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, here are KFM's shortlisted artists...

Sitting Room

Two thirds Athy and one third Carlow, Sitting Room are an emerging three-piece girl band made up of Ava and sisters Aoife and Emily, whose delicate harmonies and lilting indie-pop have made them stand out. As an all-women trio redefining what it means to be a girl band in Ireland right now, Sitting Room are carving their own path with raw honesty, nostalgic sound, and unmistakable chemistry. The band is named after the literal sitting room where the group spend most of their time developing their music.

The Greater Flaw

The Greater Flaw is an alternative three-piece rock band from Leixlip, Co Kildare who play a bass-laden style of grit rock. Consisting of Colm Dunne, Garret Fawl, and Simon Gunn, they released an EP titled The Greatest last year, featuring tracks like 'Jekyll & Hyde', 'Into The Night', and 'Cynical'. Influenced by the likes of The Cure, The Prodigy, The Stone Roses and Alice In Chains, they are known for independent releases and demos such as 'Lately', 'Mind Control', 'Broken Bones' and 'Graceland.

Conor Kraus

Kildare-native Conor Kraus is a young solo artist with a real passion for honest, emotional and inspiring music. He remembers singing as far back as he can. During the Covid-19 pandemic, Kraus was inspired to pick up a guitar and from then on was hooked. Regularly posting on social media, it was a chance cover of Paolo Nutini's 'Candy' that really kicked things off for him, gaining over 1 million views. He's performed live gigs in pubs across Ireland.

Katie Roycroft

Katie Roycroft, born and raised in Athy, Kildare, is an indie artist currently in her second year at BIMM University Dublin. With a love for music since childhood, Roycroft has been writing, recording and performing her own songs since 2023. Known for her versatile musical abilities, she possesses a distinct alternative style, taking inspiration from the likes of Lana Del Rey and Teddy Swims. She's graced several stages around Kildare such as the Cross Keys Pub, the Athy Christmas Market, the Greenfields Festival and more.

• 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.