Watch: Dublin's Shelley Bukspan releases new track, 'Happy'

Dublin based Shelley Bukspan releases ‘Happy’ from forthcoming album The Bronx Age and it’s a taste of the joy fans can expect on the LP. Bukspan teamed up with guitarist Ray Boyle (The Ultra Montanes) and producer Stephen O’Brien (Hal) to co-produce her album. The track, recorded live in the studio, has an authentic and loose feel to it.

The track hones a unique brand of upbeat funk soul in reaction to the consequence of aiming to live well, according to Bukspan's press team. It's meant to provoke such questions as whether good people are happy or if controversial people have more fun, all whilst daring the listener to be happy.

Bukspan is a well-established figure in the Irish music scene with credits as the lead vocalist in urban soul outfit Bird with Conor Brady of The Blades fame and Eamon Flynn (The Commitments). As well as extensive TV and radio appearances, Bird were championed by Prince’s A&R who used ’At Last Our Time Is Here’ from Bird’s EP Chances on his Paisley Park Records answering machine.

Shelley Bukspan also performs and records with Mik Pyro (Republic of Loose) and features on his forthcoming single ‘So Pyro’. She also sang on Mik’s Drake cover of ‘Nice For What’ for RTE2FM’s Studio 8 Sessions, and lent her vocal prowess to these and many other projects over the years including Bronagh Gallagher, Mary Black, and Mary Coughlan.

Shelley Bukspan is also the voice behind Mark McCabe’s megahit club classic ‘Maniac 2000’, which experienced a huge resurgence of popularity when she and McCabe performed it at Electric Picnic 2015.

Her voice will also feature in BAFTA Award winning director Neasa Hardiman’s new film Sea Fever, which is in post-production. And later this year, Shelley will perform gospel songs live during a special screening of Sydney Pollack’s Amazing Grace at the Irish Film Institute. Shelley will also perform with Celtic Possé and at the upcoming Cork Jazz Festival, following several recent sold-out shows.

The nine tracks on The Bronx Age run the gamut from gospel and soul to prog and folk. Previously-released singles ‘El Cohen’ and ‘Blues’ will also feature on the album.

Watch the live version of 'Happy' below.