Zoé Basha

Zoé Basha is a musician, composer and carpenter. She draws from her background as a traditional singer influenced and inspired by the multiple places in which she has resided, and thus the multiple cultures that are today embedded in her. Between 2019 and 2023, Zoé arranged original and traditional songs for and toured with vocal trio Rufous Nightjar. After growing up between the U.S. and France, and studying as a vocalist at Berklee College of Music in Boston where she focused primarily on blues and jazz, Zoé moved to Ireland and fell into traditional singing in Dublin. In a milieu blending political dissent, feminism, queer theory and traditional music, she made her home. Since then, she has been working on both music and carpentry in between Ireland and France. Today, Zoé is settled in County Leitrim. After being awarded the Leitrim Individual Artists Bursary in 2022, Zoé is preparing a new body of work blending airs and style of Irish traditional song, rhythm and harmonies of Occitan polyphonic singing, and the sway and singing technique of Appalachian ballads.

Is ceoltóir, cumadóir agus siúinéir í Zoé Basha. D’fhás Zoé aníos idir na Stáit Aontaithe agus an Fhrainc, agus rinne sí staidéar ar an amhránaíocht in Berklee College of Music i mBostún, áit ar dhírigh sí go príomha ar na gormacha agus ar an snagcheol. Bhog sí go hÉirinn ina dhiaidh sin agus chuir sí fúithi i mBaile Átha Cliath, áit ar dhírigh sí ar an ghníomhaíochas polaitiúil, ar an fheimineachas, ar theoiric na haiteachta agus ar an amhránaíocht thraidisiúnta. Ó shin i leith, tá a cuid ama caite aici idir Éirinn agus an Fhrainc, ag plé leis an cheol agus leis an tsiúinéireacht. Idir 2019 agus 2023, sheinn Zoé leis an tríréad Rufous Nightjar, ar chóirigh sí amhráin thraidisiúnta agus cinn nuachumtha dó. Inniu, tá Zoé lonnaithe i gContae Liatroma. Bronnadh Sparánacht d’Ealaíontóirí Aonair Liatroma uirthi in 2022, agus tá saothar nua á réiteach aici faoi láthair, ina bhfuil foinn agus stíl amhráin thraidisiúnta na hÉireann á meascadh aici le rithim agus le comhcheol amhránaíocht ilfónach na hOcsatáinise, agus le teicnící amhránaíochta na mbailéad Apaláiseach.