Lemoncello comprised of University friends Laura Quirke and Claire Kinsella are amongst the brightest lights of contemporary Irish Music. Prodigiously talented and accomplished musicians in their own right, together they are a unique and rare offering.
Musically, they echo the profound integrity of Folk with songwriting that is modern, never anachronistic. There’s a special deftness to Kinsella’s Cello which weaves and underpins Quirke’s vulnerably introspective and knowing lyricism delivered with gentle defiance.
Live performances are filled with chemistry and humour “intoxicating and sassy” (The Journal of Music 2020). Simply put, Lemoncello charm audiences with charisma and personality that is irresistible and comparable to the luminaries of French Chanson Brel & Piaf. Notable performances have included Other Voices, Dublin’s legendary Vicar Street, CCI Paris, and Áras an Uachtaráin at the invitation of the President of Ireland.
To date, they have released two Eps – 2018’s Stuck Upon The Staircase which includes the slow-burning hit Mantlepiece (in excess of 1.5 million online streams), and 2020’s Oil and Water complete with House Of Cards which reflects on the temporality of human desire and need through the hard-learned wisdom of youth.
As seasoned musicians, they have collaborated and performed with esteemed artists including Joshua Burnside (Quirke And Burnside’s Taking The Wheel was nominated for Best Folk Song at RTE Folk Awards 2021), David Keenan, Sam Amidon, Lisa O’Neill, CMAT, The Mary Wallopers, and Cormac Begley amongst many others.
2023 will see the release of Lemoncello’s highly anticipated debut album produced by Julie McClarnon (Analogue Catalogue Studios).
Rachael Lavelle is a Dublin-born singer and composer who captivates audiences with her arresting voice and humorous observations on existence. Merging classical and contemporary influences, her hypnotic live performances blend electronic soundscapes with spoken word and acrobatic vocals.
Since the release of her track ‘Perpetual Party’, she has performed at SXSW 2021, opened for Villagers and toured with City Slang’s Anna B Savage. She has collaborated with a wide range of ensembles and artists such as Crash Ensemble, Peter Broderick, SlapBang, Saint Sister and most recently appeared as a vocalist on Villagers ‘Fever Dreams’ album.
Her compositional practice ranges from writing for operatic voices, and choral composition with Nico Muhly to composing for film and in her electronic duo, To The Fields, a collaboration with Dublin producer Odd Ned. Her debut album will be released in 2023.
“Rachael Lavelle doesn’t release music all too often, but when she does, you can count on it being totally bewitching, and more than a little uncanny.” – The Quietus
“The most striking avant-garde pop tune made and released in Ireland this year” – Nialler9
“She is the intersection between Laurie Anderson and Björk”- The Thin Air
Dream Baby Dream is curated and commissioned by Foggy Notions and Regional Cultural Centre, Letterkenny.
Supported by the Arts Council of Ireland.
