Lisa Canny returns to Mayo with progressive new show FOLK+
MAYO born artist, multi-instrumentalist and 'disgrace to the tradition', Lisa Canny, is no stranger to Irish soils having solidified a sturdy reputation as an explosive contemporary folk artist for over a decade on the island before moving to London to further develop her craft.
Now, with five years spent honing her musical prowess in the midst of London’s vibrant experimental music scene, the award-winning artist returns to Ireland, bringing with her a new multi-disciplinary concept merging music, dance and motion graphics together under one immersive experience, FOLK+.
Having already received international acclaim (Best Music Video at International Art Film Festival, Best Experimental Short at The Monochrome Film Festival, Best Music Video at London Rocks International Film Festival and Best Art Short at Dreamer of Dreams Festival), FOLK+ features a short film, directed by Canny, that presents a feast for the ears, eyes and soul as audiences are spirited into the innovative mind of an artist who harnesses her impassioned original songs and fuses them with captivating choreography (performed by Jaih Betote, Chrissy Brooke and Albert Aziz-Clauson) and visual graphics (by No-Shame).
Musically, FOLK+ unites Canny’s roots in Irish traditional music with her take on pop, RnB and electronica creating an authentic signature for Lisa within the alternative folk genre, where looping harps and hard-hitting banjo’s set the tone for an unmissable live performance.
Commenting on FOLK+, Canny says: “I spent five years in London, writing, producing and collaborating to find exactly what it is I wanted with my music.
“For me, it’s all about the live experience. That energy between you and the band, you and the listener, you and the music. I wanted to capture that essence of 'live', 'real' and 'human' in this recorded EP project too and so applied the theory of participatory discrepancies as a creative lens throughout.
“The theory asserts that music is most valuable when slightly out of time and out of tune; it allows space for the human behind it to be heard or seen, breaking down the 4th wall and in turn further enhancing its value for the listener.”
Further commenting on the evolution of her music merging traditional and experimental, Lisa says: “Growing up in the trad world in Ireland was the most amazing experience I could have ever asked for and one in which I felt hugely supported. However, expanding out of it has not always been met with positive response and it has forced me to confront my own ego in many ways, prompting the creation of this piece.
“I’m excited to bring this project back home because I feel it is the first true expression of my unique journey and I understand its potential in inspiring other Irish musicians to explore new ground and expand their creativity.”
Following a sold-out show in London’s infamous Jazz Cafe and a series of European tours, the seven-time All-Ireland champion harp and banjo player takes FOLK+ on tour, showing the short film at each stop followed by a big-band live set, across Ireland from February 17 to 25.
Venues include, on February 23, the Royal Theatre in Castlebar.
Tickets are available to book via https://direct.me/lisacanny.