Irish/Sierra Leonean singer Loah exploded onto the music scene and is just continuing to grow bigger and brighter.
She became a household name when she hosted The Heart of Saturday Night with Una Healy during the summer months.
VIP Magazine caught up with the musician at the launch of The Enchanted Forest at Barretstown, Kildare Village as a proud Kildare woman!
Hi Loah! How are you keeping?
I’m good thank you.
Tell us a bit about the launch of The Enchanted Forest at Barretstown, Kildare Village?
I am performing music at the launch, I’m a Kildare native, so it’s really great to be involved, I’ll be singing my own songs and Christmas songs. It’s great. Kildare Village is my day out, not just for Christmas, but any time of year. So it’s really great to be down there and also perform.
How proud are you to be involved in the Irish music scene?
I could go on for days about how great the Irish music scene is. Some of my favourite artists are my friends which is a really cool thing. Not because they’re my friends, but because their music is so amazing. Ireland has become a place that is synonymous with really wonderful art and culture. More and more fashion, I wear a lot of Irish designers for my performances. I feel really blessed to be part of the Irish music scene right now. I think it’s such a lovely collaboration to be performing songs I create in clothes that someone else created.
Not only that, but being a woman in the music scene. Tell us about that.
It’s definitely improving all the time. We’ve always had wonderful women in the scene and because of the wonderful women who have gone ahead of us, in previous generations, they have given us the courage to do our thing. They have set a high standard for us. We are doing it and we are doing it alongside our male friends, we’re not in competition with them and I think that’s really important. I am part of an incredible group of performers of all genders. We have great artists who just so happen to be women and that’s incredible.
Can you tell us if you’re working on new music?
I have a couple of surprise performances between now and the end of the year. But working on new music. That’s my main focus.
You obviously did some presenting, is that something you’re actively pursuing?
Music is always my main focus. But I’m remaining open to all opportunities. It is something that I enjoy. It really shows that people trust you, which is amazing. I am always working but you can be so stuck in your work that you don’t know if you’re improving or not. But it shows that the work I’m doing is doing something, it is a really special role that I’m really grateful for.
Before we let you go, what advice would you give younger Loah?
I would tell her to practice more! And don’t worry what other people are doing. Focus on your craft. Lean on your friends. Don’t worry about the small stuff.
Christmas at Kildare Village was officially launched this week by Loah and Kathryn Thomas
