Meet Brigid

Recent years have seen Brigid O’Neill gaining a deserved reputation as one of Ireland’s finest songwriters. Reviews of her critically acclaimed latest releases, have reaffirmed that the gifted artist is one of the most versatile, unique and fearless storytellers on the island.

Described by Ralph McLean of BBC Radio Ulster as “a great songwriter with a voice that can break your heart at 30 paces” and Fiachna O’Braonáin RTÉ, as a “beautiful songwriter with great empathy and sensitivity” her music effortlessly weaves elements of folk, country and jazz into relatable tales of happiness, heartbreak and the human condition. Whilst echoes of artists such as Emmylou Harris, Alison Krauss and Lucinda Williams come to mind, Brigid O’Neill’s voice and sound is very much her own.

Brigid's musical story thus far is also littered with accolades. With 4 critically acclaimed previous album releases, Touchstone (produced by Gareth Dunlop in Belfast) and Intangible Heritage being the latest, she has performed worldwide, including the world-famous Bluebird Cafe and is a recipient of numerous Arts Council and music industry awards, most recently long listed for the NI Music Prize and Glastonbury Festival Emerging Talent Competition.

Brigid O’Neill’s new album The Truth & Other Stories, recorded at Skinny Elephant Studios in Nashville with Neilson Hubbard (Mary Gauthier, The Orphan Brigade) in the producer's chair, cannot help but be influenced by the times which informed it...

“Very few people escaped being affected by the pandemic, writers included” she says of the new collection. "Somehow the experiences of it seeped onto our work and I feel The Truth & Other Stories is no exception in that regard."

That said, this is not specifically an album about Covid or the pandemic, “I was fascinated by the concept of ‘truth’ and intrigued everyone having a different version of 'their truth’….a personal viewpoint, their own narrative, their own story. The title plays a bit with shades of meaning - a ‘counter positioning’ if you like. The ‘other stories’ may challenge the truth, but ‘the truth’ retains that sense of the absolute.

In the songs, I present the realities of different characters through short stories.

As I moved through the pandemic, different stories came to light and sometimes the focus would shift. Ultimately though, I have been living with these stories and these characters for some time now.”

Neilson Hubbard as producer was an obvious choice for O’Neill. A growing relationship with Nashville had seen her writing, playing and developing relationships with the many truly great musicians available across Music City.

“Being in Nashville with a producer like Neilson who has such an intuitive feel for that music, and with access to musicians who simply live and breathe it, seemed like a good idea. When I sent Neilson my music, I knew he ‘got it’ and I knew I was in safe hands.”