to Stuart Clark about the Stradbally festival's enduring appeal, major changes to this year's site, and why climate action and gender parity are causes close to his heart...

As Wolf Alice prepare to make their eagerly anticipated return to Electric Picnic – following previous appearances in 2014, 2016 and 2018 – bassist Theo Ellis discusses his memories of the festival, some of his favourite Irish acts, and the Mercury Prize-winning band's latest EP, Blue Lullaby...

As The Kooks gear up to play Electric Picnic, guitarist Hugh Harris talks to Rhianne Kelly about noughties nostalgia, the revival of indie sleaze, Brexit, and why he'll never stop touring...

And that's just for starters! You can look forward to even more interviews, and a preview of all the exhilarating activity on offer at the festival – including line-up highlights, essential acts to catch, and and an in-depth guide to the extracurricular fun on-site.

Elsewhere in the issue...

Kicking off his European tour in Limerick later this month, Paolo Nutini talks to Jess Murray about songwriting, Quentin Tarantino, and the ideal Celtic match day...

Photo Credit: Shamil Tanna

She became an overnight sensation and a Harry Styles favourite with her hit ‘1950’, but it’s taken until now for King Princess to feel truly comfortable in her skin. She talks about learning to be a pop star, her unlikely starring role on a Netflix reality series – about cake – and why rumours of her being heir to a secret Titanic fortune are greatly exaggerated...

Alongside her band The Visions, Chicago singer-songwriter Ezra Furman is back with an enlightening, honest and brutal new indie-rock album, All Of Us Flames. She talks about marginalised communities being dragged into political war at home, her musical inspirations, soundtracking Sex Education and more...

As they prepare to release their darkest, heaviest record yet, Pale Waves talk about internet bullies, small-town haters and what the UK can learn from Los Angeles when it comes to trans rights...

As she returns with her first new album in eight years, LILA, Markéta Irglová discusses finding her confidence after early fame, and having her music covered by Billie Eilish...

Noel Hogan is ready to introduce his new project, The Puro, to the world. The Cranberries legend and Brazilian singer Mell Peck tell Stuart Clark about Instagram hook-ups, making music online and giggling their way through photo-shoots...

You'll also find interviews with Gerry Leonard & Pamela Sue Mann, Róise & Frank's Bríd Ní Neachtáin, Clare Dunne, Bat Out Of Hell: The Musical's Glenn Adamson, and Saud Aldarra...

There's even more to look forward to in this special issue of Hot Press – so don't miss out! Pick up your copy in shops now, or order online below: