Longitude Special: Irish Artists To Watch

LAOISE - FRIDAY

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Drawing comparisons with the likes of NAO, Billie Eillish and Skitt, this Galway native initially learned her craft playing trad music. After trading compound time signatures and fiddles for swirling synths and ice cool beats, Laoise hasn’t looked back since. 2017 was a breakout year, which saw her grace the stages of a multitude of Irish festivals, release her glowingly reviewed debut EP Halfway, and firmly establish herself as one of the finest cerebral pop artists on the island. In February, she unleashed ‘Bother’ – another of the stellar tunes that makes her Longitude set unmissable.

SOULÉ - SATURDAY

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Over the course of a mere 12 months (and change), Soulé went from a rising R&B artist to gracing the cover of our very own Hot Press Yearbook. For good measure, she received a much-deserved Choice Music Prize nomination for debut single ‘Love No More’, notched up a million (and counting) streams for ‘What Do You Know’, and became one of the most talked-about acts at 2017’s Electric Picnic. This year, the Dubliner – whose music is informed by 2step, soul, noughties garage and electro-pop – is turning even more heads. We’re predicting her Longitude set to be yet another triumph.

JAFARIS - FRIDAY

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Two years ago, this Dublin-based rapper, poet, dancer and actor (and former Hot Press cover star) teamed up with the increasingly influential production/songwriting stable Diffusion Labs. Despite their short time together, the union has already yielded multiple magical moments. An energetic performer who thrives on crowd participation, Jafaris draws powerfully on personal experiences of love, anger, elation and sadness – and his recently released single ‘Found My Feet’ kicks a serious amount of ass. A talented wordsmith and skilled story-teller, the musician known as Percy Chamburuka to the taxman is a rapper with plenty to say, and his show is not to be missed.

REJJIE SNOW - SATURDAY (pictured top)

Ever since he first emerged on the Irish music scene six years ago, Snow – who initially operated under the moniker Lecs Luthor – has been a rapper with almost supernatural gifts. Born in Drumcondra but now based in Brooklyn, the artist also known as Alex Anyaegbunam is blessed with super-smooth MC skills., What’s more, disparate influences ranging from Prince and George Michael to Charles Bukowski are etched into his music’s DNA. His February-released debut album Dear Annie, meanwhile, cemented his status as one of Ireland’s most successful hip hop exports. Make sure you’re front and centre in the pit for the anthemic, YouTube-busting (6.7million views and counting!) ‘D.R.U.G.S.’.

KRYSTAL KLEAR -FRIDAY

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Making his debut in 2010 under the moniker of Krystal Klear, Dublin native Dec Lennon has enjoyed a steady rise to become one of the most electrifying new faces in music. Regardless of whether he’s producing artists like Kele and Solange, remixing major artists like Donna Summer and The Killers, or soundtracking the best night out you’ve ever had with his seemingly bottomless crate of records, the now New York-based beat-smith can be relied on to get the party started in style.