Susan O'Neill, also known professionally as SON,[2] is an Irish singer-songwriter and filmmaker, from Ennis, County Clare.[1] She is known for In the Game, an album she made with Mick Flannery.
Susan O'Neill | |
|---|---|
 O'Neill in 2020 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | 21 April 1990 Ennis, County Clare[1] |
| Instrument(s) | singer guitar trumpet |
| Website | SusanONeill.ie |
Early years
editSusan O’Neill is from County Clare, Ireland.[3] She was the youngest member of the Ennis Brass Band and the Really Truly Joyful Gospel Choir. After leaving school, she went to Waterford to do a BA in Music at WIT and began performing with popular local acts King Kong Company and Propeller Palms.
Career
editFound Myself Lost
editSON's 2018 debut album Found Myself Lost saw her being favourably compared with the likes of Janis Joplin, Amy Winehouse, Adele and Florence Welch. It was one of Hot Press magazine's 'Albums of the Year' and garnered her a number of heavyweight fans – most notably U2's Bono[4] and Irish trad superstar Sharon Shannon (who invited SON to support her sold out tour of Australia and New Zealand).[5]
When the 30th anniversary of The Joshua Tree came about in March 2017, she was invited to cover one of U2's songs. SON opted for that album's edgy penultimate track ‘Exit’.
The U2 singer Bono told her that her version of his song "took me aback in its simplicity and power... stark and still until it wasn't... He signed his email off with, "Your fan, Bono."[4]
Although she plays the guitar, harmonica, trumpet her true love lies in the soulful type singing that she is steadily building a reputation with. Under her own guise Susan has supported Mundy, Paddy Casey, Mick Flannery, Wyvern Lingo and Sharon Shannon on her 2018 Irish tour.[6]
In 2019, SON toured Australia, Europe, Canada and North America.
Baby Talk
editIn 2020, SON teamed up with singer-songwriter Mick Flannery for a duet track "Baby Talk".[7] The song was produced by Tony Buchen and Christina Best.[8]
SON said that: "When I first read the lyrics, I felt that Mick managed to capture a theme and an essence that I have not yet fully explored within my own writing. This song brought me into new territory. What a pleasure to work with Mick."[8]
In the Game
editA collaboration album with artist Mick Flannery, and following the success of their song Baby Talk, the pair released this full album of duets. Recorded during the lockdowns of 2020 remotely with producer Tony Buchen, it reached No. 2 on the official album chart in Ireland. After a closely fought battle for the top spot with Drake, the pair knocked Metallica out of the No. 2 spot and charted ahead of Kanye West's Donda and Olivia Rodrigo's Sour. In the Game received numerous accolades from the press on both sides of the pond with American Songwriter calling it, 'A sorrowful Masterpiece', Irish Times proclaiming, 'Two Stars are Reborn', and UK Publication The Line of Best Fit saying, 'Every song on in the Game takes you on a journey, each player has their moment, each instrument sharing the weight of the record's gloriously heavy sentiment'.[9] The pair toured the record in the U.S. directly after it was released sharing dates with Kathleen Edwards, appearing at the Americana Festival in Nashville, and were also invited to open for Phoebe Bridgers at her Philadelphia show at the Mann Center. Although only releasing towards the latter part of 2021, In the Game achieved the most sales for an independent Irish record in Ireland for 2021.[10]
In the Game saw Susan receive nominations for the Choice Music Prize and the RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards for 'Album of the Year', 'Female Folk Artist' of the Year, and take home the Best Original Folk Track award for the collaborative song "Chain Reaction". Susan was also shortlisted for the 'Vanda and Young' Award for her song "These Are the Days". The collaboration album ended up being the biggest-selling Irish independent record of 2021.[11]
Now You See It
editRecorded between Los Angeles, Maine, County Clare and Wexford Ireland during the spring of this year, the EP sees Susan working once again with Tony Buchen[12] (the producer of ‘In The Game’ the 2021 collaboration record with Mick Flannery), Sam Kassirer (Josh Ritter, Lake Street Dive) and her bandmates, brothers Cillian and Lorcan Byrne.[13]
Previously released tracks including the EP's namesake, "Now You See It" and "Truth Can Be Kind", which see Susan reunite with Mick Flannery,[14] which reached No. 1 and No. 3 on the Radio 1 airplay charts, respectively.
Susan's recently finished a two-month tour, which saw her performing on the main stages of beautiful Canadian festivals, debut shows in Los Angeles, headline shows in New York City, opening for Valerie June in the UK and Phoebe Bridgers in Scotland[15] before closing down August on the main stage of Tønder Festival in Denmark.[16]
Now in a Minute
editO'Neill released her third album Now in a Minute on 20 September 2024. She hoped the record would help her "break through to a wider audience".[17]
Style
editO' Neill fuses traditional Irish folk with rock, soul, gospel and blues. She has a large range of vocals combined with her guitar technique, her loop pedals and trumpet.[18]
Discography
editStudio albums
edit| Year | Album details | Peak chart positions |
|---|---|---|
| IRL | ||
| 2018 | Found Myself Lost | — |
| 2021 | In the Game | 2[19] |
| 2022 | Now You See It (EP) | — |
| 2024 | Now in a Minute | 4 [20] |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory. | ||
Awards
edit- In the Game was shortlisted for the Choice Music Prize in 2021.[21]
- The duo won the "Best Original Folk Track" at the RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards twice, for Baby Talk in 2020, and Chain Reaction in 2021.[22]
RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards
editSusan has won the Best Original Folk Track three times[23] award at the RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards, duetting with Mick Flannery on two occasions.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | "Baby Talk" | Best Original Folk Track | Won[24] |
| 2021 | "Chain Reaction" | Best Original Folk Track | Won[25] |
| 2021 | In the Game | Best Folk Album | Nominated |
| 2022 | "Now You See It" | Best Original Folk Track | Won[26] |
Choice Music Prize
editIn the Game, Flannery's album with Susan O'Neill was nominated for the Choice Music Prize Album of the Year.[27]
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | In the Game | Irish Album of the Year Shortlist 2021 | Nominated |
References
edit- ^ a b Quinn, Jessica (16 March 2022). "New documentary directed by Ennis' Susan O'Neill airs on TG4". The Clare Champion. Retrieved 28 October 2022.
- ^ "Behind the music: Susan O'Neill, SON". RTÉ TEN. 19 October 2020.
- ^ Flynn, Pat (29 November 2020). "RTÉ Folk Award for Clare's Susan O'Neill". The Clare Herald. Retrieved 9 November 2022.
- ^ a b "SON (Susan O'Neill) - New songs, Playlists & Latest News - Eirewave Irish Music Radio". Eirewave. Retrieved 4 August 2020.
- ^ Tyaransen, Olaf. "Rising SON: Susan O'Neill talks treading her own path this year". Hotpress. Retrieved 4 August 2020.
- ^ fusionb (27 March 2019). "Sold Out - SON - Susan O'Neill (Ireland) + Special Guest Andie in Concert at The Metropole Guesthouse Upstairs for 'Metro Social' Katoomba Blue Mountains, Wed 27th March 2019". Fusion Boutique. Retrieved 9 November 2022.
- ^ Ormond, Orla. "Recent 'N' Decent: Mick Flannery & Susan O'Neill - Baby Talk". TodayFM. Retrieved 4 August 2020.
- ^ a b "Mick Flannery and Susan O'Neill Share Duet". IMRO. 7 February 2020. Retrieved 4 August 2020.
- ^ "How Irish artists Mick Flannery and Susan O'Neill won the Phoebe Bridgers seal of approval". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 9 November 2022.
- ^ "Mick Flannery and Susan O'Neill at the Opera House". independent. Retrieved 9 November 2022.
- ^ Newsdesk, The Hot Press. "Mick Flannery and Susan O'Neill claim the highest new entry on Official Irish Albums Chart – with In The Game at No.2". Hotpress. Retrieved 29 November 2022.
- ^ Travers, Cara Groome (14 September 2022). "Susan O'Neill Releases 'Now You See It' EP". IMRO. Retrieved 29 November 2022.
- ^ Travers, Cara Groome (28 July 2022). "Susan O'Neill Announces New EP, Shares First Song & Video 'Now You See It'". IMRO. Retrieved 29 November 2022.
- ^ Glaister-Ryder, Riley. "Susan O'Neill reunites with Mick Flannery on new single 'Truth Can Be Kind'". Hotpress. Retrieved 29 November 2022.
- ^ Newsdesk, The Hot Press. "Mick Flannery and Susan O'Neill open for Phoebe Bridgers in Philadelphia". Hotpress. Retrieved 29 November 2022.
- ^ Greenberg, Emily. "Susan O'Neill unveils new EP Now You See It, announces Irish tour". Hotpress. Retrieved 29 November 2022.
- ^ Peavey, April. "Now in a Minute: The music of Susan O'Neill". TheWorld. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
- ^ "Susan O'Neill – Irish Arts Center". irishartscenter.org. Retrieved 9 November 2022.
- ^ "Official Irish Albums Chart Top 50 | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
- ^ "IRMA – Irish Charts". Irish Recorded Music Association. Retrieved 28 September 2024.
- ^ "RTÉ Choice Music Prize: In the Game by Mick Flannery & SON". RTÉ.ie. 22 February 2022.
- ^ McMahon, Páraic (9 December 2021). "Susan O'Neill among winners at Folk Awards".
- ^ "RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards: 'It would be fun to see what would happen if I had a broad palette of sounds to play with'". The Irish Times. Retrieved 29 November 2022.
- ^ Boshell, Lorraine (27 November 2020). "Mick Flannery and SON Win Best Original Folk Track at RTÉ Folk Awards". IMRO. Retrieved 29 November 2022.
- ^ "2021 RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Award Winners Announced". The Journal of Music. Retrieved 29 November 2022.
- ^ "Winners announced for RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards". 16 November 2022.
{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires|journal=(help) - ^ "RTÉ Choice Music Prize: In the Game by Mick Flannery & SON". 22 February 2022.
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