Those with their finger on the pulse of Irish comedy are sure to have noticed the up-and-coming Kyla Cobbler.
Based in Barcelona, the Ballincollig native has enjoyed a steady rise to success ever since she started posting videos to Instagram during the pandemic.
Sharing her life with her 158k Instagram followers, the Cork woman has built a steady fanbase online, but has proved herself more than able for the stage - most recently during two smash shows at the Paddy Power Comedy Festival.
In September, the 33-year-old will bring her Gone Rogue tour around Ireland, before hopping in a van with US comics Michelle Wolf and Marnie Manning to explore the country by day and gig by night.
In January, she'll finish on a high with a trip to Dublin's Olympia Theatre and London's Leicester Square Theatre.
All of this is to say: Kyla Cobbler is booked and busy. When we speak, though, the shows she's most eager to promote are those going towards a good cause.
On Sunday, September 1, the stand-up will join Mike Rice, Vittorio Angelone, Emma Doran, Christ Kent and Shane Daniel Byrne on the hallowed stage of Vicar Street to raise money for Medical Aid for Palestine.
"I'm good friends with Mike Rice," she explains. "He's one of the main reasons I started comedy."
During the pandemic, the two creatives realised they were both Barcelona-based and struck up a friendship during the strange time of lockdowns and social distancing.
"I had the grace of Mike Rice, professional stand-up comedian, being the first person I had contact with," she laughs. "He called me a comedian, and I never would have called myself a comedian before that, and he was just very encouraging and, yeah, he's just been so supportive."
The two remained friends over the years, and following a guest spot on Mike and Vittorio's Guide to Parenting podcast (it has nothing to do with parenting), she was asked to join the impressive line-up for the charitable gig.
"I mean, if I have to, I suppose I'll be on the line-up with all these amazing comedians," she laughs. "It takes the pressure of, and when you're doing it for a good cause, the audience are more forgiving. It's more of a community vibe of doing something great together."
"The reaction, in general, has been absolutely incredible," she adds, contemplating the feedback she's recieved from past fundraisers including Gig for Gaza and Jokes for Stroke in Cork.
"I just signed up for the Dublin Marathon, which I'm running for Women's Aid* in October whilst I'm on tour with Michelle Wolf," she continues.
Although the internet is not known for being especially kind, Cobbler insists that she has found a great community online, one that has been to donate and support her efforts, with one lady's husband offering an athletic programme to follow ahead of the marathon.
"Especially in a world where it's so easy to be mean, and leave bad reviews, and be nasty to each other, it's lovely that when you do a good thing, people want to get involved and offer what they can," she says.
With her career hitting significant milestones as of late, the comedian says she feels incredibly grateful for the life she gets to live, particularly making a living in the arts following the pandemic.
This gratitude, she says, is often what pushes her to give back.
"I'm a very lucky woman and I will continue to do my very best."
For more information on Kyla Cobbler's up-coming gigs, visit her Linktree.
*You can reach Women's Aid at 1800 341 900 or find their website here.
