Wexford teenager Jesse Sludds has been crowned the inaugural Late Late Show Opening Act winner - the search for Ireland's newest country music star.
The prize will see him opening for Shania Twain at Limerick's Thomond Park in July and also opening The Late Late Show Country Special in October.
Our third act up tonight is Jesse Sludds performing Fast Car 🎤🎶 #latelate #openingact pic.twitter.com/66jY8B6LQE
— The Late Late Show (@RTELateLateShow) April 17, 2026
The 19-year-old full-time musician, who covered Tracy Chapman's Fast Car on the night, won the competition when the results of the public vote, the music industry jury vote, and the country music jury vote were combined.
When the result was announced, he told host Patrick Kielty: "Oh wow, I did not expect that at all. And to think that I wasn't going to do it (enter the competition) because I didn't think I was country enough!
"I had seen it online at first and I was like, 'Nah...', and then I had so many people talking to me I was like, 'Ah sure, go on then!' But, eh, wow!"
In the studio on the night, The Late Late Show's panel, made up of singers Una Healy and Sandy Kelly, The Shires' Ben Earle, and broadcaster and Something Happens frontman Tom Dunne, had all hailed Sludds's performance, describing him as "very special" (Healy), "an amazing voice" (Kelly), "a star" (Earle), and "sensational" (Dunne).
Also performing on the night and making new fans in the studio, at home, and on the juries were: Paddy Treacy from Fermanagh, Caitlin Mackin from Armagh, Ryan Phoenix from Cork, and Midnight in Vegas - a trio made up of Keli-Ann Corcoran from Dublin, Phoebe Dipple from Waterford, and Jamie Sullivan from Essex.
The Late Late Show, RTÉ One and RTÉ Player, Fridays, 9.35pm
