With the New Year upon us, it’s time to take a look at the field of up-and-coming musicians and bands to see what’s percolating out there…

While it can be hard to predict exactly which artists will rise to the top, Marc Gunn and the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast have chosen five that have definitely caught our attention—and are worthy of yours! Take a look at who we’ve picked and why—and feel free to share some artists that you’ve discovered in the comments. If it’s one thing we know, it’s that there are many talented people out there! It was tough to get this list down to just five, but here we go…

Kinnfolk

Kinnfolk is only two albums in, but already they are garnering some tall attention. Chosen as one of ten bands across the entire world to be part of the inaugural Robinson Emerging Artist Showcase (hosted by the Goderich Celtic Roots Festival), it hasn’t taken them long to get noticed! When you hear their music it’s easy to see why—the duo blends beautifully, putting forth a sound that is at once pure and charming.

The band is made up of Josh and Julie Kinn, and they take turns singing—and sing together. The musical accompaniment is kept simple—bodhran and bouzouki, but there’s nothing more needed here. Celtic folk is their genre and they do it beautifully. There is a crisp simplicity to their songs that is anything but basic—indeed—that’s a difficult presentation to master and do it so well. For being on the scene only since 2020, they have certainly made their way to the front of the line.

I'm subscribed to their newsletter and keeping an eye open to see what Kinnfolk will do next.

Here's a video of them performing “Westlin Wind”:

The Chivalrous Crickets

When you visit the website for this band you’re greeted by a photo of six musicians playing together on stage. Scroll down a bit and you’ll see a picture of a big pile of instruments. That gives you a good idea of what The Chivalrous Crickets is all about! Six trained vocalists play an assortment of 14 different instruments to put forth a sound that is unique to the group—and it’s winning people’s favor. You see, they do things differently…

Take the track Willow Garden off of their self-titled album for example. It starts off with a long showcase of the band harmonizing—vocals only. Then the song pops into a folksy romp, complete with instrumentation. You never quite know what they’re going to come up with next! Some tracks are bright and quick, others slow and mellow. They even throw in things like their rendition of Blue Christmas (Off “A Chivalrous Christmas”) that is pretty unexpected! Fun, and full of surprises.

I heard several fans of the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast talk about The Chivalrous Crickets. So I'm gonna keep watching them. You can too with this video “Bonny Prince Charlie”:

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The Carroll Sisters

Although they are just getting started (literally!), this duo of fiddlers have an interesting background, and they sound terrific! The ladies are two sisters, Emilie and Nora Carroll, and they are both under 18 years of age—although you’d never know it from their music. They both studied from a young age—first the Suzuki method, then they found their way over to the Celtic music sphere, where they have been mentored and taught by experienced fiddle players over their short time together thus far. It shows.

When you listen to their new album, “Daybreak”, you’d never know you are listening to ladies so tender-aged. The music is strong and confident—like players far older and more experienced. They have a jump on the game in terms of where they can go in Celtic music. There’s so much time for them to grow and hone their considerable skill sets. We have a feeling that these two are in it for the long haul. It will be fascinating to watch the career path they take as they continue to become more and more well-known.

Something about the energy of their music reminds of The Gothard Sisters. They were an early favorite of the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast. I can't wait to hear what comes next from The Carroll Sisters.

Here they perform their “Grandfather Set”. Their album version will be on the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast #588, the first episode of 2023.

Amelia Hogan

Amelia Hogan is a vocalist, and her music is built around her beautiful singing. It’s easy to be transported by the tracks she offers, as they tend to have a dreamy feel to them. You’ll often find her collaborating with others, which undoubtedly helps keep her music fresh and interesting. In fact, creativity itself seems to be a driving force with Hogan—because singing isn’t the only way that she intersects with the arts. She is also a self-described mixed media artist, exploring through painting, podcasting, and more.

Lovers of traditional Irish, British American, Contemporary folk, and Scottish music will definitely find something they enjoy listening to in her music, and the vocal quality is truly crystal clear with this singer. Her voice captures both tenderness and strength equally well, which is impressive. It’s easy to see why she is so well liked.

Check out this video of Amelia Hogan singing “Paddy's Green Shamrock Shore”:

The Bow Tides

For many all we have to do is say that The Bow Tides is led by three excellent fiddlers and that’s enough to pique an interest in the band! Mention that they have played with the well-known group Gaelic Storm and that will show you the caliber of musicianship we’re talking about here…

You could say this group (the fiddlers plus a bassist and guitarist) was born out of the pandemic in 2020, so at least something good came out of that time period! What started as an online collaboration for the Spanish Peaks International Celtic Festival blossomed into an ongoing effort. Their debut recording (“Sailing On”) was the ultimate result of their collaboration, and it looks like what began as an attempt to play with other musicians during difficult times has formed a band that is positioned well to continue to do wonderful things. We like that.

See The Bow Tides perform “Moonring”:

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Catherine L. Tully is a freelance writer and photographer who specializes in the arts. She has written for American Style and Classical Singer, among other magazines, and for the Celtic Music Magazine for nearly 15 years. You can reach her through her website at CatherineLTully.com.

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