All-female Irish trad supergroup BIIRD sells out venues worldwide without releasing a debut album

BIIRD, a groundbreaking all-female supergroup specializing in Irish traditional music, has achieved sold-out performances throughout the UK and Ireland, toured alongside Ed Sheeran in stadiums, and garnered a worldwide fanbase—all prior to releasing their first album. Established in 2024, the ensemble, consisting of eight to eleven musicians, made their initial appearance on St Patrick's Day 2024 in Trafalgar Square, performing for an audience of 10,000, with many members meeting just hours beforehand. Lisa Canny, the founder and a seven-time All Ireland harp and banjo champion from County Mayo, has spent nearly a decade crafting this vision to modernize the portrayal of women in traditional Irish music. Their distinctive style, characterized by corsets, glitter, and bold eyeliner, contrasts with conventional folk aesthetics, collaborating with Irish designers such as Simone Rocha, Paul Costelloe, and Sara O'Neill. Their music blends traditional Irish elements with a modern pop flair, utilizing instruments like fiddles, flutes, harps, banjos, cello, and concertina. Following an unplanned jam session with Sheeran at a pub in County Wexford during Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann, he invited them to perform on his Loop tour, which includes stadium dates in Australia and New Zealand. Currently, they are recording their debut album at Decoy Studios in Melton, England, featuring original works by Canny, and are scheduled to reunite with Sheeran in the US later this year.