Lyra
Birth nameLaura McNamara
BornBandon, County Cork
GenresElectropop
Years active2016–present

Laura McNamara, known professionally as Lyra, is an Irish singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist.

Early life and musical development

Lyra grew up in County Cork, Ireland. In an interview with the Irish Independent, she told of her early love of singing and performing.[1] She has also said that her experiences singing in her church choir, and in speech and drama lessons were formational in the development of her singing.[2] She has highlighted her love of Irish "luminaries" Enya and Sinéad O'Connor,[3] artists whom critics, among others such as Kate Bush and Florence and the Machine, have subsequently likened her music to.[4] Although she wishes to maintain a degree of mystery,[5] she has confirmed that 'Lyra' is one of her given names.[1]

Career

Lyra released her first EP W.I.L.D on 15 July 2016, but gained most of her recognition following the featuring of "Emerald" on the second episode of the RTÉ drama Striking Out, and the subsequent featuring of her music. The same year, "Emerald" was also used in Teen Wolf, The X Factor and The Only Way Is Essex, and helped to gain her exposure.[6]

She appeared on the 30th anniversary rework of U2's The Joshua Tree alongside other Irish artists Imelda May, Gavin James and Kodaline.[7]

In 2017, Lyra signed a label deal with Polydor Records and Universal Music.[8]

She has appeared at such festivals as the Great Escape, Music Cork, Latitude, and Electric Picnic.[6]

Lyra has appeared as a guest performer on Dancing with the Stars[9] and Ireland's Got Talent.[10] Her song "Falling" was featured in the midseason finale of Season 16 of Grey's Anatomy, and on ITV's Love Island.

In 2020, her song New Day (a cover of an old Jackie Lomax song) was released as a single, after it was used in various TV-commercials in the UK (Sky Sports) and the Netherlands (bicycle manufacturer VanMoof).[11]

In 2021, Lyra was announced as one of the judges on the Virgin Media One talent show, The Big Deal, joining Boy George, Aston Merrygold, Deirdre O'Kane and Jedward on the panel.[12]

Lyra conducted an interview on LMFM on 3 October 2022 where it was revealed she has relations in Louth/Meath,[13] Her grandmother Betty Duffy in Castletown Co Meath. Her sister has the "Duffy hair" which Lyra says she did not get. Her new single 29box was released on Friday 7 October 2022 and was played on LM/FM on 3 October 2022.

Her latest single "You" was released on Friday 10 March 2023.

Discography

Year Title Album
2016 "Rabbit in the Headlights" W.I.L.D
"Emerald"
"Broken Down"
"Whitelady"
2019 "Falling" Falling
2019 "Never Let Go" Never Let Go
"Mother" Mother
2020 "New Day" New Day
2020 "The Magic of Christmas" The Magic of Christmas
"Stay Another Day"
"Walking in the Air"
"Merry Christmas Everyone - Live"
2022 "29 Box"
2023 "You"

References

  1. 1 2 "Beyonce with a Cork accent... Could Lyra be Cork's next musical superstar?". Independent.ie. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
  2. ↑ Murphy, Lauren (6 December 2019). "Is she Ireland's next big pop star?". Red Bull. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
  3. ↑ McGoran, Peter. "HOT FOR 2017: We meet rising Cork artist Lyra". Hotpress. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
  4. ↑ "Cork Independent – Lyra shines bright". CorkIndependent.ie. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
  5. ↑ "Lyra is excited about her return to Cork". www.irishexaminer.com. 9 May 2017. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
  6. 1 2 Gallagher, Katie (5 May 2019). "Singer Lyra says her career blew up after appearing on RTE's Striking Out". irishmirror. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  7. ↑ "Who is Lyra? 5 Things you Need to Know - Universal Music Ireland". Umusic Ireland. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
  8. ↑ ""lyra" AND "polydor" - Google Search". www.google.com. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
  9. ↑ "Lyra is excited about her return to Cork". www.irishexaminer.com. 9 May 2017. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
  10. ↑ "YouTube". www.youtube.com. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
  11. ↑ Time to ride the future, VanMoof, retrieved 3 October 2021
  12. ↑ "Boy George, Jedward, Aston Merrygold, Deirdre O'Kane and Lyra join new entertainment show The Big Deal". Hotpress. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
  13. ↑ "LMFM 11-1 Podcasts". shows.acast.com.
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