COULD ANOTHER Galway based musician scoop the Choice Music Prize when the awards are announced in Vicar Street on March 3?
Three West of Ireland musicians are in line for prestigious prize with Daithí, as part of Houseplants, his collaboration with Bell X1’s Paul Noonan, and their album Dry Goods; electro artist Elaine Mai, for her album Home; and Clare singer-songwriter Susan O’Neill, for her collaboration with Mick Flannery on the magnificent In The Game album.
Galway has traditionally done well at the Choice Awards. Julie Feeney, from Athenry, won the inaugural award in 2005, for her debut album 13 songs; while Galway-Maltese singer-songwriter, Adrian Crowley, won the award in 2009 for Season Of The Sparks. Galway has also featured among the nominees on numerous occasions: Julie Feeney in 2009 and 2012; Adrian Crowley in 2012; Daithí and Maija Sofia in 2019, and Niamh Regan in 2020.
Mayo born Elaine Mai was resident in Galway for many years and first unveiled her special talent with many memorable shows in the Róisín Dubh. Clare born Daithí divides his time between Galway and Dublin, and has been a prominent figure in the Galway and West of Ireland music scenes for a decade.
'A special feel and vibe'
Speaking to the Galway Advertiser earlier this year about Dry Goods, Daithí said: “Paul had been working on a few tracks, and sent them to me, and I noodled around on them, and sent those back to him. A track from one of us would start as one thing and become something else.
“We would transform each other’s ideas. I’d look at something Paul had come up with for something I’d sent him, and think, ‘I never thought of it going in that direction.’ They didn’t suit my solo work, they didn’t fit into Paul’s solo work, but they felt more than the sum of their parts and we realised they had a special feel and vibe, and an album started to
“Music is my main focus. A thing that’s struck me, now I’m in my thirties, are the numbers of artists I see who have been around a while, who are now ‘lifers’. They will play music no matter what. Seeing them, I realise I’m a lifer too, and so is Paul, and I’m proud to be that.
The other nominees for the RTÉ Choice Music Prize Irish Album of the Year 2021 award are Bicep’s Isles, For Those I Love’s eponymous album; Orla Gartland’s Woman on the Internet, Kojaque’ Town’s Dead; Saint Sister’s Where I Should End; Soda Blonde’s Small Talk; and Villagers’ Fever Dreams.
The Irish Album of the Year 2021 will be announced live from Vicar St on RTÉ 2FM in a special show from 7pm to 11pm on Thursday March 3. The show will feature live performances from some of the shortlisted acts. Tickets are on sale via https://www.ticketmaster.ie/venueartist/198259/1541435. A Choice Music Prize highlights programme will be broadcast on RTÉ2 the following week.
