We're thrilled to announce the return of the Hot Press Lockdown Sessions' Y&E Series – which is back for a third edition, and promises a fresh bill of 40 spell-binding, intimate Instagram performances. The series – which offers a unique insight into the remarkable quality of Ireland's current music scene – is made possible thanks to the support of the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media!

The aim of the series is to shine a light on some of the best new and emerging talent that Ireland has to offer in 2020. Following the success of the previous two editions of the Y&E Series, you can once again expect 40 brilliant acts to join Hot Press on Instagram for special live-streamed performances.

So far, the Y&E Series has welcomed the likes of special guests Wild Youth, Malaki, Janet Devlin, Tolü Makay, CMAT, JC Stewart, Megan Burke, Little Hours, Dea Matrona, Joshua Burnside, SON, Ryan O'Shaughnessy, Somebody's Child, April, Gemma Dunleavy, PowPig, The Ocelots, Tebi Rex, Soda Blonde, Celaviedmai, JyellowL, Martin McDonnell and many, many more.

The live gigs, which are broadcast nightly on the Hot Press Instagram platform, have been viewed by over quarter of a million people to date.

"We are very conscious that the situation is just as tough for musicians now as it was when the Y&E Series started earlier this year,” Hot Press editor Niall Stokes said. “Indeed, in many ways, it is tougher, in that Irish artists have been starved of the opportunity to play in front of a live audience for eight months now, with no end to that realistically in sight.

“That's why the Y&E Series is so important. On our own behalf, and on behalf of the artists, we want to say a big thanks to the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, and to the Minister, Catherine Martin for making it possible.

“The Y&E Series has seen some really brilliant performances to date, underlining just how much fantastic talent there is in Ireland at the moment. In addition, there has been a really lovely, and often very inspiring, level of mutual support, solidarity and camaraderie among the musicians taking part. That is the best possible response to the challenges presented by these extraordinarily difficult times. Long may it continue."

"The night was great," Tolü Makay (pictured) says of her experience on the Y&E Series. "Knowing that it's not just you performing, that there are people watching, was important. And then the fact that it was a paid gig really helped and made it more meaningful. It was really valuable for me and my band.”

Rapper Malaki also noted that what he "loved most about the Y&E Series was the sense of community and involvement between all of the artists, something the world has been lacking over the last few months."

"The Y&E Series was definitely one of my highlights during these times," he added.

Make sure to keep an eye on hotpress.com and our social media channels for breaking news on the line-up for this new edition of the Hot Press Lockdown Sessions' Y&E Series! We're licking our lips already...