Foggy Notions Presents
RÓIS
The Workman’s Club
Thursday 1st May
Doors 8pm
RÓIS is a composer, vocalist, multi-instrumentalist, and electronic
artist from Fermanagh, whose songs breathe new life into a forgotten
Ireland. Blending elements of folk, sean-nós, electronics, and jazz
harmony, RÓIS’ genre-bending sound transports listeners to a different
realm. With shapeshifting sets, no two performances are ever the same,
as audiences accompany RÓIS into her sound world. Expect twists and
turns of tempo and genre, and moments of sheer magic, as she conducts
the energy of the room. This is a place where the ancient meets the new.
RÓIS’ ethereal voice has been compared to the likes of Björk, Meredith
Monk and Hatis Noit. It is a vocal style rooted in traditional sean-nós
singing, as she summons the dead and forgotten, with ancient ‘keening’
songs. With RÓIS’ performances the old and the new are enmeshed,
alongside encapsulating visuals, in the hope of creating good art.
Leading audiences into a realm of mysticism and creating a space for
introspection, these live experiences are completely unique.
In late 2024, RÓIS self-released her acclaimed EP ‘MO LÉAN’. Written and
produced by RÓIS with additional production from John Spud Murphy
(OXN/Lankum), ‘MO LÉAN’ is a concept record, taking the listener through
the grieving process from start to finish, from the chaos that loss
brings, to the intense emotional outpourings and finally, a cathartic
release.
‘MO LÉAN’ features several new original recordings and reworks of songs
and hymns based around the concept of death, life, mourning and
catharsis. RÓIS re-imagines the tradition of ‘keening’ in Ireland that
goes back to pre-christian times, a practice in which women would ‘keen’
a lamenting wail at the side of a coffin during a wake. After
discovering the last two recordings of keening songs, RÓIS was inspired
by their ethereal melodies to give them a modern reworking yet honouring
the original women by sampling them in her adaption. ‘Keeners’ through
their voices, movements and laments, conveyed the communal expression of
grief and allowed those suffering a way to release their sorrow and
loss. RÓIS aspires to do the same with the release and her live
performances, by expressing the power of the voice to transcend death
and help us relinquish our fear of it.
“RÓIS is a startling singer…Mo Léan heralds an arresting new talent” –
The Guardian (Folk Album Of The Month)
“Connolly explores wider concepts of death, grief and catharsis that at
times reaches astonishing potency” – The Quietus
