Following the release of her highly anticipated debut EP Placebo earlier this year, Waterford jazz/soul artist Carrie Baxter has rapidly established herself as a serious force to be reckoned with on the Irish scene. Generating a major buzz in the UK, the success of her acclaimed single 'Love Me Better' landed her on the cover of Spotify's The New Éire playlist. Tomorrow, August 19, she returns with an intimate new version of 'Love Me Better', which will feature on her upcoming Stripped Back EP.

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"I was very young, barely four years old, when I first heard Van. His music was a staple in my house growing up: every celebration, every party, every gathering.

"When I was in my final term of play-school, it was show-and-tell day, and every child was invited up to do a party-piece – you know the usual, sing a song, do an Irish dance. Most kids sang a nursery rhyme, whilst I stood at the back of the class crying, because I wanted to sing ‘Brown Eyed Girl’. The teachers had a private giggle to themselves, and to their dismay, I got up and sang it – every word. ‘Moondance’ went on to become a song that changed the way I heard music, and ultimately the sounds I put into the creation of my own music. He was and still is pivotal to me.

"Van is an ever-flowing stream of pure energy. There is no veil, it's from the heart: the purest form of art. The constant ability to pivot and redevelop with ease and grace. The skill beyond measure.

"I remember when I found out he was Irish. He was someone I could look at and think, 'Wow if he's from where I'm from, maybe I can do it too.' I dream of someday having even half the legacy he has created in Ireland, and even still that wouldn't be enough to pay my dues for the music he has given the world."

Read more reflections on Van's music and influence in the upcoming special issue of Hot Press, and watch Carrie Baxter perform 'Out In The Cold Again' below:

Take a look at the spectacular line-up for the next week of 'Rave On, Van Morrison' below:

Wed Aug 19 Camille O'Sullivan Avalon Of The Heart (7pm); Joshua Burnside You Don't Pull No Punches, But You Don't Push The River (8pm)
Thu Aug 20 Gemma Hayes Comfort You (7pm); Little Hours Streets Of Arklow (8pm)
Fri Aug 21 Gemma Bradley Sometimes We Cry (7pm); Jess Kav Vanlose Stairway (8pm)
Sat Aug 22 Mick Flannery Linden Arden Stole the Highlights (7pm); The Henry Girls These Are The Days (8pm)
Sun Aug 23 Martin Hayes Moondance (7pm); Cara Dillon Memory Lane (8pm)

Each 'Rave On, Van Morrison' performance premieres every night on the Hot Press YouTube channel. To make sure you don't miss out on any of our upcoming videos, subscribe to our YouTube here!

Hot Press is also publishing a Van Morrison Special Issue, to coincide with ‘Rave On, Van Morrison’, featuring written contributions from the legendary likes of Sinéad O'Connor, Gary Lightbody, Tim Wheeler, Una Healy and David Keenan – who reflect on Van's music and influence. The issue will also look back at five decades of landmark Hot Press interviews with Van, in which he discusses everything from Ray Charles and his other musical heroes, to the inspiration behind the seminal Astral Weeks. Plus, you can expect exclusive photos from the archives, ten ways Van has changed the world, and much more. This historic publication is set to be a must-have for Van Morrison fans all over the world, and is available to pre-order now.