Posted by Irish music is enjoying international plaudits right now, with a fresh generation of musicians emerging with their own take on Irish identity.
With everyone from Fontaines D.C. to Kojaque and beyond making their mark, it feels like Irish music is moving with a rare degree of confidence.
Today – March 17th – is St. Patrick’s Day, and as part of a select batch of pieces toasting the rude health of Irish music right now we’re able to share this special collaboration, one that unites two generations of musicians.
Clannad are a central Irish folk group, a vastly influential collective whose catalogue offers fresh definitions on traditional music in the 21st century.
The group have linked with Limerick artist – and firm Clash favourite – Denise Chaila to re-work their classic ‘In A Lifetime’, one of the core texts of modern Irish music. Denise re-works a vocal made famous by Bono, adding her own style to the brew, and helping to push the song in a fresh direction.
Clannad’s Pól Brennan comments: “When the project Ireland In Music was confirmed last summer, I reached out to Denise after seeing her on a streaming event… I thought she stole the show! Blown away by her performance I asked her if she’d be interested in joining us for ‘In a Lifetime’ and a couple of weeks later she came to my studio in Kilkenny, with her team Munya GodKnows and MuRli…. and what a day we had…”
“We shared music, food, stories and more music well into the night and if I needed any confirmation that she’d be great for the song… that was it. It was very appropriate that we went back to Donegal, back to the original location to shoot the video last October and we had some magic making it… it was great to share it all with her… the music, our home and family I’ve recently been back in studio with her… working on tracks for her new album… what a talent!”
Denise Chaila adds: “There’s a quiet element of destiny to how this all came together for me. I’ve been joking that Clannad are my long lost aunties and uncles since we started to speak about this song because my affection for them was almost immediate.”
“Finding that I was being adopted in return was an incredible joy. I’m so proud to be able to contribute my voice to the legacy of their work. Not least because there’s certainly some gravity involved in being asked to sing a part that Bono first imprinted his voice on. Being trusted to sing In A Lifetime with Moya, knowing what it means to them and a vast community of people, is a blessing of many tiers. One that was born over cups of tea, vulnerable conversation, storytelling and PB gently reminding me that singing should feel like breathing. This song, to me, has always spoken of a rebirth in the midst of a storm. Coming together to create this, felt exactly like that.”
The video itself is beautifully shot, the perfect blend of artist, song, and performance…
Tune in now.
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