róis
Is cumadóir, amhránaí, ilionstraimí agus ealaíontóir leictreonach as Fear Manach í RÓIS, a thugann beocht nua do cheol Eireannach trína cuid amhrán. Ag cumasc gnéithe de cheol tíre, de shean-nós, de cheol leictreonach agus de chomhchuibheas snagcheoil, iompraíonn fuaim ilghnéitheach RÓIS an t-éisteoir go réimse eile ar fad. Le seiteanna ina n-athraítear an cruth, ní bhíonn aon dá thaibhiú mar a gcéanna, agus tugtar an lucht éisteachta isteach ina saol fuaime féin. Bí ag súil le casadh agus corradh i luas agus i seánra, agus le nóiméid draíochta agus í ag stiúradh fuinneamh an tseomra. Is áit í seo ina dtagann an seansaol agus an saol nua le chéile.
Cuireadh a glór ainglí i gcomparáid le healaíontóirí amhail Björk, Meredith Monk agus Hatis Noit. Tá a stíl fréamhaithe in amhránaíocht sean-nóis traidisiúnta, agus í ag gairm ar na mairbh agus ar na daoine dearmadta trí amhráin ársa ‘caoineadh’. Ina cuid léirithe, fitear an sean agus an nua le chéile, in éineacht le hamharcanna cumhachtacha, chun ealaín fhírinneach a chruthú. Treoraítear an lucht éisteachta isteach i réimse misteachais agus cruthaítear spás don mhachnamh pearsanta; is eispéiris bheo uathúla iad seo.
Ag deireadh 2024, d’eisigh RÓIS go neamhspleách a EP ardmholta, MO LÉAN. Scríofa agus léirithe aici féin, le léiriú breise ó John ‘Spud’ Murphy (OXN/Lankum), is ceirnín coincheapúil é a threoraíonn an t-éisteoir trí phróiseas an bhróin ó thús go deireadh — ó chíor thuathail an chaillteanais go scaoileadh cathartach mothúchánach.
Tá taifeadtaí nua agus athleaganacha d’amhráin agus d’iomainn bunaithe ar bhás, ar shaol, ar chaointe agus ar chatharsis le cloisteáil ar MO LÉAN. Déanann RÓIS athshamhlú ar thraidisiún na caointeoireachta in Éirinn, a théann siar go dtí aimsir réamh-Chríostaí, nuair a chaoin mná os comhair cónra le linn tórraimh. Spreag an dá thaifead dheireanacha de chaointeanna í chun leagan nua-aimseartha a chruthú, agus samplaí de ghuthanna na mban bunaidh á n-úsáid aici mar ómós dóibh. Trína nguthanna agus a ngluaiseachtaí, chuir na caointeoirí brón comhchoiteann in iúl agus thug siad bealach scaoilte do dhaoine a bhí faoi bhrú. Is mian le RÓIS an rud céanna a dhéanamh trína heisiúint agus trína cuid léirithe beo — cumhacht an ghutha a úsáid chun dul thar bhás agus ár n-eagla roimhe a scaoileadh.
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.