Armed with an acoustic guitar and his heart on his sleeve, Jordan O'Keefe offered a brief pause of introspection and heartfelt music in his set on the Hot Press Lockdown Sessions Y&E series, supported by the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht. Through a combination of instantly-recognisable covers and powerful original songs, the singer-songwriter demonstrated his prowess as a solo musician.

He opened with a radically new cover of ABBA's classic 'Dancing Queen', transforming the euro-pop hit into a sincere, acoustic folk-inspired track. O'Keefe also excelled at his cover of One Direction's 'Little Things', stripping down the layers of production from the mega boyband to provide an updated and earnest version of the love song.

While his covers displayed a keen sense of adaptability, O'Keefe shone with his original, soul-baring content. Before diving into each performance, he took a moment to explain the meaning behind what he was about to sing, adding to the poignancy of his raspy voice and and poetic lyrics with a personal touch. Delving into intimate topics with each track, the backstories about addiction and dark places for 'High For Days' and toxic, dishonest relationships for 'Honest' amplified the emotion in his immensely powerful voice. There were refreshing moments of vulnerability, especially as he admitted that his song 'Sunshine in the Morning' was still a work in progress and he was open to hearing thoughts about how to continue improving.

O'Keefe's sincerity in his live performance was beautiful and uplifting, a clear sign that he's destined for more success.