Supporting Irish Musicians and Artists

Bailey 333, Bobbi Arlo, Sarah Fitz and Leah Moran have been selected as local finalists in the A New Local Hero national talent search - a key part of Irish Music Month which is set to kick off on 21 stations across Ireland on September 1st.

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 21 participating radio stations having reached out for submissions in recent months. The excitement is rising, with a slew of announcements arriving over the next few days. Each of the acts selected by the stations will perform and be interviewed on their local station, with one act from each station going forward onto the long-list of contenders for the national A New Local Hero award.

Launched in 2021, Irish Music Month is an initiative of Hot Press and the Independent Broadcasters of Ireland, and is funded by Coimisiún na Meán.

What Irish Music Month means, across participating independent stations, is:

– More Irish music song plays

– More Irish music features

– More Irish artist gig pushes

– More Irish artist interviews

And – what's more – we'll be putting over €100,000 into the hands of music makers and their crews across the country too.

Without further ado, let's have a look at FM 104's shortlisted artists...

Bailey 333:

Cabra-bred Bailey Egan is an act for modern times, not least thanks to his ability to smoothly mix rapping duties with soul-rending vocals, taking inspiration from the likes of The Kid Laroi, Juice WRLD and Justin Bieber. After deciding to hone in on his mic skills during lockdown, the operation has since expanded far beyond the four walls of his bedroom, with appearances at massive festivals like Longitude and Wireless. Contemporary tunes rooted in unapologetic emotion.

Bailey 333. (Screenshot: Spotify)

Bobbi Arlo:

This seriously talented Dubliner spends her time between Ireland and Glasgow, and already has a flurry of radio and streaming hits to her name -  like her 2021 single 'Fever Thoughts', which was nominated for Choice Prize Song of the Year and boasts hundreds of thousands of streams. Alongside her older brother and producer Adam, Arlo has made a healthy habit out of conjuring up juicy synth-crushed hyper-pop tracks. Another fine product of the capital's eclectic music scene.

Sarah Fitz:

A young singer-songwriter who's been performing on the bustling, busker-mad Grafton Street since 2022, this rising artist has also taken the opportunity to share some of her own original tunes as of late, with March's 'Heart Dance' making a significant impression online and on radio waves across the country. With a seismic voice, it's no secret to why Fitz's emotional, ornate pop arrangements have turned the heads of many a passing Dubliner, as well as the knowledgeable folks at FM 104.

Sarah Fitz at Mother Earth at The Wonderful Barn Marquee, Leixlip to celebrate Brigid 1500 with Hot Press, Kildare County Council and Intel.

Leah Moran:

A powerful voice, stripped back instrumentation and a penchant for brave, personal storytelling characterise this young Dub's approach - a method which has evidently paid off thus far in her relatively green career. An alumnus of Hot Press' talent-rich Y&E series, Moran has also been chosen by the likes of the 502s, as well as glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova's Swell Season, for support slots in Ireland and beyond. It looks like the industry experts will have a hard time singling out just one budding star from this capital city station's selection...

Leah Moran at Nothing Compares at The Naas Potato Market Gathering to celebrate Brigid 1500 with Hot Press and Kildare County Council. Copyright Darragh Bell.

Irish Music Month is also supported by IMRO, RAAP, Live Nation, Rubyworks and Camden Recording Studios.

See the full list of participating radio stations below:

Clare FM
Classic Hits
Cork's 96FM
East Coast FM
FM104
Galway Bay Fm
Highland Radio
KCLR
KFM
Limerick Live 95FM
LMFM
Midlands 103
MidWest Radio
Northern Sound
Ocean FM
Radio Kerry
Radio Nova
Shannonside
South-East Radio
Tipp FM
WLR FM

• Irish Music Month - Irish Radio Supporting Artists - in association with IBI, Hot Press & Coimisiún na Meán's Sound & Vision Scheme, funded by the Television License Fee.

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