Premiere: Reylta shares divine music video for ‘Holy’

‘Galway’s alt-folk queen’ (as we have dubbed her) Reylta is mere weeks away from the release of her debut album, Everything Unsaved Will Be Lost – a project that’s been waiting to come to fruition for much of the artist’s life. ‘Holy,’ Reylta’s most recent single from her debut album, is now accompanied by a divine music video shot at a haunting setting near Maynooth. Hot Press is honoured to premiere this enchanting video, below.

Directed by Saoirse Johnston Gaffey and shot by Leon Forristal, the music video for ‘Holy,’ the fifth single off her forthcoming self-released LP, is a hauntingly beautiful depiction of the sensual hymn. Filmed at Laragh House near Maynooth, which dates to the 1700s, the ancient setting beckons feelings of nostalgia and an undertone of doom.

'Holy' music video, directed by Saoirse Johnston Gaffey and shot by Leon Forristal

“For me, this project is a testament to the alchemy of collaboration and what can materialise when hunger for work and passion are brought to the table,” shares director Johnston Gaffey. “I envisioned this piece as a harmonious blend of ethereal and disquieting visuals, a journey that takes the audience away to a tranquil oasis, shrouded in an unsettling aura. The narrative unfolds through the lens of an ardent admirer, whose adoration gradually morphs into a chilling obsession, compelling Reylta to seize control of her destiny.”

'Holy' music video, directed by Saoirse Johnston Gaffey and shot by Leon Forristal

Reylta appears in the video as a saintly figure in all white, perched on a throne and illuminated by candlelight. Grainy film stills tell a retrospective story in intimate fragments, among the beautiful, eerie setting of the house, the nature surrounding it and the darkness within.

‘Holy’ navigates how it feels to be the dominant partner in a relationship, and the guilt that comes with breaking female stereotypes. Reylta shares that the song draws inspiration from Leonard Cohen’s ‘Hallelujah’ in how the melancholic lyricism blends themes of sex with religious imagery. Sonically, the Galway singer-songwriter pulls from Damien Rice with sublime strings and lush vocal harmonies.

'Holy' music video, directed by Saoirse Johnston Gaffey and shot by Leon Forristal

The County Galway native began writing music at just eleven, making her debut album a long time in the making. Reylta’s songwriting embodies themes from Irish tradition but with a modern conscience, evident in ‘Holy’ and other singles on the album like ‘Lucifer’s Love / Leannán an Diabhail.’

A recent graduate of BIMM and recipient of the Eimear Noonan Bursary Prize in 2021, Reylta boasts two sold-out shows in Whelan's and a tour across Ireland, the UK, and the Netherlands.

The melancholic alt-folk singer was a magnet attraction at Three’s City Stages in Limerick this year as part of the grassroots Irish lineup. She recorded her debut album Everything Unsaved Will Be Lost alongside her eight-piece band in Donegal of 2022, and will share it with the world on Wednesday, October 11.

Check out the music video for Reylta’s ‘Holy’ below!