Earlier this year we branded West Cork songstress Molly O'Mahony "Hot for 2022." On Wednesday in the upstairs of Whelan's she proved that declaration, somehow making her dulcet, often melancholic, tracks sizzle through the crowd, scorching her name into the minds of fans and newcomers alike.

Ahead of her impending debut album, House of David, Molly – with two of her siblings Matilda and Fiachre O'Mahony in tow – has embarked on a regional tour of Ireland to preview some of the LP's tracks as well as some cover offerings the trio arranged over lockdown.

When trying to find an apt descriptor for the night "entrancing" comes to mind.

Molly's arresting vocals and intimate songwriting are surely enough to hypnotise a crowd on their own. However with the adage of her sister's similarly velvet-wrapped voice – and impressive mastery of the shakers I might add – along with her brother's spacey, atmospheric guitar the performance was staggering, bar none.

Ahead of their set, the stage was primed by fellow Ballydehob outfit Les SalAmandas. Consisting of Julie O'Sullivan and Hostun, France native Colyne Laverriere, the duo was wistful and haunting. The likes of First Aid Kit or The Staves come to mind when hearing Les SalAmandas' lulling harmonies, but a mix of both English and French lyricism makes them stand out amongst that crowd.

Les SalAmandas supporting Molly O'Mahony at Wheelan's. Copyright Grace McNamara /hotpress.com

With a refreshingly simple arrangement – a single acoustic guitar played by O'Sullivan – the duo's perfectly matched vocals are brought to the fore. Highlights for me included a fully french number wherein Laverriere seemed to sparkle in her native language, their debut single 'Now's the Time' and a cappella closer that soared through the venue. This outfit is one to watch in its own right.

As the O'Mahonys took the stage with a marked nonchalance, they warmly welcomed the audience in with the title track from the forthcoming debut, 'House of David'. It's a smoky track that slowly builds into a clamouring anthem, making it just the ticket for the night's opener.

From the onset it's clear how this lockdown-fuelled collaboration made it to the main stage. I would've liked to have been in the room when this outfit realised the sum of its parts for the first time – when the two sisters' first heard their almost opposite voices perfectly complimenting each other or when Fiachre joined in on the low end, filling up the sound into the robust, stirring performance we all heard at Whelan's. As much as it was a joy to watch, I'd imagine its ten-fold for the siblings themselves.

As mentioned earlier, they performed a few covers throughout their set. A highlight for this reviewer was a poignant rendition of Nancy Griffith's 'Trouble in the Fields'. The simple tune had the power to pacify, moving the crowd went into a hushed reverence.

Molly O'Mahony at Wheelan's. Copyright Grace McNamara /hotpress.com

In a similar tone, they performed Molly's 2021 single 'Brother Blue'. Inspired by meeting her younger brother a few years back, the song centers around a "storm of sadness" the singer felt in the wake of the reunion. A notable aspect of Molly's performance style is her ability to translate emotions. In this particular number, Molly's frustration fell over the audience in one of the heaviest moments of the night.

The preview did its intended job as I am now thoroughly buzzing for Molly's debut. "Hot for 2022" she surely is – all there's left to do is wait (semi) patiently and let the offerings taken from House of David work their magic.

Watch Molly's rendition of the classic Rory Gallagher track 'I'm Not Surprised', as part of our performance series honouring the legendary guitarist's debut, here.