The search for A New Local Hero continues – with iRadio announcing their four finalists...

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 25 participating radio stations having reached out for submissions in recent months.

So, let's meet iRadio's shortlisted artists...

Daragh Daly:

The singer-songwriter has generated a serious buzz online, with over 302k likes on TikTok, and three promising singles under his belt – including ‘On My Own’, a collaboration with Filip Tonea.

Aaron J:

Following his lauded appearance on Ireland’s Got Talent, the singer-songwriter’s star power has continued to grow. His 2018 single ‘Show Pain’ has clocked up nearly one million Spotify streams – and he’s kicked off 2023 with the fearlessly vulnerable ‘ILY’ and ‘Hearts Don’t Cry’.

Grá C:

An alt-pop star-on-the-rise, the singer-songwriter made a serious impression with ‘I Can’ back in November – followed by ‘Jagged Rock’ the next month. She’s gearing up for the release of her album, Second Hour, over the months ahead.

Erica Kate:

The Roscommon artist is fast establishing them as a one-to-watch, following the release of their 2022 collection introspection – as well as this year’s ‘when it rains.’ and ‘Amelia’. They’ve already scored prestigious spots on Spotify playlists like A Breath of Fresh Éire and Peach.

Each of the selected artists at this stage in the campaign will get a chance to play live on their station, and all of those artists – thanks to the support of the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland, under its Sound & Vision scheme – will be paid for their performance.

From there, the four finalists representing the station will be whittled down to one ‘Local Hero’ from each  – a major honour in itself, which will serve as a huge milestone in the careers of the selected 25 artists.

All of this leads to the national stage of the journey. From the 25 artists selected locally, an industry judging panel will choose just five acts to go forward to play at a special showcase event in Dublin.

The A New Local Hero campaign will ultimately see over  €100,000 paid directly to Irish artists – and one worthy winning act selected, who will get to record a single at the prestigious Camden Recording Studios in Dublin, and release the single on the famed Irish independent record label Rubyworks.

As announced by Hot Press and the Independent Broadcasters of Ireland (IBI), Irish Music Month will run from Monday, March 12, to Friday, April 13 – and will see significantly increased radio play for Irish music across 25 independent radio stations.

Irish Music Month is supported by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland, under its Sound & Vision scheme.

The event is also supported by IMRO, RAAP, MCD Productions, Live Nation, Ticketmaster, Camden Recording Studios and the Rubyworks label.

Read more about Irish Music Month here.