Mairead Emfada Reviews / Press

by Carol

This is MAIRÉAD's  online Scrapbook of  sentimental clippings from over the years....

As she h as appeared in a number of newspapers & music magazines across Britain & Ireland, TV shows and received airplay on many U.K & Irish radio stations including airplay on Radio 1, 98FM, Kiss FM, Cool FM, Q102, Clyde FM, Beat 106, 2FM Dublin,
Downtown Radio and 98FM Ireland.

Scroll down: for just SOME of the surviving press, review clippings, photos. work sketches etc and other general stuff from Maireads music scrap book (shown in no particular order)

Mairead as the singing Wonder Woman, live at the 'Dazed & Confused' magazine party (Glasgow: 21st November)

 

Mairéad performs at 'Gay Pride' to support the community.

She is interviewed by a journalist on the evening: "A good friend of mine
was beaten up and hospitalized just because he happened to be gay.
I was so infuriated at what happened. I just can't accept discrimination
and small minded attitudes. Perhaps some people are afraid and angered
at the things they just don't understand... but it's no excuse. There is no
excuse for this type of hatred. Call me a big hippy if you like...but all that
should really matter is that we love and respect one another".

above Mairead singing live at the Kings Hall, Belfast

music magazine journalist captures MAIRÉAD
during a live performance to an audience of 8,000 people in
Belfast's top concert venue 'The Kings Hall', one of Irelands
main concert arenas.

 

'Hot Press' music magazine.

Hot Press reviews of MAIREAD by   Stuart Bailie.

Sunday Life' quote: "With respect to all other acts,
Mairéad is the one who definitely has the chance to go all the
way. 'Addiction' performed (& co-written) by Mairéad is a
sensual, soulful little number that should be blasting out of a
million stereos all summer... it could do big damage in any chart
with the benefit of a full blown promotional campaign. Hopefully
someone with enough dough will weigh in to give Mairéad that
little extra push she needs"

 

'Derry Journal' quote: "Mairéads sultry, soulful and passionate performance marks
her out to be a major contender in the role of up and coming
dance diva!"

"Mairéad set to perform @Radio 1 Summer Road Show".

Mairéad captured during a gig with a band that supported the
James Taylor Quartet: review by BUZZ music/ entertainments magazine describing her vocals as "sugary-sweet".

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Oh Viola! Click Here

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"CD record release funded by Larry Mullen ( U2) to Virgin
megastores across Ireland"

 

cheeky wee monkeys in trees...the inside sleeve of a
commercial record release in Ireland.

This time... Mairéad as lead vocalist with the boys in
'The New Capris' band

'Hot Press' music reviews

Mairead review: 'Hot Press" music mag

 

Mairead Performs at Edinburgh Castle Scotland.

 

Big in Falkirk outdoor stage

Leading up to the Millennium MAIRÉAD performs at the classy
Waterfront Hall, Belfast.( Just before she was due on
stage she got lost along the never ending maze of corridors. PANIC!
The place is massive!!!...but she found her way back by the help of
a map just seconds before her name was
announced. Great warm up girl!

Mairéad as a teeny-bop pictured bottom left  just after winning songwriters award,

judged and presented by the IMRO & UTVs Jerry Kelly TV show.

 

MAIRÉAD showing off her balancing skills on the edge of a very
high story building!!!! (forever daring...forever creating attention!) whilst
promoting CD release.
Review by the 'Sunday Times'

Mairead: as a sound engineer student

Two curious German reporters from top German newspaper magazine "ZELTZ" interview Mairéad. She was a Sound Engineer student. The journalists decided to come searching for her the next morning after being inspired by her
entertaining vocal/ stage performance at a live gig the previous night. They found her in a recording studio experimenting with phasing & flange effects...(??)

Pictured 3 of the famous 5. 'The New Capris' music review by 'The Times'

The 'Derry Journal' , the N. Irish newspaper waves Mairéad a goodbye as she heads off to London. Irish music
fans were sad to see her leave.(on the day she left she
promised herself never to return again until her music dream
came true... brave of the girl who adores her homeland, family and friends. Mairead is a home bird!).

 

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Funky artwork by Mairéad for the live performance CD of the
band she fronted for a while. (All those years of suffering at Art
School finally paying off then!)

More artwork designed/painted by Mairéad for flyers/posters
promoting her gigs

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A surviving flyer souvenir of Mairéads live PA/crazy stage
shows in N.Ireland

 

Mairead photographed by a pal wearing that famous black dress on the evening
before performing with "The Soul Aim" ...(a funk/soul band put together by two (one)
musically talented brothers with film industry connections.It is said, that this very same band inspired Irish film 'The Commitments'
after a visit to Donegal one Christmas).How was Mairead to know that the cute rusty haired dude (Glenn Hansard from The Frames) would end up drinking tea and singing songs in her livingroom so many many years later!!!)

The Soul Aim band was basically a soul cover band that everyone for miles and miles around would come to see, especially on Boxing Day. Through the Mairéad travelled back in time...covering soulful numbers such as the lung stretching classic 'My Life Story' and other numbers such as 'Private Number',
'I want you back' (Jackson Five), 'Mustang Sally', 'Let's Stay Together',
Stevie Wonders 'Superstition' etc...also "I Want You Love" by chic and even a cover
of 'Hot Stuff'... sizzling all the guys in the front row. The atmosphere was seriously
hot hot hot stuff! These Christmas gigs were great, the venue was packed,
the band tight...trumpets blasted...and our wee Mairéad danced and sang her soul out... in pure enjoyment of the music.
It was Christmastime, everyone was home from abroad and it was all done and experienced in good spirit.

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Captured in a photograph during a very packed out New
Years Eve gig... showing our Mairéad when & where she's most happy & where
she belongs... ON STAGE

 

 

Photos taken by the audience of our Mairéad singing her heart
out during various gigs (and she's singing with naked fee... dressed in
sparkled futuristic silver with very short cropped rather punky hair...
(she's the female David Bowie...)

 

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-The Nerve Center- 

Derrys music Nerve Centre gave her a lot of hope as she got access to
recording equipment and met like minded people who not only wanted to sing and write but also dabble with sound and electronic devices. Students learn about the business side of music there too.

Mairead photographed after a long day in the recording studio(soaking up the studio tan or what!)

During Maireads time there she continued to write songs & make numerous
experimental recordings. She however became a bit too obsessed
with learning the whole recording process aspect. She learnt alot during
the sound engineering course... but perhaps she should have stuck
purely to what she's best at ... (performing & writing songs...)

at least until she met the right people who have both the
power and expertise to develop her career & guide her in the best
direction. Living in that part of Ireland as a professional musician is limited

and record producers are almost none existant. But 'The Nerve Centre' is great for young musicians as it sets them on a path.

(Mairead quote: "Hello & thanks to all who helped me at the music Nerve Center, miss your faces. love xxoo")

 

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sketches by Mairéad of just one of the many costumes she
designed and handcreated for one of her many staged
dance/movement performances.
Theme : Aliens/Space (Inspired by music of  radio show 'War Of The Worlds')

Some sketches by Mairead of the Celtic dance routine she
choreographed & performed at a celtic styled banquet called " Gathering Of The Clans".Her piece was Swanlady, inspired by Children Of Lir. Performed whilst she worked for theatre company Minky Hill. She also sang in
a cappella a spine tingling performance of 'As She Moved Through The Fare'.

 

 

A newspaper clipping of our Mairéad captured midst dance on a
catwalk during a fashion show. She had only been asked to stand
in for a professional model ...but ended up as the only model in
the newspapers! She seems to attract attention whatever she
does ...mmm ...well she did wear a futuristic gown compiled
of ...cling film! Or perhaps it was that sultry look in her eyes of ...
"I'm going to eat you for dinner honey!".

 

(as usual she had to and wanted to do it all her self...)
Mairéad sketches story board, ideas & images for a music video.

 

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The History  above has been achieved by Mairead alone without the help of a Manager, Agent
or Record Company. (Mairead quotes: "Lawyers look after me...... God & the Good people. I am free to do Art.")

''Hey! She's got Betty Davis eyes!!!...''

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