Following the news that teen blues sensation Muireann Bradley has signed with Decca Records and is set to re-release her brilliant debut album, I Kept These Old Blues, 28th February 2025, we sat down with her to find out about some of those all important ‘firsts’ in music.
First Song You Wrote: When I first learned to play the guitar when I was nine, I was always making up little songs. I remember one about how much I loved my dog Dougal (Dougal ended up on the album cover of “I Kept These Old Blues”) and another one about how it wasn’t fair that it didn’t snow at Christmas time, but I think the first was a little protest song all about how frustrating my 8-year-old brother Oisín was. I think it was just called “Why are you so annoying” or something. We get on really well now that he’s grown out of breaking my stuff and hiding one of my shoes all the time!
First Live Performance: I performed at school, in local drama circle productions, in our local theatre the Balor Arts Centre, and at feiseanna (singing, instrumental and dancing competitions in Ireland) when I was little, but my first live performance as a serious musician was at the Letterkenny busking festival in July 2022. In July 2023, I submitted a video to a showcase competition – the prize was to open the Ballyshannon Folk and Trad festival on the main stage, which I ended up winning, and I still remember to this day how nervous I was.
First Official Concert: My first proper official ticketed show was a 70-minute set in October 2023 in Osta Cafe in Sligo as part of the Sligo Live festival. I remember being blown away by the audience’s reaction to every song.
First Festival: My first experiences on real stages were all associated with festivals but my first real outdoor festival was the Red Rooster Americana Festival in Euston, Thetford. This is probably still my favourite of all the festivals I’ve played just an amazing friendly happy atmosphere all weekend no matter what the weather did.
First Headline Show: My first headline show was at MOTH Club in Hackney, I was supported on the night by the fantastic Ben Paley and Robin Gillan. I was very nervous, the show was sold out and I’d never seen so many people packed into such a small space before. But the audience were amazing, and the show was fantastic.
I Kept These Old Blues by Muireann Bradley will be released digitally and physically on 28th February, 2025
