Stevie G: Exciting times for Irish music scene
This column has always largely focused on the hip-hop/R&B/soul/reggae side of things so I’ll keep it to this. Our rock/indie/alternative scenes continue to have much success, and house/techno/electronica is flying, but what about all of the hip-hop that has been coming out?
The early covid era was significant in many ways, and by early June 2020 the George Floyd murder had increased lots more focus on what was happening with black music worldwide. It may seem like it was another universe, in the months of 2025 pushback by Trump and Musk on DEI, but there was a time less than five years ago where many organisations across the world began to actually question how white everything was. Music was no exception, and in the rush to make up for years of neglect, many Irish media organisations and other significant players started to make more of an effort when it came to music like hip-hop and R&B. To be honest, it was a bit of a wave for many, but some strides were made, and many artists blew up domestically in that era.
This was an era where Denise Chaila was catapulted into the mainstream here in Ireland, and her Chaila single was one of the anthems of that spring and summer. A mixtape and numerous high-profile performances followed on TV and at festivals, as the lockdown eased, and the print media couldn’t get enough of Denise. I couldn’t help but feel uneasy that a young Irish black woman was being asked to be the spokesperson for the whole Black Lives Matter movement, and there were many times where she was hardly even asked about her music. Denise remains one of Ireland’s most foremost talents and while she has retreated slightly from the public view, she will eventually most likely reemerge when she feels like it herself on her own terms.
This era five years ago also saw other artists emerge into the mainstream in Ireland and, despite my cynicism, the wider media definitely improved in their coverage of music that had previously been on the periphery. Irish artists of all colours and backgrounds got creative at a time when there was not much to do but make music, and many online communities formed in this time. One of the highlights of this weird time, for me, was Gaptoof’s beat series on Twitch and Instagram, where many of Ireland’s best young producers and beat makers used to meet online every Saturday night, sharing ideas and music and building friendships and connections that still last.
Five years on, clubland is back but has changed forever, and many lockdown youngsters have grown up without club culture as part of their lives. There remains a good scene though, and many different collectives are operating across Ireland right now, in small bars or other spaces. There are more photographers, videographers, designers and other artists than ever before, and there is a wonderful cross pollination of creative people working together in Cork and elsewhere.
You may not see it, but believe me, things are popping off in many ways. I’m gonna use Sergiu Junior Cecan and his Chaos magazine as a great example of a platform that is pushing creativity here onto a new level, and he and others are documenting some of the most exciting talent to emerge from Ireland.
There are numerous other examples too, and I’ve covered many here, plus there are lots of artists making the leap from domestic success to international acclaim, and the recent success of Jordan Adetunji shows that anything is possible. Who is next? Khakikid, Moio, Aby Coulabaly, Courtesy, Rory Sweeney, Travis, Ellz, Bricknasty and many others have exploded in many ways, while Kneecap, Kojaque and the whole Soft Boy Crew have made progress outside of our small island too. The talent has always been here, but in 2025 Ireland seems to be on the cusp of something really special.
