Donegal's upcoming artist Larabel announces first-ever headliner at Whelan's

Lara Sweeney-Doherty, a Gweedore singer-songwriter, has just announced her first headline gig in Whelans, Dublin.

The Gweedore native has previously performed at the Olympia Theatre and is set to perform at Glastonbury in June, but Whelan's is Larabel’s first headline show. She is set to be joined by special guests, which includes her very own band, to back her. 

“It will also be the first time I am showcasing all my songs with a full band,” Lara told DonegalLive. “The thought of the gig is a bit scary but really exciting. It is hard to know what to expect but I am really excited to be able to express what I want to express. So overall, anxious but excited.”

“I have played other gigs in Whelan's, I recently did a gig to support Palestine which is actually in the same room that I will be playing with the band. It was strange realising I will be here next time with my own band.”

Larabel has released three songs so far, ‘Monster’ which was the first song she wrote at 18, the second release is titled ‘Tout Le Monde’ which translates to all the world and everybody and her latest release is called ‘Eleven Eleven’. 

When describing musical style, Lara said: “My roots are in folk music but it is transcending into more alternative folk, it is ambient infused with different genres like indie.”

The 22-year-old is in her final year of studying songwriting at the BIMM Music Institute Dublin and describes how she got started in music, “my dad was gigging around pubs in Donegal and he taught me a few chords on the guitar and then I started writing music when I was 16, at the same time I started playing at Moya Brennan’s open mic night in Leo’s Tavern, called Clubeo. Moya encouraged me to play originals and I think it all started then.”

“When I finish college, I would like to release an EP in the next year and just continue playing with the band, get more gigs, and hopefully keep moving on to bigger venues overtime.”

The headline show is set to take place in Whelan's Upstairs on Thursday, May 9. The doors are open at 8pm and tickets are available to purchase here.