Last night, Hot Press welcomed Dublin indie-rocker Kynsy to the Y&E series. With a unique voice to match her spirited song-writing, the night's performance was infectious, diverse, and full of limitless potential.

After being tipped as one of our 'Hot For 2020' Irish Acts, Kynsyn continues to establish herself as one of the most exciting emerging forces in Irish music. The Dubliner has built up a reputation for exploring the darkness and ennui of young adulthood. She simultaneously holds onto a wry self-awareness in her lyrics and a playful approach to her self-described “rowdy pop” sound. She is able to lift her songs out of a place of tragic realism and into something surprisingly triumphant.

Following last year's release of debut EP Things That Don’t Exist and acclaimed singles 'Mr. Nice Guy' and 'New Year', the BIMM Dublin graduate is poised for a major breakthrough on these shores and beyond.

Kynsy dazzlingly works her way through 'Elephant in the Room': an anthem to young-adult angst that just doesn't seem to be getting easier. The indie-pop foundation is vibrantly coloured by a reckless personality that manifests itself through free form vocals and shouty electric guitar. The effect is an absolute success.

The melodies are catchy, yet unpredictable. Songs like 'Cold Blue Light' and 'Dog Videos' show off her unique storytelling style: literate, blunt, and full of relatable imagery. You can't help but be drawn into the roller-coaster ride of the creative performance.

She switches the mood with 'Thumb Wars' which drags us down to a dark and smokey place. An innovative lyricist, her talent for bringing a story to life is clear.

Despite her offhand demeanor, she maintains a clean balance between chaos and clever structure. She chooses to embrace this energy as a strength: "Even though that was chaotic... I think I'm going to be branding my chaos from here on out."

Don't miss her upcoming appearance at The Road To The Great Escape in Whelan's, Dublin (May 10), Forbidden Fruit (June 5), Sea Sessions (June 18) and Electric Picnic (September 2–4).

Click here to revisit last year's interview with Kynsy.

Watch the Hot Press Y&E Series – supported by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media – live on the Hot Press Instagram (@hotpressmagazine) at 7pm each night.

 

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Coming up on the Y&E Series:

Tuesday, April 26: Hawke The Band
Drawing influence from the likes of The Verve, Oasis and U2, Hawke The Band have been widely tipped as 'ones to watch' on these shores and beyond. Fronted by lead singers Richard Power and Eoghan Mac Mahon, the Dublin band rapidly rose from making home demos in their bedrooms, to recorded in the famed Abbey Road and Metropolis studios in London. After opening for Aslan in 2019, they've continued to expand their sound with a series of releases over the last few years – releasing their latest single, 'Limo', back in September.

Wednesday, April 27: Conor Clinch
Dublin singer-songwriter Conor Clinch is all set to take the homegrown scene by storm. Following the release of his debut EP, For When I'm Not Around, in 2020, he's released a string of well-received singles, including 'Amy' and 'Indigo'. Earlier this year, he teamed up with California-based artist KEPIK on the track 'Let You Go'.

Thursday, April 28: Amberlight
Made up of vocalist Lauren Doherty and guitarist/producer/songwriter Paul Casey, this Derry duo have been busy over the last two years, releasing an exciting selection of singles and accompanying videos, including the likes of 'The Song My Heart Sings' , 'Strong Enough', 'Only Love (A Fisherman's Lament)' and 'Peace at Last'. They also contributed to the Rave On, Van Morrison series, performing a cover of 'Celtic New Year'.