With a knack for creating catchy tunes and penning introspective musings, Dublin-based singer-songwriter and producer F3miii – pronounced ‘Femi’ – joined the Hot Press Y&E Series on Sunday night for an exhilarating end to the week.

Initially getting his musical start within the gospel choir, F3miii has quickly risen within the Irish music scene, putting on some electric live shows and collaborating with lauded Irish acts including Jafaris, Haresquead, Monjola and Moio. His recent release ‘In My Head,’ featuring fellow Irish talent and friend Khakihid, has earned the emerging act some well-deserved recognition, along with features on popular Spotify curated playlists such as Our Generation, Chilled Pop Hits and Alternative Ireland.

Live with a microphone, a soundboard and his guitarist Donnchadh to his right, F3miii did a quick soundcheck as his audience tuned in. “Can everybody hear me?” he checked, “Lovely, lovely, lovely.”
He paid thanks to the Department of Tourism and Culture, saying, “Without them, we wouldn’t be able to do any of this,” before jumping into his first tune of the night, ‘Nice To Know.’

“Jumping in” is exactly how F3miii began the track, which started off with crashing drums, dragging listeners into the undertow before his soulful vocals came to play. The artist and producer doesn’t shy away from mixing genre elements in his sound, blending alternative instrumentals with hip-hop delivered lyricism.

There was a standout agility to F3miii’s passionate vocal strength, dipping into lower, edgier notes throughout the track, highlighted its darker themes. As one commenter pointed out, the singer’s opening tune was some “good noise.”

Pausing only to sip his green tea, he kept the energy high with another throwback, ‘Hiding.’ Showcasing his production skills, F3miii seamlessly blended electronic sonics into a bumping, idiosyncratic rock beat, emboldened by the singer’s full-bodied vocals.

He settled into the beautiful debris of his high-energy openers as he moved on to ‘Baby Crumbs,” sharing, “It’s a bit of a slower one, hope you guys enjoy it.”

A montage of voices floated around the opening verse, with F3miii’s vocals drenched in echoey reverb. A wiz with the strings, Donnchadh’s electric guitar notes seared throughout the track, blazing through layered, dizzy sonics.

The singer-songwriter’s lyrics are clear and intimate, moving his listener despite the distraction of his textured sound. The song explores a self-destructive infatuation, with F3mii admitting on the chorus, “I’ll take you on, then I’ll take you down / You already know that you’re my remedy / My other lung, my favourite song / I’ll sing to you, cause you’re my only one.”

He picked things up again on ‘With U,’ a track F3miii admitted is one of his favourites. An upbeat, infectious beat demanded the spotlight of the track, blending a feel-good hip hop groove with an electronic pop sound.

F3miii carried the eclectic rhythm into ‘So Good,’ a textually varied song of pining and desire. His vocals were soulful, deep and clear on the track, reminiscent of early-2000s R&B throwbacks.

Listening to F3miii is an experience akin to being on a rollercoaster for the first time, never knowing what to expect next. The alt-rock indie jam ‘In My Head’ — his hit 2022 single, and a real live riot — was one of the more exhilarating peaks of his set. A driving beat rushes through the blood of the track, pulling his listeners along with his matched energy.

F3miii capped the night off with his latest single, ‘FROM YOUR EYES,’ but not before giving his audience a sneak peek into what’s to come soon from the hotly rising artist. “The EP is on the way,” he shared, “and loads of new music and shows.”

His vocals dipped and dove on the tune, showcasing how the singer utilises different layers of his voice to affect certain emotions. With a fast, electric beat and lively guitar chords, ‘From Your Eyes’ is proof of F3miii’s consistent growth as both a performer and producer — the future is surely an exciting thought when it comes to this rising Irish talent.

Catch F3miii’s live Y&E Series performance below.

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Watch the Hot Press Y&E Series - supported by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media - live on the Hot Press Instagram (@hotpressmagazine) at 7pm each night.

Catch the following acts performing this week…

Monday 6th: Plantain Papi
Hailing from North Dublin, Plantain Papi is a multifaceted artist and producer, popular for creatively infusing rap, afrobeat and pop sounds. Since sharing his first single in late 2017, he has gone on to garner radio play on stations across Ireland. A maverick behind the mixing desk, Plantain has produced for Tolu Makay, F3miii, Sophie Jane and MangoxMathman to name a few. Having sold out his first headline show at The Academy , Plantain Papi was chosen to perform at last year's Longitude Festival on the main stage, as well as at the 3Arena with international megastar Burna Boy.

Tuesday 7th: Chubby Cat
Possessing tracks that are creating waves in the UK & Ireland, and stamped with an unmistakable style of her own, Cork-born BIMM graduate Chubby Cat is one of the country’s forerunning electro-pop artists. Her songs have earned spins on stations both at home and abroad, including BBC 6 and Radio 1, and a host of Irish stations. An enigmatic performer, she's supported the likes of Crawlers and Tourist at sold-out Dublin shows, and appeared at the ever-popular Indiependence Festival in her native Cork.

Wednesday 8th: TeleZura
Hailing From Derry, TeleZura have broken out this year, with their unique capacity to funnel teenage emotion into artfully crafted anthems evident in their acclaimed debut single 'Heartfelt Summer'. The track received rave reviews and radio play across the country- a hugely convincing introduction to the hotly tipped newcomers, with the summer banger showcasing a young band with sharply honed songwriting skills and serious potential for a major mainstream breakthrough.

Thursday 9th: Emileo
Having been raised in Germany, Spain and Morocco, Emileo won the inaugural Sinead O'Connor BA Commercial Modern Music Scholarship of BIMM Dublin in 2020, the city where she currently resides. Known as a fearless and accomplished musician who delivers a remarkable kaleidoscope of sounds and imagery soaring with individuality and heart. She has supported artists such as Mundy and Tolü Makay and performed in Dublin’s Olympia Theatre and Cork’s Opera House as special guest to Tori Amos. She’s no stranger to the festival stage either, appearing at All Together Now and Electric Picnic. Most recently she organised the charity event ‘Music for Morocco’ and was able to raise 1500€ of donations for the victims of the earthquake epicentre.