Arguably the greatest female singer to have emerged from Ireland in recent times, Mary Coughlan is the equivalent of Irish vocal royalty.
Often described as “Ireland’s Billie Holiday” she has carved out a timeless and highly regarded career spanning over 30 years. Whether into folk, blues or jazz, no one can fail to be moved by the emotional depth, expression & power in her voice, forged from an extraordinary life, including overcoming alcohol and drug addiction caused by childhood trauma.
Since her first album 'Tired and Emotional' rocketed her to overnight fame in 1985, she has recorded 15 further solo albums, most recently the self-written ‘Scars on the Calendar’ with Erik Visser, and ‘Live & Kicking’ recorded live at Vicar Street in Dublin.
Mary has filled concert halls in the US, Australia, New Zealand, Europe, Scandinavia and the UK, gathering a legion of devoted fans worldwide. Her ability to connect so emotionally & empathically with both the song & her audience is a testament to her inner strength, and to the power of transformation & redemption.
The stage is her home. To hear Mary sing is truly to be at the core of the human heart.
Throughout her extraordinary life and recording career Mary has drawn heavily from her heroes: Billie Holiday (to whom she devoted a double album of her songs), Van Morrison and Edith Piaf.
Many songwriters have written songs especially for her. Mary, with her naked honesty makes every song her own. Peppered with her dry waspish wit and irreverent banter, her live performances are in a league of their own.
Her songs resonate with life experience, her unique voice pulling every ounce of emotion from the music. Even in the early years of her career, Melody Maker wrote "A song is not complete unless it has been sung by Mary Coughlan."
There is no hint of manufactured, derivative or homogenised music in Mary's repertoire. This is the real thing, sung from the depths of a woman's heart and soul, a survivor who (to paraphrase Leonard Cohen's famous words) "was born with the gift of a golden voice."
This is why she is so loved. One thing is for sure, you will be taken on a journey of devastatingly beautiful, wide-ranging and engaging songs, from a woman who has battled her demons and won, transforming them into art, an enduring testament to Mary Coughlan's seemingly timeless and endless brilliance.
Sad, sassy and droll, melancholy has never sounded better. The word 'legend' is not one to be used lightly, but in this case is entirely appropriate.
Mary plays The Stables on April 16.
To book tickets click here
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