Six National Finalists Announced For 'A New Local Hero'.

The initiative is supported by Hot Press and the IBI.

Following a talent search featuring a genre-blending selection of acts from right across the country, Hot Press and the Independent Broadcasters of Ireland (IBI) have announced their six national finalists for A New Local Hero.

Out of the 25 regional finalists, Brad Heidi (Galway Bay FM), Darian June (Red FM), Negro Impacto (LMFM), Temi (FM104), Paddy Keyes (Ocean FM) and Eva Campbell (SPIN 1038) have been chosen to perform at the live finale showcase event at The Academy, in Dublin, on April 25.

However, there are still huge opportunities for the 19 artists who didn't make the final six: this year's edition of A New Local Hero also includes a special new element – with all 25 regional finalists still in with a chance to be crowned the winner of the Wild Card Award voted by the public.

The Wild Card winner will be awarded a €2,500 bursary.

You can cast your vote by going straight to: www.irishmusicmonth.ie

A New Local Hero is a major call to arms for Irish musicians and bands – with all 25 participating radio stations, including Kfm, having reached out for submissions as part of the talent search.

Every participating radio station selected four finalists each – giving them the chance to play live on air, and paying them for their performance, thanks to the support of the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland, under its Sound & Vision scheme.

Kfm's four finalists were Gemma Cox from Naas, Andy Harper from Rathangan, Sherena Leanna from Kill and Padraig Bennett from Johnstownbridge, with Gemma Cox advancing to the national stage. 

“It has been really exciting, hearing the cream of the new artists who are coming through all over Ireland,” Hot Press editor Niall Stokes said. “I know that the judges were faced with some enormously difficult calls. But there was also a very strong unanimity in relation to the six that have now been shortlisted that these are very special acts with the potential to really flourish in the long run. There can be only one artist selected as A New Local Hero 2023, but it is very clear, from the music that we have been hearing, that we are on the right track here in Ireland at the moment, producing artists of real calibre across all genres. Long may it continue."

The A New Local Hero campaign will ultimately see over €100,000 paid directly to Irish artists – and one worthy overall winner selected, who will get to record a single at the prestigious Camden Recording Studios in Dublin and release the single on the famed Irish independent record label
Rubyworks.