Keywest
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Keywest is a multi-award-winning Irish pop-folkband[1] formed in Dublin.The group began busking across Ireland, particularly on Grafton Street in Dublin.[2] In 2015, the band reached the top of the Irish charts with their album Joyland.[3] Band members include Andrew Kavanagh (lead vocalist, harmonica), Andrew Glover (backing vocalist, acoustic guitar, piano), Luke Murphy (backing vocalist, electric guitar), and Conor Ray (percussion, drums).
History
[edit]Andrew Kavanagh and Andrew Glover, childhood friends from Artane, Dublin,[4] began performing in Galway,[5] before relocating to Dublin to busk on Grafton Street, known for its street performers.[2] The band was formed by graduates of BIMM Dublin.[6]
In 2014, the band won Best Street Artist/Busker at the Hot Press Awards.[7] Unfortunately, in the following year, in 2015, the band was fined for exceeding noise levels under Dublin's busking by-law.[8]
In November 2018, Keywest signed to Marshall Records,[9] and released their album "Ordinary Superhero" the following year.[10]
As of 2025, the band operates independently, funding its activities through direct sales and platforms like Patreon.[11] In an interview on Irish radio, Kavanagh advocated for a government pilot scheme devised to provide a basic income to an initial group of 2,000 artists and musicians.[12]
2012: The Message
[edit]Their debut album The Message was released in 2012 via Alphastar Records. It peaked at No.15 on the Irish charts and No.2 on the Irish iTunes chart. The album was self-produced with engineering by Mark Needham, who has worked with The Killers, Katy Perry, Fleetwood Mac, Neon Trees, and Dan Frampton (The Script).[13] The album was a double CD release, with the first CD being the main album and second one being the Undelivered EP.
The Message featured the singles "Back Into Your Arms", "Feels So Cruel", "In the Fight for Love", and "Straight Through My Heart". The singles were played on Irish radio, and the band were described as Ireland's most-played Irish independent artist of 2012.[14] The Message has since been certified triple-platinum in Ireland.[15]
In 2012, Keywest was nominated for Best New Act at the Meteor Awards, and "The Message" was nominated for Best Debut Album in the Hot Press Hotties Awards.[citation needed]
The band also signed a worldwide publishing deal in Los Angeles with Peermusic in 2012.[citation needed]
2013: Electric Love EP
[edit]The band followed their debut album with the Electric Love EP, which featured the title track and lead single, 'Electric Love.' The single reached number one on the Irish charts and was released independently through the band's label, Sonic Realm Records.[16]
2015: Joyland
[edit]Keywest released their second album album, Joyland, September 2015, and it went straight to the number 2 position on the Official Irish Chart, climbing to the top spot the following week. They also appeared on the front cover of Irish music magazine, "Hot Press. Joyland" had four singles: "All My Mistakes", "Carousel", "This Is Heartbreak", and "Apple Tree Hill".
In 2014 and 2015, the band won the 98 FM award for Dublin's best street artist. In 2015, the band was voted Most Promising Artist in Hot Press.[17]
2016: This Summer – EP
[edit]In 2016, Keywest released the This Summer EP, featuring the lead track of the same name. Like previous releases, the EP was independently released through the band’s label, Sonic Realm Records.[18]
2018: True North
[edit]The band's third album, titled True North, was released on 30 March 2018. It entered the Irish charts at number 3,[19] reaching number 1 on the Independent Music Chart. Keywest received three nominations at the 2018 Irish Post Music Awards: Best Song, Best Album, and Best Band.[20]
2019: Ordinary Superhero
[edit]Their fourth album, Ordinary Superhero, was released on 18 October 2019 and reached number 8 on the official Irish Album Chart. The song "I'm Not Me Without You" features Irish singer Una Healy.[21]
The title track, "Ordinary Superhero," was released at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in conjunction with Irish and UK charities supplying PPE to front-line workers. The music video for the song depicted front-line workers during the pandemic.[22]
Awards and nominations
[edit]- Best New Act – Meteor Awards 2012 (Nominated).
- Best Debut Album – Hot Press Hotties Awards, 2012 (Nominated).
- Best Street Act – 98 FM Best Of Dublin Awards 2014 (Winner).
- Best Street Act – 98 FM Best Of Dublin Awards 2015 (Winner).
- Most Promising Artist – Hot Press Hotties Awards 2015 (Winner).
- Best Song – Irish Post Music Awards 2018 (Nominated).
- Best Album – Irish Post Music Awards 2018 (Nominated).
- Best Act – Irish Post Music Awards 2018 (Nominated).
Discography
[edit]| Keywest discography | |
|---|---|
| Studio albums | 4 |
Studio albums
[edit]| Year | Album Details | Peak chart positions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| IRL [23] |
UK | ||
| 2012 | The Message
|
15 | — |
| 2015 | Joyland
|
1 | — |
| 2018 | True North
|
3 [24] |
— |
| 2019 | Ordinary Superhero
|
8 [25] |
— |
| "—" denotes a title that did not chart. | |||
Singles
[edit]| Year | Title | Peak chart positions | Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IRL [23] |
UK | |||
| 2009 | "Miss You Most" | 6 | — | |
| 2011 | "Back into Your Arms" | 25 | — | The Message |
| 2012 | "Feels So Cruel" | — | — | |
| "In The Fight For Love" | — | — | ||
| 2013 | "Electric Love" | 55 | — | |
| 2015 | "All My Mistakes" | — | — | Joyland |
| 84 | — | |||
| "This Is Heartbreak" | – | – | ||
| 2016 | "This Summer" | True North | ||
| 2017 | "The Little Things" | |||
| "Cold Hands" | ||||
| 2018 | "Something Beautiful" | |||
| "—" denotes a title that did not chart. | ||||
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Writer, Staff. "IMRO Award Presented to Keywest". IMRO. Irish Music Rights Organisation.
- ^ a b "Keywest Interview". hotpress.com. Retrieved 13 March 2025.
- ^ Writer, Staff. "Keywest Busk to the top of the charts". RTE.ie. Retrieved 22 June 2025.
- ^ "Keywest: 'busking shaped us'". www.farmersjournal.ie. Retrieved 30 April 2025.
- ^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnVBbTyq37E
- ^ "BIMM Dublin".
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ https://www.hotpress.com/music/keywest-triumph-at-98fm-awards-11891066
- ^ Dhillon, Fiona (5 October 2015). "Busking appeals falling on deaf ears as Keywest pays decibel fine". Dublin Evening Herald. p. 11. Retrieved 3 April 2025.
- ^ "Keywest - a Marshall Records alumni band". marshall.com. Retrieved 13 March 2025.
- ^ "Interview: Keywest's Andrew Kavanagh on busking, mental health, and their new album Ordinary Superhero". hotpress.com. Retrieved 13 March 2025.
- ^ "Get more from KEYWESTOFFICIAL on Patreon". Patreon. Retrieved 30 April 2025.
- ^ Kindregan, Robert. "Keywest singer says Irish musicians find it "very difficult" to get radio plays". Newstalk. Retrieved 22 May 2025.
- ^ "Mark Needham Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & Mor..." AllMusic. Retrieved 30 April 2025.
- ^ Lynch, Richard (11 November 2016). "Irish Band Keywest come to Dolans this November 26". I Love Limerick. Retrieved 10 April 2025.
- ^ Officer, Press (29 March 2016). "Press Officer, Author at IMRO - Page 97 of 179". IMRO. Retrieved 10 June 2025.
- ^ "Sonic Realm Records Discography". Discogs. Retrieved 30 April 2025.
- ^ https://www.hotpress.com/music/inside-the-new-issue-the-ihot-pressi-hotties-13562173
- ^ https://www.discogs.com/label/1075859-Sonic-Realm-Records?srsltid=AfmBOooGWsdULw1S61IM0eyHlmc0XSli-yOt5FYVEyRqH-GZsZ7gvWeJ
- ^ https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/music-gigs-and-concerts-in-ireland-this-march__25680/
- ^ https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSch1FjbiW9D8jXc1pp34Eszo-14VhvnDE3Rm51lhrkY8APFYQ/viewform
- ^ O'Connor, Sorcha (25 April 2019). "Una teams up with Keywest for new single after going solo". Dublin Evening Herald. p. 22. Retrieved 3 April 2025.
- ^ "Official Charts - Ordinary Superhero". hotpress.com. Retrieved 13 March 2025.
- ^ a b Steffen Hung. "Discography Keywest". irishcharts.com. Retrieved 16 August 2022.
- ^ "Irish Albums Chart: 6 April 2018". Irish Recorded Music Association. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
- ^ "Irish Albums Chart: 6 April 2018". Irish Recorded Music Association. Retrieved 19 October 2019.
External links
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