Gráinne Hunt
Gráinne Hunt
Gráinne Hunt
With a voice like complex coffee,Gráinne Hunt enchants audiences with her heart-melting vocals and emotional songs, making her a standout among Ireland’s vocalists and songwriters.
Her songs delve into personal experiences, evoking pain and longing and comparisons have been drawn to Tracy Chapman, Natalie Merchant, and Dolores Keane.
‘A natural performer, Grainne Hunt commands an astounding voice that will melt your heart. No crowd can resist.’
Declan O’Rourke Songwriter, Author
She’s shared stages with Glen Hansard and U2, has opened for Gladys Knight, Mary Black, and Eagle Eye Cherry. Last year she played Cambridge Folk Festival(UK) and Haldern Pop Festival(DE). This year sees her showcase at Folk Alliance International before her first US tour in mid-2024.
Aside from her solo work, Gráinne collaborates with guitarist Brendan Walsh in the duo Gráinne and Brendan, exploring folk, classical, and traditional music – “Songs From Ireland” was released in 2019. Additionally, Gráinne is part of the folk duo Hibsen with Jim Murphy who wrote an album of songs based on James Joyce’s “Dubliners” – ‘The Stern Task of Living’ was released in May 2023.
‘The hardest working woman in Irish music’ Glen Hansard
‘An album of incredible warmth and sentiment, songs borne of experience and honesty yet given just a breath of country freshness … [a] seamlessly gentle fusion of Irish folk and Nashville backing, together with Gráinne’s gorgeous, slightly throaty vocal delivery’
– FolkRadio.co.uk –
Gráinne Hunt is a contemporary folk singer and songwriter, raised in Monaghan and based in Kildare, Ireland. With consistently on-point, captivating vocals and well-honed, insightful songs, Grainne has shared stages with Glen Hansard and U2, has opened for Gladys Knight, Eagle Eye Cherry and the Bay City Rollers, and has been compared to vocal icons Tracy Chapman and Nathalie Merchant.
Her ‘gorgeous new album’ (Mathieu Norry RTE Radio 1), This Secret, was released in September 2019. ‘[A] seamlessly gentle fusion of Irish folk and Nashville backing, together with Gráinne’s gorgeous, slightly throaty vocal delivery’ (FolkRadio.co.uk), it was recorded with Thomm Jutz (Nanci Griffith, Maura O’Connell) and features the skills of Mark Fain (Ry Cooder) on bass and Lynn Williams (John Hiatt) on drums.
2019 also saw the release of an Irish folk album, Songs from Ireland, recorded with award winning guitarist Brendan Walsh. Recorded last year in Soundville Studios Luzern, it includes songs Buachaill on Eirne and Raglan Road.
Despite 2020 cancellations, over the various lockdown periods Gráinne performed for the #IrelandPerforms initiative, joined Axis Ballymun for Cruinniú na nÓg & #SummerSessions, founded songwritercircle.club, created the first #AdventCalendarofSong (solo recordings of 24 Christmas songs released on social media every day in December) which included a collaboration with German choir Cantus Domus on a beautiful version of The Wexford Carol, and joined U2, Glen Hansard, and others for The Late Late Show Charity Busk.