Singular Voices: Lisa O'Neill

Ireland’s Lisa O’Neill is one of the most striking folk singers performing today. Transcendent and original, her inimitable voice is raw, evocative and laden with emotion.  

O’Neill’s pure songwriting and organic music – she plays the guitar and banjo – alight in songs that reach the soul. She’s built a reputation as a modern artist tapped into the ancient, whose voice pulls at the heart and harkens to different worlds.  

Her live sets are a striking mix of originals and interpretations - the music stark and cerebral, the voice singular and personal, and stage presence charismatic. A recent live review in The Guardian noted “Her voice…is transporting live: imagine Edith Piaf coming from the Irish border counties, brilliantly stomping her boots.”  

O’Neill has been lauded by artists and critics alike. The Edge called hers “a unique voice in Irish songwriting”, Cillian Murphy opined “She’s an extraordinary singer songwriter”, while Iggy Pop gushed “Beautiful, what a strong, beautiful voice”. The New York Times declared “O’Neill is a cultural hero in her own right” and NPR Music’s Bob Boilen called O’Neill’s music “stunning, cinematic”.   

Uncut called O’Neill’s mesmeric new LP (her first for indie titans, Rough Trade), “The first indisputable classic of 2023”, and the album is a lock for year-end best of lists. Check out the lead single, Old Note, a true shimmer of beauty, along with her remarkable adaptation of Bob Dylan’s All The Tired Horses for the final scene of epic TV drama, Peaky Blinders.  

Don't miss Lisa O’Neill as she lets her wild loveliness rip.

“Uncompromising, stunning, soul-shaking stuff.” – The Guardian, Folk Album of the Year   

“Spectral, subtle and sublime. This is as beautiful as it gets.” – The Irish Times