While our island may be small, the talents of Ireland’s LGBTQ+ music community know no bounds, as evidenced by the lineup of Irish queer artists and allies on this music round-up.
From indie pop bangers to powerful dance tracks, the soundtrack to our commutes, gym sessions and kitchen discos is shaping nicely thanks to these homegrown artists. Ready to level-up your playlist? Here’s who we recommend:
Phoeno
Indie pop outfit Phoeno dropped their latest single ‘Therapy’ on October 17, and it’s a certified banger. This dance-infused track layers pulsing synths with haunting vocals to deliver a love song that is equal parts soft and darkly revealing.
You can listen to ‘Therapy’ here.
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Beauty Sleep
Beauty Sleep, a musical duo that hails from Northern Ireland, explore queer identity in their second album The Whole Damn Cake. From their musical arrangements to the lyrics to their genre-defying sound, Beauty Sleep challenge heteronormativity – and we can’t get enough.
You can listen to The Whole Damn Cake right here.
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Ailbhe Reddy
Dublin indie singer Ailbhe Reddy’s latest single ‘Align’ manages to be both a devastating post-break-up ballad and a soothing dose of catharsis all in one go – and we can’t wait for more music from her. Make sure you check out her upcoming single ‘So Quickly Baby’ when it lands on our music feeds next week.
You can check out ‘Align’ right here.
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Elaine Mai
Elaine Mai’s latest album For Us takes the listener on a sonic journey, exploring intergenerational trauma, belonging and release. The art of collaboration informed Mai, as evident by the incredible artists joining her in the booth, including MuRli, Faye O’Rourke, MayKay and SinĂ©ad White. The album’s most powerful track has to be ‘We Are’, which features the voices of young people living in the Lajee Centre in the Occupied West Bank.
You can check out For Us right here.
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PureGrand
Fresh off the success of his high-energy dance track ‘Seven Up’, Dublin indie pop artist PureGrand is back with the 1960s-inspired single ‘Irrelevant’. In true PureGrand style, the artist released a self-produced campy music video that captures the irreverence of ‘Irrelevant’.
You can watch the video below.
Dani Larkin
From touring the island to being shortlisted for the Northern Ireland Music Prize, it’s been quite a year for Armagh artist Dani Larkin, and the best is yet to come. Larkin’s single from her upcoming album Next of Kin dropped last month and its unique sonic textures give the listeners an idea of what to expect.
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MayKay
Fresh off her electric performance at the GALAS, our ears are ready for more MayKay and her freshly-released self-titled album is hitting all the right spots. The standout track is ‘Busted’, a punchy, playful of toxic masculinity that we can’t get out of our heads.
You can listen to the track right here.
Fancy even more music from Irish LGBTQ+ artists and allies? Keep your eyes peeled for our next music round-up. Happy listening!
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