Síomha

Independent Irish singer and guitarist Síomha (pronounced She-vah) dances the line between folk, jazz and neo-soul effortlessly taking audiences on an unexpected and unforgettable journey with her soulful melodies. Her debut album ‘Infinite Space’, described by The Irish Times as “a seriously accomplished and self-confident debut”, is a collection of songs in both Irish and English. A kind of cosmic, folk-informed, jazz-tinged, post-pop - it was produced by Grammy-nominated Tyler Duncan and features an all-star lineup of musicians including Joe Dart (Vulfpeck), Louis Cato (Bobby McFerrin/ Snarky Puppy), Martin Atkinson Borrull (Toucan) and violinist Jeremy Kittel (Bela Fleck/ Chris Thile). Síomha’s voice is full of raw heartfelt experience. When listening to her, audiences are instantly moved to feel on the deepest level and come out more intimately connected to their own worlds.

Coming from a family steeped in music, Síomha grew up on a diet of musical greats with the sounds of jazz, trad, folk and soul creeping in and leaving an indelible mark on her musical tastes and influences. She started playing the guitar at age 10 but it was later in her teens while attending high school in the south of France that she first took up jazz guitar after a chance encounter led to her learning from an Italian gypsy who taught her the manouche gypsy jazz style. The chords and sounds of jazz fascinated and inspired Síomha and she began to craft her own songs.

The next few years saw her travelling, with music as her compass, soaking up the sounds of each place she travelled and further honing her craft. In late 2016, having traversed America, Canada and Mexico, she felt an innate draw to return to her home shores and a phenomenal few years have followed. Síomha has been a regular guest of folk legend Paul Brady and has performed at festivals such as Electric Picnic, Celtic Connections, Cambridge Folk Festival and Fête de la Musique at Centre Culturel Irlandais in Paris. In 2018, she was invited to tour with the celebrated contemporary American-Irish group the olllam and instantly formed a bond with founding member Tyler Duncan. In 2019, Síomha and her long-term creative collaborator Martin Atkinson Borrull began recording her debut album in Michigan, USA with Tyler as producer. Síomha was selected as an Official Showcase Artist at Folk Alliance International 2023 in Kansas City, MI and she was awarded The Music Network Performance Residency at Centre Culturel Irlandais, Paris. Síomha has recorded some of her songs with The RTÉ Concert Orchestra, arranged and conducted by Cormac McCarthy. These recordings appear on a new EP titled ‘Infinite Space Reimagined’, a follow-up to her ambitious debut album. The EP will also feature a track with Metropole Orkest, the world’s leading pop and jazz orchestra who have collaborated with Ella Fitzgerald, Bono, Snarky Puppy and Robbie Williams.

Síomha is an artist full of heart and her music defies conventional genres. The influences of her musical background, her travels and her musical explorations are audible in the music she creates. Always proud of her Irish heritage, she performs her songs in English and Irish. The beautiful landscape and rugged nature of her native West of Ireland are a huge source of inspiration for this proud Co. Clare artist leading her to create a soulful and unique style of music that enthrals anyone who hears it.