Tipped as one of Hot Press’ Hot for 2023 Irish Acts. Sammy Copley has grown up in a self-made spotlight. Since posting his first cover on YouTube when he was just 14, his channel has grown to boast over a quarter of a million subscribers. In 2021, he self-released his first album Growing Pains. Since then, he has sold-out headline shows in Dublin and London, making festival appearances and racking up millions of streams along the way.

Greeting the virtual audience with his infectious smile, Sammy got things underway with 'Terms of Endearment' - a soothing love song. While tuning his guitar he introduced the next song, a reimagined rendition of ‘You’. Written when he was just 16, he noted that the song "has been with me a long time.”

After spending some time interacting with viewers and giggling at the comment section, Sammy upped the mood, assuring the audience that his next track would be "less of a bummer”.  ‘Trains’, taken from Growing Pains,  faded out with the positive mantra - “Somebody loves us all” - on loop.

Not befrore offering a heartfelt thanks to the audience for their support, Sammy got stuck into the unereleased ‘Planes’, cheekily remarking "one day I'll write automobiles, I am working on it". An emotive and vulnerable track, the singer jokingly noted that he brought us “back to the bummers”.

"If you what you have seen here so far, you can always come see me in person," he added - reminding the virtual crowd of his anticipated headline show in Whelan’s on the 4th of November.

He rounded off the evening with the aptly named ‘Irish Goodbye’, a song which Sammy says is “about Ireland, emigration, being an artist and wanting to stay here because you love it but also wanting to leave because it sometimes does not love you back.” An outstanding and moving number, you could the feel the yearning in his vocals as he explored the bittersweet theme of homesickness.

Catch up on Sammy Copley’s 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 up-and-comers take over on the Hot Press Instagram over the coming days…

Tuesday 24th: Ispíní na hEireann
After honing their chops at some of the best trad and folk sessions in Dublin, the dazzlingly raucous group – who boast a massive online following – burst onto the scene in a big way last year, with the release of their debut album, the aptly-titled The Hard Working Men. They've maintained a socially conscious stance on their latest single, 'The Mica'.

Wednesday 25th: Brinda Irani
Initially rising to prominence as a popular busker in Dublin, the teenage singer-songwriter cemented her status as a star-in-the-making with her stunning debut original single, ‘A Shadow’ last year – followed by a string of brilliant tracks in 2023. This year also saw her crowned one of the regional winners in the A New Local Hero talent search.

Thursday 26th: Temi NLA
A Hot Press New Local Hero 2023 finalist, Temi NLA is an 18-year-old prodigy from North Inner-City Dublin. His talent speaks for itself – headlining the Sound House earlier this year before he was legally an adult. So far in 2023 he's unveiled a string of captivating singles, the most recent being the addictive, 'Scared of You'. Inspired by the likes of Chris Brown, Iann Dior and Ne-Yo, this is not an artist to be slept on – bearing an important message to spread to the people – “PUT GOD FIRST”.