Supporting Irish Musicians and Artists

Celebrating the best of up-and-coming talent in Ireland, A New Local Hero is back for a hugely anticipated second year – with Live 95 Limerick having just announced their four finalists.

As one of the most imperative features of Irish Music Month, A New Local Hero acts as a thrilling call to arms for Irish musicians and bands – with all 25 participating radio stations having called out for submissions as part of the talent search.

So, let's meet Live 95 Limerick's shortlist...

Chris Ward:

Raised in Limerick in a home filled with music, this singer-songwriter has been working on his craft for years. From busking on O’Connell Street, he’s since opened for the likes of Declan O’Rourke and Dora Gola – and released his latest single ‘Colder’ last year.

Michael Andrews:

His debut single, ‘You Never Know What Tomorrow Holds’, marked this singer-songwriter as a phenomenal talent – recording the track with UK producer Stuart Epps, who’s worked with Elton John, Led Zeppelin and Oasis.

Michelle Grimes:

This pop star has been steadily building up her profile in recent years – following an appearance on the Hot Press Y&E Series, and growing comparisons to the iconic likes of Ariana Grande and Dua Lipa. She released ‘Never True’ last month.

Shafto:

A dedicated student of hip-hop for the past two decades – gaining traction as a member of multiple groups – the Clare rapper has since made a splash as a solo artist. His highly anticipated new release, ‘Money’, is out on March 9.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Shafto (@shaftomusic)

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.