Friday 9 May 2025
9:30 pm
11:00 pm
RÓIS’ ethereal voice has been compared to the likes of Björk, Meredith Monk and Hatis Noit. It is a vocal style rooted in traditional sean-nós singing, as she summons the dead and forgotten, with ancient ‘keening’ songs. With RÓIS’ performances the old and the new are enmeshed, alongside encapsulating visuals, in the hope of creating good art. Leading audiences into a realm of mysticism and creating a space for introspection, these live experiences are completely unique.
In late 2024, RÓIS self-released her acclaimed EP ‘MO LÉAN’. Written and produced by RÓIS with additional production from John Spud Murphy (OXN/Lankum), ‘MO LÉAN’ is a concept record, taking the listener through the grieving process from start to finish, from the chaos that loss brings, to the intense emotional outpourings and finally, a cathartic release.
‘MO LÉAN’ features several new original recordings and reworks of songs and hymns based around the concept of death, life, mourning and catharsis. RÓIS re-imagines the tradition of ‘keening’ in Ireland that goes back to pre-christian times, a practice in which women would ‘keen’ a lamenting wail at the side of a coffin during a wake. After discovering the last two recordings of keening songs, RÓIS was inspired by their ethereal melodies to give them a modern reworking yet honouring the original women by sampling them in her adaption. ‘Keeners’ through their voices, movements and laments, conveyed the communal expression of grief and allowed those suffering a way to release their sorrow and loss. RÓIS aspires to do the same with the release and her live performances, by expressing the power of the voice to transcend death and help us relinquish our fear of it.
“RÓIS is a startling singer…Mo Léan heralds an arresting new talent” – The Guardian (Folk Album Of The Month)
“Connolly explores wider concepts of death, grief and catharsis that at times reaches astonishing potency” – The Quietus
www.roismusic.ie
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