Brídín - Brídín
BRÍDÍN, West Co. Sligo native, carries on the tradition of Irish music into the fourth generation of her family. BRÍDÍN sings, plays the harp, flute and piano. BRÍDÍN’s musical talent emerged at a very early age. Over the years she has achieved many accolades for her musical ability. Her love of music led her to pursue a musical career, having studied music at University College Cork achieving a degree in Music and Irish and Masters in Music and Performance. BRÍDÍN’s notable performances include ‘The Late Late Show’, ‘The Tommy Tiernan Show’, ‘Ireland AM’, ‘Today with Maura and Daithí’, ‘Claire Byrne Live’, ‘The Mainstage’, ‘Extra.ie’ and national radio.
Over the past number of years, BRÍDÍN has developed her own style influenced by her natural surroundings and rooted in her background in traditional Irish music. BRÍDÍN uses her loop and effect pedals to create her musical pieces. Her layered melodies on harp and voice blend beautifully with contrapuntal fiddle, keyboard, electric guitar and bass, woven together with pulsating drums.
BRÍDÍN grew up in a funeral home and is a full time funeral director and embalmer at her father’s funeral home and has always found from a young age she has been fascinated by life and death. ‘I’m fascinated by the constant flow of nature and the beginning and ending of life.’ This has helped her form a great appreciation of life and says she is so grateful for the people she has in her life and all the work unknowingly our bodies do to keep us alive.
Since becoming a full time funeral director and embalmer, BRÍDÍN has also found that writing and playing music is a great healing process for the pain of people’s grief that she deals with on a daily basis. ‘In an unexpected way, I need one to have the other. Music is my love and emotional outlet and acts as my healer, while on the other hand, the funeral industry reminds me every day how lucky I am to be alive and to still have my loved ones with me. I think in general we need to appreciate the “little” things we have and come back to nature’.
‘This album is my best work yet, I’m so proud of every last note and the musicians who have joined me. I can feel a real honest journey throughout of grief and healing, and I hope it helps people as much as it’s helped me.’
The opening track Hideaway is a gentle, atmospheric peace where the combination of harp sounds with Brídín's ethereal vocal truly stands out. Simple lines have a powerful impact. The emotional resonance is there. You instantly get the feeling of timelessness. There is no before, either here and now. We get lost in the mystical melodies.
Brídín is one of a kind. Unique. Experimental. Crossing boundaries.
Empty Room sounds like an ancient prayer. Deeply rooted in the ancestry yet looking towards the future. The unmistakable violin, played by Clare Sands, is recognizable as a fingerprint and adds another layer to the track that needs to be peeled off like an onion to get to its core.
As the album unfolds, we discover more and more layers and more joined styles that would seem unjoinable to the naked eye. Would you believe that a rapper can sound even more powerful backer by harp? well, listen to Running and you will find out that it creates a surprisingly intense dynamic.
The Dawn Chorus, featuring the actor Stephen Rea, shows the power of simplicity. Spoken word backed by gentle music. Seems like the key to the world. Less is more yet enough. It flows nicely and makes you think of what is being said. About your own existence and beyond.
Some tracks are instrumental and there is nothing else you need. Get lost in the music, let your imagination run free.