Alt-pop, Sligo native singer-songwriter Paddy Keyes has been in the spotlight this year. Since his memorable Academy performance as a finalist at A New Local Hero 2023, the twenty-two-year-old, Dublin-based artist has made considerable strides.

2023 has seen Keyes release well-received singles, as well as headlining The Workman’s Club, and earning significant radio play as well as prestigious spots on Spotify editorial playlists.

Live from his sitting room, a banjo hanging on the shelf behind him – which, he confirmed during the performance, “I unfortunately can’t play” – Keyes joined the Y&E Series last night for an intimate set. Strumming his guitar right away, he greeted a few members of his live audience by name before starting off the evening with ‘Best Friend'.

“If you know the lyrics, sing wherever you are,” he invited his audience. His vocals were laid bare, his high tenor conveying a sonic vulnerability over a stripped-back acoustic melody. Sung with the emotion of a personal confession, his voice dipped as the verses retreated in intensity, then rose as the chorus climbed.

Keyes tuned up as he turned back to his audience – all the while saying hello to his dad, and thanking Hot Press and the Department of Culture and Tourism for the opportunity. The next song up was a cover ‘The Walls Are Way Too Thin’ by Holly Humberstone, who has just released her debut album Paint My Bedroom Black.

His voice was grounding in the verses, then delicately shaky on the choruses, doing justice to Humberstone’s emotional vocal intensity on the original. He sped through the guitar progression on the bridge, injecting a stark melodic force into the melancholic, indie pop number before seamlessly flowing straight into his most recent single, ‘Serotonin.’

The stripped-down acoustics dialled back the more upbeat, bright pace of the track, which has become a ubiquitous staple for Keyes’ live shows. His voice climbed as he trilled, “Are you feeling that high?” You could almost hear the imaginary echo of his virtual audience singing along.

Up next, a track that he revealed “is getting recorded for the EP next year.” Teased on his Instagram a few years ago, the unreleased ‘Your Ghost’ started off with looping fingerpicked guitar, before Keyes brought in a background, alt-pop instrumental recording that gave the performance a multi-layered sound.

With a captivating knack for songs that are shaped from experience, the lyrics read as a kind of intimate letter: a portrait, often, of loss and isolation. “Been feeling so alone, you’ve gone and left me with your ghost,” Keyes belted on the chorus, before ending the song on a powerful, unexpectedly hopeful high note.

Keyes capped off his intimate set with ‘Complicated,’ a formidable single released earlier this year. He played his acoustic guitar with a quick hand, which, coupled with his jagged vocals, built a tension that was then released on the euphoric chorus.

He invited his audience to close out the performance, saying, “Sing along with me here, I do it at my live shows so might as well do it here,” before crooning a delicate harmony that flooded into what was a beautifully bittersweet finale.

Check out Paddy Keyes’ full 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 at 7pm each night.

Catch the following acts taking over the Hot Press Instagram in the coming days…

Saturday October 14th: Laura Jo
Following a hugely competitive public vote, this hotly tipped singer-songwriter was announced as the winner of the Wildcard Award at A New Local Hero 2023. Laura has already built up a remarkable career in music, touring at home and abroad, and performing as part of collaborative projects and as a solo artist. She released her lauded latest single, ‘Bright Eyes’, in June.

Sunday October 15th: Dave Lofts
As a solo artist, Lofts has shared the stage with the likes of Damien Dempsey and Paddy Casey, captivating audiences with his husky, heartfelt vocals. His approach has recently been elevated by the magical backing of S.A.N.D - with the collective offering an enrapturing, homegrown sound. Ahead of their debut album, the five-piece Waterford indie band recently shared their first single, ‘Tell Me.’

Monday October 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 October 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.