Six finalists revealed for A New Local Hero 2026
Tickets are on sale now for the 28 October showcase, as all 21 regional finalists remain in the running for the €2,500 publicly voted Wildcard Award.
Six of Ireland’s most exciting emerging music acts have been selected to compete in the national final of A New Local Hero 2026, taking place at The Academy, Dublin, on Wednesday, 28 October.
Following an extensive nationwide talent search led by Hot Press and the Independent Broadcasters of Ireland (IBI), an industry judging panel has selected six acts from a shortlist of 21 regional Local Heroes to take to the stage for a special live showcase.
The six national finalists, listed alphabetically, are:
Groev – Galway Bay FM
Rebecca Lane – FM104
RunTheRed – LMFM
Shimmer Boy – Cork’s 96FM
Sitting Room – KFM
WineMom – Radio Nova
The finalists will perform live at The Academy, where one act will be crowned A New Local Hero 2026, securing a prize package worth €10,000. This includes €5,000 in cash and a further €5,000 worth of industry support, including recording at the prestigious Camden Recording Studios in Dublin, mixing and mastering, and the release of a single through acclaimed Irish independent record label Rubyworks.
Tickets for the live finale are on sale now through Ticketmaster.
Waterford’s Shane Barry still in contention for €2,500 Wildcard Award
While six acts will perform at the national finale, the competition is far from over for the remaining Local Heroes.
All regional finalists are still eligible for the Irish Music Month Wildcard Award, which will be decided by a public vote. The artist receiving the most votes will receive a €2,500 bursary to support the next stage of their musical journey.
Mentoring and opportunities beyond the stage
In keeping with the wider aim of Irish Music Month to support and develop emerging Irish talent, all 21 regional Local Heroes will also be invited to take part in a special day of music industry mentoring, networking and professional photoshoots ahead of the live finale on 28 October.
Beginning at 10am, the sessions will offer artists the opportunity to connect with experienced figures from across the music industry, gaining practical advice on recording, live performance, radio airplay, media coverage and building a sustainable career in music.
The mentoring day is a key part of A New Local Hero’s commitment to supporting emerging talent, providing valuable industry connections and opportunities for all regional Local Heroes, whether or not they have been selected to perform at the national finale.
The A New Local Hero campaign forms part of Irish Music Month, which will see more than €100,000 invested in Irish artists and their crews through performances, prizes and music industry support.
The previous edition of A New Local Hero saw LMFM representative Calum Agnew crowned the overall winner in 2024. His achievement was praised by then-President Michael D. Higgins, who described him as an “admirable talent” with “enormous potential”.
A central part of Irish Music Month, A New Local Hero celebrates the extraordinary talent emerging from every corner of Ireland, while providing artists with vital exposure, professional development and opportunities to take their music to the next level.
The stations participating in Irish Music Month are: Clare FM, Classic Hits, Cork’s 96FM, East Coast FM, FM104, Galway Bay FM, Highland Radio, KCLR, KFM, Limerick Live 95FM, LMFM, Midlands 103, MidWest Radio, Ocean FM, Radio Kerry, Radio Nova, Shannonside FM/Northern Sound, South East Radio, Sunshine FM, Tipp FM and WLR FM.
Throughout the campaign, more than 80 emerging artists have performed and been interviewed on local radio, with the artists receiving payment for their performances thanks to funding from Coimisiún na Meán, under its Sound & Vision Scheme.
From these performances, 21 regional Local Heroes were selected and an industry judging panel then faced the difficult task of narrowing that outstanding regional talent down to just six performers.
“One of the joys of being involved in Irish Music Month, and in the A New Local Hero talent search, is to have it confirmed, clearly and without fear of contradiction, just how many extraordinary artists and bands are out there, creating fantastic music, right across the country, at the moment,” Hot Press editor, Niall Stokes said. “Our participating local stations did us proud in uncovering the brightest and the best from all over Ireland – with the result that the judges were faced with some extraordinarily difficult dilemmas.
“The six finalists captured the imagination of the judges in a really big way – these are the kind of artists that we can imagine filling 3Olympia in the not too distant future, and potentially progressing to 3Arena, in the way that artists like Fontaines D.C., Amble, Kingfishr, Belters Only and The Mary Wallopers have so successfully in recent times.
“But that in no way reflects negatively on the 15 local heroes who haven’t been selected on this occasion,” Niall Stokes added. “On the contrary, each and every one of the Local Heroes are winners. They deserve our congratulations, support and encouragement. And – without naming names – there’s a few of them that we know also have the potential to take on the world successfully. We’ll continue to be right behind all of our local heroes in Hot Press, that’s for sure.”
Michael Kelly, Chief Executive of the Independent Broadcasters of Ireland (IBI), commented:
“We congratulate the shortlisted acts and thank everyone who entered Irish Music Month and wish them the best. Independent stations make a major contribution to developing and supporting Irish music all year ‘round, and the many participating stations are delighted to work with Hot Press and other partners to amplify new talent all around Ireland through Irish Music Month”.
