SHE IS "a unique talent, a magnetising performer, and any time you see her sing, there’s a palpable sense of a musician on the rise.” So said Nialler9 about Loah, who plays the Róisín Dubh as part of the Galway International Arts Festival.
Loah (born Sallay Matu Garnett ) is a Sierra Leonean/Irish singer-songwriter whose music has elements of soul, funk, R&B, rock, and folk - a fusion she calls 'ArtSoul'. She plays the Dominick Street venue on Wednesday July 19 at 8pm.
Loah grew up between Maynooth and West Africa and during childhood learned violin, eventually playing in orchestral ensembles and singing in choirs. In her teens she turned to piano and began writing songs. Later at university she collaborated with future members of the likes of Little Green Cars, before contributing to Hozier’s platinum selling debut album, co-writing 'Someone New', for which she and the Wicklow man won a BMI songwriting award.
Since going solo she has released three singles - 'The Bailey', 'Cortege', and 'Take It' with Irish producer Bantum - performed at Electric Picnic, Body&Soul, Longitude, Cork Jazz Festival, Sounds From A Safe Harbour, and the Dublin Fringe Festival; sold out headline gigs in The Twisted Pepper, Workmans’ Club, and Centre Culturel Irlandais in Paris. She has also played SXSW and New York.
Tickets are available at www.roisindubh.net; the Ticket Desk at OMG@Zhivago, Shop Street; the Róisín Dubh; and www.giaf.ie #GIAF17
