Cork-based fusion musician Muirġen has released her new single, Brushstrokes, from her upcoming debut EP, Loinnir. We asked her the BIG questions . . .
Muirġen is classically trained and worked as an actor-singer in the UK before joining Grammy-nominated ensemble Celtic Woman. They toured internationally for five years, including performances at the Royal Albert Hall, The Kennedy Center with the National Symphony Orchestra, and numerous appearances as a guest soloist with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra.
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Speaking about Brushstokes, she says, "It's about feeling disconnected and desperately craving something more. I spent much of my 20s kind of shapeshifting, depending on the scenario, and the result was a feeling of not knowing who I really was anymore.
"Being told to 'trust my gut’ was a mystery to me - what I liked and disliked, what I wanted and didn't want - and it was exhausting.
"I had a really strong image as I was writing this song, of jumping off of a cliff into water and that moment where you’re suspended mid-air before breaking the surface."
She adds, "I knew I would eventually need to meet the undertow and get to know myself again. This song is a commitment to going inward, reconnecting to my younger self and coming face to face with that which I've been ignoring for so many years."
Tell us three things about yourself . . .
I'm a Cork-born singer/songwriter who, from a young age, was playing any instrument I could get my hands on and standing, singing on every living room couch that would have me.
I spent the last 10 years living in London, with the last five spent touring and recording music with the Grammy-nominated group Celtic Woman, before moving back to Cork.
I'm happiest when in the ocean, up a mountain or on a stage.
How would you describe your music?
I think overall I would describe it as ethereal with a bit of bite to it. I've always loved electronic music with strong melodic vocals and I wanted to reflect that when making this music, while keeping it rooted in an inherently Celtic feel.
Who are your musical inspirations?
I feel like this could change depending on the weather of a given day! Especially because I've spent so much of my life listening to musical theatre and classical alongside more contemporary music. In terms of artists that have influenced my own style I would have to say Enya, ROIS, London Grammar and Aurora, to name a few. I love artists that are quite theatrical in their art. I saw ROIS a number of times during 2025 and my god, each gig was like a three-act play - it was amazing!
What was the first gig you ever went to?
The year was 2005 and I was 11 years old, sitting on my dad's shoulders, in Croke Park watching U2's How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb tour. It was an absolute core memory - I was obsessed with them at the time. Talk about starting at the extremes!
What was the first record you ever bought?
I think it was probably Six's first single and I wore it down to nub! I remember when I was about seven, going to see one of the members, Sinéad (a fellow Cork gal), play Cinderella in a panto in the Cork Opera House, and I swear, I dreamt about her for about four weeks after.
What’s your favourite song right now?
I think my favourite song right now is Racheal Lavelle's Travel Size. I think it's so unique and the production on it is amazing. It's such a vibe!
Favourite lyric of all time?
This might be a bit of a cheat as it's a spoken word piece by Alicia Keys called P.O.W. but it's sampled in a Huxley song called Box Clever. I just think it's so clever but so relatable - "Could you take it if I came clear? Or would you rather just see me stoned on a drug of complacency and compromise."
If you could only listen to one song for the rest of your life, what would it be?
The orchestral version of Joni Mitchell's Both Sides Now. Everything about that record is perfect. The way Joni sings it genuinely makes you feel as if she's been to the ends of the earth and back, and has the battle scars the show for it. There's something about the orchestration of the song that evokes something physical in me.
Where can people find your music/more information?
Here and you can listen to my music on Bandcamp, Spotify, Apple Music (wherever you get your music, really) as Muirġen. And you'll find me rambling on Instagram and TikTok too if you fancy it.
Alan Corr
