Clare Sands
“An empowering, exceptional talent reimagining the sound of a new Ireland”
– BBC
Channeling the music of her ancestors, Clare Sands is a unique force in Irish music. A sixth generation fiddler and bilingual singer, she weaves Traditional roots with Contemporary sounds and influences, embodying a fearless warrior-like spirit. By day, the award-winning artist has an ever evolving and extraordinary eclectic musical career, whilst by night, Sands is an open water swimmer and black belt, holding several world medals representing Ireland in martial arts!
Born and raised in Cork but with deep family roots in Co.Wexford and the North of Ireland, Sands took up the fiddle at the age of three, learning Irish traditional tunes from her father Seamus on a weekly basis, while her mother Susan introduced her to the Blues. After school, Clare went on to study Music & Italian in UCC, and a Masters in Composition & Creative Practice at the Irish World Academy. While at university, Clare developed her skills as a bilingual songwriter, composer, and multi-instrumentalist, playing more than 10 instruments!
Showing no signs of slowing down (recent ‘electrifying’ performances include Glastonbury & Cambridge Folk Festival (UK), Fête De la Musique (FR), Festival Cervantino (MEX) and Cygnet Folk Festival (AUS), Sands continues to push the boundaries of her artistry and explore new musical frontiers. She brings audiences on a transcendent journey through time and tradition, where past and present converge in a symphony of sound, celebration and spirit.
Clare Sands stands as a testament to the enduring power of music to unite and inspire – a troubadour for the modern age, whose melodies resonate across generations and cultures alike.
Her eponymous album secured a place among the Irish Times ‘Top 5 Folk Albums of 2022’ and earned Sands a Best Folk Singer nomination at the Irish Folk Awards. Other notable projects include the ‘hypnotic and tribal’ (BBC Radio 2) Tírdhreacha agus Fuaimdhreacha (Landscapes and Soundscapes) EP, comprising four songs written and recorded across the four seasons in the four provinces of Ireland and Gormacha, a musical odyssey that treads a path between the Irish language, folklore and our natural world.
Sands’ passion for collaboration has led her to work with some of Ireland’s finest musicians, including Hothouse Flowers, Steve Cooney, Susan O’Neill, Niamh Regan, Brian Finnegan, Mary Coughlan and more.
“Sands excavates into Ireland’s ancient myths & landscapes whilst exploring the political exigencies of it’s here and now… A bold, beautiful album brimming with ideas”
– Songlines Magazine