蜜芽传媒

Damien Dempsey is an icon of Irish music. When he released his debut album, 25 years ago, he signalled a radical new approach to the 鈥榮inger-songwriter鈥� genre, blending folk music with elements of hip-hop, reggae, soul, gospel and spoken word. His live performances are almost spiritual experiences where he radiates intense passion and conviction, singing songs that address uncomfortable truths but layered with wisdom, positivity and hope. He sings forcefully and unapologetically in his own accent and has influenced an entire generation of Irish songwriters. His most recent album, the beautiful 鈥淗old Your Joy鈥�, deepens and underlines his iconic status. On this week鈥檚 show, he talks to Stephen about his approach to songwriting and the importance of 鈥榗ommunal singing鈥� and he performs tracks, in session, from throughout his magnificent career.