Ireland has produced some pretty amazing female singers over the years including Enya, Sinead O’Connor, Moya Brennan and Dolores O’Riordan. However, they are not the only talented women to come from the Emerald Isle. Here’s a brief rundown on five more worth getting to know:
Katie McMahon
If you have seen the show “Riverdance” there is a good chance that you may already love and appreciate the music of Katie McMahon. Her solo performance in the show was absolutely stunning. Of course “Riverdance” is not all that this talented lady is known for. She has her own band, a dance troupe and many accolades to her credit. Her albums of note include “St. Patrick’s Day”, “Shine” and “After the Morning.
Shannon Lambert-Ryan
It would be hard to describe Runa’s Shannon Lambert-Ryan in just one word. What I can tell you is this; she’s a multi-talented woman with a strong voice. Just listen to her 2009 album “Jealousy” and you’ll know what I mean. Some of the best songs on it have to be “Erin, Gra mo Chroi”, “Falling”, “Summerfly” and “Reels.” Other great albums associated with the group include “Stretched On Your Grave” and “Somewhere Along the Road.” In addition to her musical career, Lambert-Ryan is also an accomplished actor. Her film credits include M. Night Shyamalan’s “The Village” (2004), “Bereavement” (2010) and “The 4th Dimension” (2006).
Melinda Ortner
Melinda Ortner is another vibrant Irish singer worth paying attention to. Her song “Strangers in My Bedroom” is one of my favorites. Ortner’s other songs of note include “Maybe”, “Something You Said” and “Heartbeats.” Each one was featured in major films including “I Hate Valentine’s Day” (2009). MTV watchers may also recognize her from the show “Steal the Spotlight.” Given her tremendous talents, I suspect that we’ll see a lot more of her in the future.
Juliette Turner
Captivating and hauntingly beautiful are just some of the words that I would used to describe the music of Juliette Turner. I just love her song “Broken Things.” In my opinion, it’s a gorgeous piece of music. I also enjoyed listening to the songs “I Hope That I Don’t Fall in Love with You” and “Everything Beautiful is Burning.” Turner has also produced multiple albums that I would recommend checking out. They include “Burn the Black Suit” (2000) and “People Have Names” (2008).
Tara O’Grady
If you love jazz and swing as much as I do, you’ll be hard-pressed to stay in your seat when you hear Tara O’Grady’s song “I’ll Tell Me Ma.” Of course that’s just par for the course with this Irish powerhouse. Other amazing songs by O’Grady include “Steady Teddy”, “Your Eyes and Me” and “November Moon.” Excellent albums produced by O’Grady include “Good Things Come to Those Who Wait” and “Black Irish.”
Source: Personal Experience
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