Artist Website: gemmahayes.com
Gemma Hayes is a singer-songwriter from Ballyporeen, Co. Tipperary. Her music career took off after signing with French independent label Source Records in 2001. She released her first EP, 4.35am, followed by Work to a Calm, and her debut album, Night on My Side, in 2002. The album received critical acclaim, earning her the Best Female Artist award at the Hot Press Awards and a nomination for Best Album at the 2003 Mercury Prize.
In 2004, she moved to Los Angeles and returned in late 2005 with her second album, The Roads Don't Love You, which had a more upbeat sound. This album earned her the Best Irish Female Artist award at the 2006 Meteor Ireland Music Awards. Shortly after, she parted ways with Source Records due to a restructuring and co-wrote the song "Hazy" with Adam Duritz, continuing to tour extensively in Ireland, the UK, and the US.
In 2006, Gemma Hayes announced she was working on her third album, The Hollow of Morning, at Black Box Studios in France, produced by her former guitarist David Odlum. She shared demos on MySpace and released the album independently through her label, GH Music, on May 2, 2008, debuting at number 12 on the Irish Albums Chart. To support the album, Hayes formed a touring band and performed extensively, including opening for My Bloody Valentine in the US. She was nominated for Best Irish Female at the 2009 Meteor Ireland Music Awards. In 2009, she released an EP titled Oliver and began recording new material.
In September 2010, Gemma Hayes hinted at a release for her fourth album, but by October, she delayed it to 2011 while reworking tracks. During this period, she performed new songs and contributed tracks to the soundtrack for the film Janie Jones. Her fourth album, Let It Break, was released in May 2011.
In 2012, she recorded a cover of Chris Isaak's "Wicked Game" for Pretty Little Liars, which became part of her tour setlist.
On April 30, 2013, Hayes began recording her fifth studio album in France and launched a Pledge Music campaign for support. The album, titled Bones + Longing, was released in November 2014 in Ireland and later internationally. She collaborated with other artists and continued to write new material, including a track for the Ireland 2016 Centenary Programme.
She began working on her sixth album in September 2020, collaborating with producers from her earlier work. Although the album was initially set for an autumn 2021 release, it was postponed to late 2024 due to COVID-19 restrictions. Recording took place from 2021 to late 2023, primarily in West Cork and Dublin with producer David Odlum. Throughout 2022 and into 2023, Hayes performed live in Ireland and the UK, announcing "High & Low" as the first single from her album, set for release on June 23, 2023. She continued to release singles in 2024, including "Feed the Flames", "Hardwired," and "Another Love". Her album Blind Faith is confirmed for release in September 2024.
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