Month: November 2017

The 2016 Irish viral video stars are back with their brand new release ‘Safe & Sound’ fresh from signing with Liffey Records. The track was written by the guys and has a hook that will have you singing along.

Glenn and Ronan have spend much of 2017 writing and recording their forthcoming debut album which is due for release February 23rd 2018.

Like many of today’s artists, singers Glenn Murphy and Ronan Scolard made their first foray into the public eye through social media, posting videos to YouTube. Feedback was very positive but nothing could quite prepare them for the whirlwind to follow after posting a video performing a medley of Adele songs.

The clever arrangement of the tracks combined with their two incredible and contrasting voices quickly got noticed. Within hours the video had been shared on a couple of major news sites and by the end of that first day had clocked up over a million views.

They realised something extraordinary was happening was when they then received a message from Ellen DeGeneres asking them to fly to USA to appear on her chat show! Following the broadcast, with their video views rising each day, the guys posted to their ever-growing social media base about their excitement at going to see Adele in concert in Dublin. Unknown to them, Adele was already a fan of the video, and their voices, and when she saw they were coming to the show arranged a little surprise for them. Towards the end of the show she called them up on stage to perform the medley…which they did, in front of an ecstatic Irish audience.

That kicked the media frenzy into an even higher gear and the two guys were inundated with all sorts of crazy requests and offers. However, they kept their focus and set about creating their own sound, spending the last eighteen months writing, recording and touring.

The fruits of that work will see the light in 2018 with the release of their debut album.

Dovile Lee, originally from Lithuania but living in Ennis, Co.Clare for the last 15 years, releases her much awaited debut EP ‘My Fairytale’ November 27^th available through all online stores and record shops. Her EP contains 5 original songs and 1 instrumental piece about the vicissitudes of life

Dovile has released two singles so far from her debut EP, the title single ‘My Fairytale’ and ‘Dead Man Walking’ to great success.

“Dovile’s music takes you to a place of solace. She is an Alt Rock / New Age artist who immerses her voice into a stream full of haunting and mystic currents” (Garreth Browne, Pure M Magazine).

www.facebook.com/dovileleemusic
www.twitter.com/dovilelee
www.soundcloud.com/user-308943446
www.dovilelee.bandcamp.com
www.breakingtunes.com/dovilelee
https://open.spotify.com/user/21cdqa4n2t25dwk6rs5v7jb3y
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6vmFzbSu21EJp5NjaiZpJg?view_as=subscriber

In response to the relentless destruction and cruelty of mankind in recent events across the world and closer to home, The Grunts release their new single ‘Heal Your Heart’ on December 8th 2017.

Together for over 10 years, core members of the band, Liam O Shea (songwriter, guitarist) and James Spillane (drummer) maintained their influences from early 80s and 90s bands such as Echo and the Bunnymen and Pixies, creating their own brand of raw energy fuelled indie rock. Bringing in new blood more recently with the addition of Eugene D’Arcy (vocals) and Jay Fowley (bass) to the lineup, has given the The Grunts a new impetus adding a more subtle melodic flavour, The result is a fusion of alt rock, new wave and punk.

“Love Is Only A Kiss Away” sings Eugene D’Arcy on the raw choral rallying cry of the single, ‘Heal Your Heart’. Driven by the uptempo rhythm section, ​accented with shimmering guitars, ‘​Heal Your Heart’ ​is The Grunts most mainstream single yet and with sharp production from Kevin Power and mastered by Fergal Davis, it’s sure to drag anyone from their stupor.

Magic Hour Video have also filmed a fantastic music video for the up and coming single. B-side track ‘Shake Babylon’ was forged in the dark heart of the city of London, on the anvil and fires of corruption and parasitic capitalism. Melding Asian infused music with a Velvet Underground style disconnect, ‘Shake Babylon’ unfolds an eerie​ soundscape beyond the flesh and bones of reality.

To date The Grunts have released 7 EP’s and 2 albums including the acclaimed ‘Reflections In My Mirror Shade’ and ‘Cult Before Country’ with the track ‘Cult Before Country’ featuring on the global release of Orion/Maurice Carroll’s production ‘Dead Along The Way’. Their track ‘Party Weirdo (Dance With Me)’ has also appeared on the Tae Talk, a black comedy about roles of the sexes. (Mary McEvoy, Sinéad O’Riordan, Jenn McGuirk & Conor Clear). The Grunts have also appeared on Dead TV playing a live show at the Boogaloo, London.

Live Dates
Thu, Nov 16 – The Crane Lane Theatre Cork, (IRE)
Thu, Dec 7 – The Hall, Malaga (Spain)
Fri, Dec 8 – ZZ Bar, Malaga (Spain)
Sun, Dec 17 – Fibber Magees , Dublin (IRE) 

more to be added…

17-year-old singer-songwriter, Curtis Walsh who hails from Clondalkin, Dublin but now Laois based, was crowned the winner of the 7th annual IMRO Christie Hennessy Song Competition with his song ‘Perfect Rain’

The live final took place on Saturday, 4th November at The Ashe Hotel, Tralee, with a special guest performance from singer/songwriter Bronagh Gallagher. Ten finalists were selected from just under 300 entries from across Ireland and beyond to perform their original song in front of a live audience and panel of expert judges.

Speaking at the announcement of the winner Curtis said: “I was so thrilled to get the news recently that my song Perfect Rain had been shortlisted as a finalist for the IMRO Christie Hennessy Songwriting Competition.  Everything about the night in Tralee on Saturday 4th November was magical, as the standard of the performances from all the other finalists was so high, and then we were treated to a great special guest performance by Bronagh Gallagher and Conor Brady. But to have my name called out as the winner at the end of the night was truly mind-blowing, and I will be forever indebted to the judges and to IMRO for choosing my song as being their favourite. I would like to thank everyone involved in the competition for this opportunity, and I’d also like to thank my family and Milestone Management for their support.”

Curtis was presented with a cheque for €1,000, courtesy of IMRO & Tralee Credit Union and Limerick native Nile St. James received €300 as a worthy runner up for his infectious funk infused song ‘Fell For You’

The competition which is a tribute to one of Tralee’s most famous sons received almost 300 entries from across Ireland and beyond. Now in its seventh year, the competition has grown in stature over the years to become one of Ireland’s leading song competitions and continues to attract a high calibre of songwriters from Ireland and overseas, covering a broad range of musical genres. Previous winners have included Paul McDonnell, Dave Molloy, Alan Kavanagh, Enda Reilly/Christine Deady, Míde Houlihan & Katie O’Connor.

https://www.facebook.com/curtiswalshmusic

Photo @ Joe Hanley

Local Irish Politician Trevor Gilligan, hopes to regenerate Irelands Eurovision success with his new track  ‘Keep You Warm’.

Over the summer, Gilligan released a 3 track EP which received rave reviews as well as airplay on National TV & Radio. “One of the highest honours in music is representing Ireland in the Eurovision. To be involved in writing & composing a song for my country would be a dream come true.”

Interestingly, when Gilligan was 15, he entered a song into the Eurovision contest for Ireland. It was recorded on a 4 track, but the track didn’t fly. “At the time, I had no experience writing or producing music.”

Gilligan hopes his entry ‘Keep You Warm’ will match the criteria judges require for the song contest: Gentle Piano, Heavy Bass & Catchy lyrics, but most of all a simple melody.

The 63rd Eurovision Song Contest takes place May 8th – May 12th, 2018 in Lisbon, Portugal.

Three members of the Songwriting Collective, Tony Bardon, Danai Kelleher and Jon Ryan are heading for Vienna at the end of the month to participate in the Schottenfest Music and Cultural Festival which celebrates the historical links between Ireland, Scotland and the Austrian City. They will be joining a strong list of Irish performers including Mick Flannery, John Spillane and Grainne Hunt.  This is the second year of the Schottenfest Festival which is the brainchild of former member of the Songwriting Collective, Shane O’Fearghail and two other members of the Vienna Songwriting Circle.  The Songwriting Collective holds its monthly songwriting collaboration workshops at IMRO HQ.

For further information see http://www.schottenfest.com/artists-1/ and http://www.schottenfest.com/

Irish Singer/Songwriter ZALI finds a new twist on losing love with her new single ‘Girls Like Us’. She explores how women are not alone in the pain of rejection and heartbreak and will find a supportive sisterhood in the wake of heartbreak.

Produced by the up-and-coming talented triple threat Keyboard Keith, with vocal production and engineering by renowned Irish producer James Darkin, ‘Girls Like Us’ showcases ZALI’s strength, both vocally and emotionally, as she performs her bold, unapologetic lyrics. With ‘Girls Like Us’, ZALI has created an anthem for women, freeing them from their inhibitions, giving them permission to stop playing a role and to start getting exactly what they want.

Inspired by artists like Amy Winehouse, Toni Braxton, Frank Ocean and Duffy, ZALI uses her music to tell stories and to capture the true emotion behind the music.

“‘Girls Like Us’ for me is an anthem to girls everywhere to just let go and be. After previously recording the track earlier in the year, I went back into the Studio to re-record the single after just recently going through some heartbreak to really capture every emotion I was feeling and ‘Girls Like Us’ to me was a reaffirmation that I will be okay. And that there are no rules, except living my best life for me. What I want with my music is to create a bond between me and my listeners through our shared experiences,” says ZALI about her creative process.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/zalimusic/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ZALImusic
Website: http://www.zalimusic.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zalimusicofficial/