Hot for 2023: 15 emerging Irish music acts to watch out for
The latest in the seemingly never-ending conveyer belt of talent coming out of Dundalk at the moment (Mary Wallopers, Ae Mak, Just Mustard), Negro Impacto are vocalist and songwriter Chi Chi and producer/multi-instrumentalist Laurence (aka StrangeLove). Chi Chi is the star of the show, with silky smooth vocals and oozing effortless charisma. They make neo-soul, but live they become the life of the party.
Mini Excursion
Cork-born, London-based Jess Smyth wowed the Cork audience at Other Voices in UCC in autumn with a high-octane performance of lofi Billie Eilish-type pop. A mainstay of BBC Radio 1 off the back of a string of undeniable hits that simply sound like the future of music, Biig Piig has sold out a London date in 2023 and has a US tour lined up. The Bubblegum mixtape is out January 20.
This is What They Meant
A French/Irish folk duo comprising Julie O’Sullivan and Colyne Laverriere, they’ve only released a trio of singles in the past 18 months, but were shortlisted for best emerging artist at the RTÉ Folk Awards in November. Based in West Cork and often spotted at Levis’ of Ballydehob, they release their debut album, There’s a Sea Between Us, in February, “a collection of songs we wrote and sang with love, some for the last three years”.
Now is the Time
Born in Nigeria, raised in Laois, and currently based in London, Caleb Kunle makes irresistible Michael Kiwunuka-inspired soul-pop songs. He’s been releasing music since 2017 but reached new heights in 2022 with the single All in your Head, an ambitious, feelgood hit that sounds made for the summer. He’s playing the Eurosonic new artists festival in Netherlands in January – the start of what should be a big year for the singer.
All In Your Head
Clare artist Susan O’Neill is no stranger to Irish audiences: Her duets album with Mick Flannery, In the Game, was one of the best records of recent years and she won best original folk track for Now You See It at November’s RTÉ Folk Awards. She’s gearing up for a big year under her own name (or SON, if you prefer) in 2023, with a US tour planned and a new album incoming. Expect O’Neill’s upward trajectory to continue unabated.
Now You See It
Based in Dublin and Berlin, electronic producers David Anthony Curley and Joe Furlong debuted their new project the Cope at Electric Picnic last year, since revealing short films for a trio of tracks. Inspired by the likes of the Blaze, their sound – and expectations – are big, cinematic, and widescreen. “All we want to do is make people dance,” says Furlong. You’ll be doing that and a lot more with the Cope in 2023, with a debut album expected.
True Romance
Clondalkin rapper Sello came to people’s attention with a track called Dublin, which references soccer stars Damien Duff and Robbie Keane. On his debut mixtape Sellotape, released in October, he had songs like Irish Girls (featuring drill star Reggie), Molly Malone, and As Gaeilge. So if you were in any doubt, he’s a proud Irishman with a killer flow.
He says he aims to establish a new sound native to Ireland called GaelicDril, fusing traditional Irish culture with the Morden drill/hiphop sound. Don’t bet against him.
Dublin
A Dublin singer-songwriter and producer based in London, Sarah Crean’s pulsing single 02:00 AM, released in July, shot up from a few thousand streams at the start of November to currently sitting on over 1.2m listens on Spotify. Citing Men I Trust and Japanese Breakfast as influences, Crean’s made an instant indiepop classic in 02:00 AM. She’s just signed a record deal to cap off a stellar 2022 and looks likely to have a similarly memorable 2023.
02:00 AM
Having supported JPEGMAFIA and Still Woozy, Efé aka Anita Ikharo is in her early twenties and has been hitting all the right notes over the past 12 months. She released the Vitamin C EP in autumn, with titles including KIWI and LIME and videos high on primary colours use. That aesthetic stretches to her own look, 90s and early 00s pop inspired, and a sound that refuses to be pinned down.
KIWI
Waterford artist Paddy Hennessy, based in London, may be familiar to Cork crowds with his former band HappyAlone. While their experimentalism might’ve been a bit too acerbic for some ears, under the Echo Northstar moniker, Hennessy is making more straightforward and enjoyable music.
“You look like someone I used to know,” he sings on latest single silent fears. Channelling a New Romantics vibe – think the Cure crossed with a reverby Charlatans – Echo Northstar sounds like acts we used to know too. A five-song EP is due early in 2023.
Someone Else
As her bio says, Galway artist Celaviedmai (aka Mai), whose parents are from Ivory Coast, is a Galway artist who has become one of the most exciting names in the Irish hip-hop and rap scene. Citing big hitters like Missy Elliot and Azealia Banks as influences, her last single Go Down Low was heavy on the afrobeats and pointed at an exciting new direction.
She played Other Voices in Dingle in December – expect to see a lot more of Celaviedmai in 2023.
WORK
Dublin-based Ciara Lindsey aka Kynsy is only in her mid-20s but, on the handful of singles and EPs she’s released since 2020, has shown a maturity and a keen eye for quality songwriting.
“I think trying to write a really good song is the most important thing,” she says. Kynsy recorded her last EP, Something to do with Love, with alt-J producer Charlie Andrew. With a Strokes drawl and a grungy grounding, expect much more from Kynsy in 2023.
: New Year
A four-piece from Dublin, Banríon have a striking image – ‘taches and dogs – and a sound to match. Akin to Galway’s NewDad – beloved of BBC 6 Music and an unassailable upwards trajectory in 2023 – Banríon make laid-back indie-rock, with Róisín Ní Haicéad displaying hints of Delores O’Riordan in her vocals as the songs swell to Pillow Queen-esque crescendos.
Their last single, Fooling, questioned how to handle catastrophic life events – as a band they won’t need to worry about such issues anytime soon.
Yesterday’s Paper
Chris Kabs already has a pretty impressive CV: He’s produced local acts artists such as Tolü Makay and the Choice Prize-nominated JyellowL, as well as Coolio (!), and has featured on the Fifa soundtrack and on Normal People. He’s ticking all the right boxes.
After a couple of singles in the past 12 months, he has headline shows and an EP planned for the first half of 2023, to be released on the UK label Rough Bones. He has the sound du jour – his afrobeats game is down! – and it seems he can’t put a foot wrong.
: No Joke
The singer-songwriter’s Spotify bio: “An absolute legend making legendary tunes.” Who are we to argue?
A Corkman (Passage West) in his mid-20s, he’s racked up millions of streams, sold out venues across Ireland and the UK, and looks like a surefire bet to follow in the path worn by Dermot Kennedy. His songs swell with emotions, and as we wrote when interviewing Ducrot in September the message of his songs – and of his life, really – is that it is important to never give up.
All For You