As the recipient of this year's A New Local Hero Wildcard award, Laura Jo’s Y&E Series set was highly anticipated. With an established music career both as a solo artist and collaborator, the Longford artist – who was selected as their Local Hero by Shannonside/Northern Sound radio stations – took over the Hot Press Instagram on Saturday evening for an acoustic, live-streamed set.

Strumming her guitar as she welcomed the first viewers, Laura Jo introduced herself before launching into her first track - her debut single, titled ‘Places’. A folk ballad, it allowed the artist to really demonstrate her vocal range; with her quivering voice and acoustic guitar backing, there was a stripped-back ethereal, Americana sound to the music.

Next up, Laura Jo covered ‘Mississippi’ - an upbeat country anthem from Alabama duo The Secret Sisters. The quicker pace of this song saw Laura truly belting out the lyrics, building up to a proper crescendo at the chorus. The track really complemented Laura’s original style, as she combined musical elements of American folk and country with hints of Irish trad.

After taking a quick moment to greet family and friends, and to thank Hot Press and the Department of Culture, Laura Jo proceeded with her third song of the evening – a cover of ‘Kansas City’, which entailed lyrics by Bob Dylan over melodies by Marcus Mumford and Johnny Depp! The effect was a testament to Laura’s stage presence - I found myself singing along to the Instagram screen!

Laura Jo closed off the evening with another original, which was released as a single in May. ‘Bright Eyes’ is a folk-pop number laced with nostalgia, as it delves into children's tendency to conform to society, constantly in a rush to grow up. An accurate representation of Laura Jo’s talent as a lyricist, the wistful track was just as heartfelt in the intimate context of the livestream as it would ever be on stage.

Laura Jo will be performing in January 2024 at the folk music convention, Your Roots Are Showing.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Hot Press (@hotpressmagazine)

Rewatch Laura Jo’s Y&E set on the Hot Press Instagram.

Catch the following artists in the upcoming days:

Monday 16th: Leila Jane
With her recent remix of ‘Poison,’ off the Dublin singer-songwriter’s Revolve EP, Jane has had a whirlwind year. A recipient of the Imelda May scholarship, the singer also puts on searing live shows, blazing a trail with a recent Glastonbury performance. Garnering acclaim for her Eurosong 2023 single ‘Wild,’ the multi-talented artist continues to blur the lines between dark indie and anthemic pop.

Tuesday 17th: Mark Caplice
Breaking through with his searing cover of Fleetwood Mac’s ‘The Chain’ for the Grammy's Reimagined At Home Series, Caplice joins the Y&E series off the back of his debut album The Brighter Side of Sorrow, released in June. Having sold out venues around Europe, and garnered support across Irish & UK radio, the Wicklow native’s music offers a sense of solace for lovers of nostalgic, folk-rooted sonics.

Wednesday 18th: Sammy Copley
Tipped as one of Hot Press' 'Hot For 2023 Irish Acts', the singer-songwriter's fearlessly vulnerable approach has resonated with fans around the world – clocking up millions of streams and a phenomenal online following. His Y&E Series performance comes hot on the heals of his latest release, 'Terms Of Endearment (Demo)' – and will offer a promising taste of what to expect from his highly anticipated Whelan's headliner on November 4.

Thursday 19th: Krea
After initially rising to prominence as a member of Wyvern Lingo, Krea – aka Karen Cowley – emerged as a dazzling solo act last year with the serene ‘September Sun.’ With her debut EP The Callows now out in the world, the artist’s luscious melodies and captivating storytelling invites listeners on a soulful ride. Her promising Y&E set will arrive after a premiere of her forthcoming video, so stay tuned!

Friday 20th: Bernard M
Marked by his standout passion for creating genre-bending music and for bringing that sound to life onstage, the 23-year-old Crumlin native and multi-instrumental singer-songwriter/producer brings it all to the table. His shows are something of a spiritual experience, his magnetising energy and boundary-defying sonics captivating anyone lucky enough to be present. His new single ‘Young,’ a story of young love, is an earworm of an electric pop anthem.