There was a hero’s welcome of epic proportion last night in Cyprus Avenue, Cork City, on the return of hometown boy Cian Ducrot. The sold-out gig rescheduled from April was packed to capacity with barely breathing space as family, friends and fans surrounded the stage. The Passage West native entered under an array of white flashing lights to the title track from his new debut album ‘Victory’ with his name also displayed in neon on the wall behind him. At the end of that opening song he immediately apologised to the crowd for taking so long to get back to you all, “I'm so sorry it’s been so long to get back here but it’s great to be home.”

There is no surprise with the amount of accolades the young singer has been getting in recent times. His voice is supreme, he is multi-instrumental, playing piano, flute, and guitar during the set. Plus during a live performance, he has that all-important talent of being able to build a rapport with his fans. This became very evident during the gig as he came to the edge of the stage and sat down all the while when singing. Reaching out to fans for that all-important touch.

The night was special on a number of counts. His mum was in the audience (there was a huge cheer when Cian pointed her out), Cian is set to release his debut album 'Victory' on Friday next the 4th of August and he explained about some of the personal experiences that have shaped his music, including experiencing childhood trauma. "This album represents that victory, the victory of self-belief, the victory of everyone around me who I love and who loved me back, the story of my brother, of my mother, of my grandparents, of my friends, and everyone who fought by our side every step of the way. This album is for all those people and my amazing fans, we made it out alive and more. This is for us. This is Victory". The song 'All For You' is very emotional as it's about heartbreak, as the lyrics reminisce over the regrets of a past relationship after seeing his ex-girlfriend move on with a friend of his. And the song ‘Part of Me’ is Cian’s heartfelt tribute to his best friend Phily who ended his own life, reflecting on those shared moments that define a friendship – memories that will never be forgotten.

Support on the night was from rising star Elle Coves.