Galway music fans, it's time to step up and vote for your local superstar!
Tickets for the highly anticipated live finale of A New Local Hero 2023, are on sale now.
Following a phenomenal talent search, featuring a selection of acts from right across the country, Hot Press and the Independent Broadcasters of Ireland (IBI ) are thrilled to present the six national finalists for A New Local Hero. Out of the hugely talented 25 regional finalists, Brad Heidi (Galway Bay FM ), Darian June (Red FM ), Negro Impacto (LMFM ), Temi (FM104 ), Paddy Keyes (Ocean FM ) and Eva Campbell (SPIN 1038 ) have been chosen to perform at the live finale showcase event at The Academy, in Dublin, on Tuesday April 25.
Not only that, but there are still huge opportunities for the 19 artists who didn't make the final six. This year's edition of A New Local Hero also includes a special award called the Wild Card, who is voted for by the public. The Wild Card winner will be awarded a €2,500 bursary.
Cast your vote at irishmusicmonth.ie Galway indie-rock duo All Of Eden, comprising brothers Jake and Troy Gawley, blend 50’s rock ‘n’ roll, country, jazz and pop to show-stopping effect. Their debut EP will be released in May.
As one of the central features of Irish Music Month, A New Local Hero is a major call to arms for Irish musicians and bands – with all 25 participating radio stations having reached out for submissions as part of the talent search.
Every participating radio station selected four finalists each – giving them the chance to play live on air, and paying them for their performance, thanks to the support of the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland, under its Sound & Vision scheme.
From there, the station's four finalists were whittled down to one 'Local Hero' from each – a major honour in itself, which will serve as a huge milestone in the career of the selected 25 artists.
From the 25 artists selected locally, an industry judging panel has chosen six acts to go forward to play at the special showcase event in Dublin.
“It has been really exciting, hearing the cream of the new artists who are coming through all over Ireland,” Hot Press editor Niall Stokes says. “I know that the judges were faced with some enormously difficult calls. But there was also a very strong unanimity in relation to the six that have now been shortlisted, that these are very special acts, with the potential to really flourish in the long run. There can be only one artist selected as A New Local Hero 2023, but it is very clear, from the music that we have been hearing, that we are on the right track here in Ireland at the moment, producing artists of real calibre across all genres. Long may it continue."
The A New Local Hero campaign will ultimately see over €100,000 paid directly to Irish artists – and one worthy overall winner selected, who will get to record a single at the prestigious Camden Recording Studios in Dublin, and release the single on the famed Irish independent record label Rubyworks.
Tickets for A New Local Hero live event at the Academy on Tuesday, 25 April, are now available from ticketmaster.ie
