NCH Landmarks: Gemma Hayes

In this new occasional series, leading Irish artists perform their landmark album and music from their career.

To celebrate 25 years in music, Gemma Hayes performs Night on My Side, her Mercury Prize-nominated debut, blending atmospheric guitars with raw emotional honesty. A gem, it captures the restless beauty of early-2000s indie with poetic precision.

For over two decades, Gemma Hayes has established herself as one of Ireland’s most acclaimed and enduring musical voices. A singer, songwriter and producer of rare subtlety, she has built an international reputation for crafting songs that blend emotional honesty with melodic beauty, moving effortlessly between folk, alt-rock and cinematic soundscapes.

​​​​​​​Hayes first came to prominence with her debut album Night on My Side (2002), a Mercury Prize nominee that introduced her distinctive songwriting and atmospheric style to audiences worldwide. Her subsequent releases — The Roads Don’t Love You, The Hollow of Morning, Let It Break and Bones + Longing — drew widespread critical acclaim and a devoted fan base across Europe and the US. 

Her sixth studio album, 2024’s Blind Faith, produced by Hayes with Karl Odlum, David Odlum and Brian Casey, marked a powerful creative resurgence. Featuring collaborations with Lisa Hannigan and Paul Noonan, it was widely praised as a deeply personal, career-defining work of renewal.

Her music has featured widely across film and television, including her haunting version of Chris Isaak’s ‘Wicked Game’ for Pretty Little Liars (which has surpassed 30 million streams on Spotify) and her contribution to the soundtrack of the Roddy Doyle adaptation Greyhound of a Girl.

In recent years, Hayes has made a celebrated return to the stage, selling out multiple shows and touring extensively with her full band. These acclaimed performances showcase a career-spanning set — revisiting songs from Night on My Side for the first time in years alongside material from every stage of her catalogue.

Now based back in Ireland, Gemma Hayes continues to evolve as an artist and live performer. Whether appearing solo, with her acoustic trio or with her outstanding full live band, she captivates audiences with the warmth, craft and emotional depth that have made her one of Ireland’s most respected and influential musicians.

Presented by NCH