At just seventeen years old, Niamh Noade finds herself standing at a fascinating crossroads.
Raised in County Armagh and immersed in Irish music from an early age, Noade has spent much of her young life surrounded by melody, storytelling and tradition. A multi-award-winning harpist, finalist in Junior Eurovision and a familiar face on the Fleadh circuit since childhood, she has quietly been building the foundations of her artistry long before millions of television viewers discovered her on Britain’s Got Talent.
While her recent appearance on the programme introduced her to a wider audience, it was hardly an overnight success story. Many will remember her stunning performance of Ordinary, a haunting interpretation that earned a standing ovation from the judges and prompted Simon Cowell to remark that some people are simply born with great voices. It is not often we find ourselves agreeing with Simon Cowell, but on this occasion he was absolutely right.
Yet what makes Noade particularly compelling is not simply her voice. Blending the Celtic harp with contemporary influences, she represents a new generation of Irish artists who are unafraid to honour tradition while carving out a distinctive path of their own. There is a quiet confidence to her musicianship, an emotional honesty to her performances and a maturity that feels well beyond her years.
With more than 20 million views generated through previous television appearances and a rapidly growing audience following Britain’s Got Talent, the spotlight is shining brighter than ever.
The covers may have introduced audiences to her talent, but what excites us most is what comes next. Behind the performances is a young songwriter beginning to find her own creative voice, and we are genuinely excited to see where her original music takes her in the years ahead.
Fresh from a whirlwind period that has seen her audience grow dramatically, The Industry Review sat down with Niamh Noade to discuss songwriting, identity, vulnerability, Irish culture, mentorship and the future she hopes to build as an artist.
Music seems deeply woven into who you are, but was there a specific moment where you realised this was something you wanted to pursue seriously rather than simply something you loved?
Music has always been a part of my life; it’s a part of my identity. It helps me understand my feelings, like a form of self-expression. There have been a number of special moments in my life that made me realise the importance of music but it was my experience of performing in Finland to an audience of 10,000 that made me realise that it just isn’t about the music; it’s also about the performance side of things. The connection with an audience is so special and that is when I knew that I wanted to become serious as an artist and performer.
The harp carries so much history and symbolism, particularly in Ireland, yet you approach it in a way that feels modern, cinematic and emotionally raw rather than overly traditional. Was that balance always intentional?
At the start, no, it wasn’t intentional, as I grew up in a family with a big focus on traditional Irish music and culture. As I grew older, I really wanted to have fun exploring the instrument. At the same time as a young female artist, my style of music changed from traditional to a more contemporary style and I was keen to see how the harp could fit with this change.
I like how using the Celtic harp in a contemporary way makes me a bit unique and extending the use of the electric harp adds a whole new dimension to my music and style and I like how it fits my performances and artist image that I am trying to portray.
Your music feels both intimate and expansive at the same time. Who or what has shaped your sound most creatively?
As an artist, I’m drawn to music that feels intimate and deeply personal to the songwriter, while still being universal enough for listeners to connect with and relate to. Artists like Lizzy McAlpine, Phoebe Bridgers, Olivia Dean, and Gracie Abrams have really inspired me musically because of this. I love how you can hear genuine emotion in their voices and feel how personal their songs are to them, and that honesty is something I aim to capture in my own music.
You recently stepped into a much larger public spotlight very quickly on BGT. How has that experience affected you emotionally and creatively?
Honestly, it has been the most amazing experience. However, I feel to be able to go into that high stress environment you need to be resilient. My intention from the outset was to use BGT as an opportunity to have a platform to get noticed by people in the music industry in the hope that they would see something unique and willing to take a chance on me. The whole experience really has just inspired me to try my best to pursue music full time and everyone’s support is unreal. It has driven me to focus more on my original songwriting and I’m looking forward to hearing feedback on my songs.
There’s often enormous pressure on emerging artists to suddenly become “content creators” alongside being musicians. Do you find modern visibility empowering, exhausting, or a strange mix of both?
Content creation is probably the more challenging side of being a musician nowadays, honestly, I’m not a big fan of creating content for social media. However, I do think it is an amazing platform to share original music and grow a fanbase. I prefer to use social media to portray my style of music and bring my followers along on my musical journey. For me it is about being authentic, rather than following trends.
Your performances carry a strong emotional vulnerability. Is songwriting a cathartic process for you, or does it sometimes leave you feeling exposed?
Songwriting really is a cathartic process for me. Personally, I sometimes struggle to express my feelings, so songwriting helps me vent all my emotions, recognise them and in most cases, it helps me get over or understand why I’m feeling like this, which is amazing. It also creates great music, so it’s a win, win situation for me, and I feel what I write about is quite relatable, so while its personal to me, people can still resonate with it.
Ireland has a rich musical legacy, but it can still be difficult for younger artists, particularly women, to break through structurally. We recently covered the book Why Not Her? A Manifesto For Culture Change by Linda Coogan Byrne, which revealed horrendous stats and findings about the industry and its treatment of women and diverse artists. Have you felt supported by the industry so far, and how do you navigate the perils of being a young woman in an industry as precarious as the entertainment industry?
I have that book too, finally getting the chance to read it now that BGT is over! I feel as if I am only at the start of my career; I haven’t fully experienced that side of the music industry. As of right now, it has been amazing and I have been given so many opportunities and experiences that I will never forget.
However, I do know music is a difficult industry, so I am wary and aim to make sure my music and opinion, especially as a young woman, are heard. I have got lots of support around me, which has been great, especially around this time with Britain’s Got Talent, and I am so grateful for that.
Many artists are selected for mentorships at the early stages of their careers. Is this something you will seek out at a really pivotal point in your development?
I am excited to share the news that I have been selected as the first recipient of the Why Not Her? Mentorship and Accelerator Programme, a programme designed to support women artists across Ireland and the UK at critical stages in their careers.
The timing of this mentorship programme is perfect for me right now given all the attention post BGT. I am so excited to work alongside the amazing Linda Coogan Byrne and her team from Why Not Her? to help me navigate current key opportunities in my career as a developing artist.
I am proud to be Irish, and my Celtic identity will always be inherent in my music, whether that’s through my emotional style of storytelling or my use of ornamentation.
There’s something very timeless about your artistry, yet your audience is discovering you through very modern platforms and media culture. How do you navigate that tension between tradition and contemporary visibility?
I think it’s really just about staying true to the honesty and storytelling in my music; while still making it relate and resonate with people today. The harp naturally gives my music a more timeless feel, but the emotions and experiences behind the songs are very current and relatable. For me, it’s just about making music that feels personal and genuine, no matter how people come across it.
As a UK crossover artist, what role does Northern Ireland and Ireland itself play in your music and identity as an artist?
I am proud to be Irish, and my Celtic identity will always be inherent in my music, whether that’s through my emotional style of storytelling or my use of ornamentation. Growing up surrounded by Irish music and culture has naturally shaped the way I write and perform, even when my music leans into more contemporary influences.
Looking ahead, what kind of artist do you hope to become, not in terms of fame or success, but creatively and personally?
I hope to become a unique female artist with an ability to connect to and relate with audiences on an intimate and universal level through my emotional style of singing and performing. I suppose I really want people to feel my music and enjoy the simplicity and emotion in each line.
I really am not one of those artists with polished dance moves and big productions; I prefer my performances to be raw and authentic, where I can connect on a personal level with the audience.
My music is very emotionally raw, so I hope audiences leave feeling understood, comforted, or inspired in some way.
Finally, when people leave one of your performances, what do you hope they carry with them afterwards?
When people leave one of my performances, I hope they carry a genuine emotional connection with them. I want the experience to feel authentic and relatable, something honest that people can truly connect to on a personal level.
My music is very emotionally raw, so I hope audiences leave feeling understood, comforted, or inspired in some way. Honestly, I’d also love for people to come away with a stronger understanding of who I am as an artist and the stories behind my music. And especially for young female musicians, I hope seeing someone sing and play the harp encourages them to pursue their own creativity.
There is a maturity to Noade’s answers that feels striking given her age. While many emerging artists find themselves pulled between tradition and modernity, performance and content creation, authenticity and commercial pressure, she appears remarkably clear about what matters most to her.
At the centre of everything is connection. Connection to the audience. Connection to storytelling. Connection to identity. Connection to emotion.
Whether through the timeless sound of the Celtic harp or the vulnerability of her performances, Niamh Noade is building a career rooted not in trends, but in honesty. In an industry often obsessed with speed, there is something refreshing about an artist who seems content to let the music do the talking.
See https://niamhnoade.com for more info.
The Industry Review 
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