Lisa Hannigan has always belonged to a rare category of artists, writing with a quiet intensity that lingers long after the final note. Now, the Irish singer-songwriter presents SIRENS, a special one-night gathering of contemporary folk voices, set to take over Barbican Hall on Saturday, 17 October 2026, from 8 pm.
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More than a concert, SIRENS is designed as a shared experience—an evening of collaboration, harmony, and sonic exploration. Performed alongside Hannigan’s trio, with arrangements and music direction by Theodora Byrne, the showcase brings together an exceptional lineup of artists: Amanda Bergman, Kate Stables, Charlotte Cornfield, Tammy Adams, Victoria Canal, The Staves, and Angie McMahon. The result promises something rare: a stage built for connection rather than spotlight, where voices meet, merge, and transform the room.
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The project was born during an artistic residency at Sounds from a Safe Harbour in Cork, Ireland, and its heart is clear—the resonance, strength, and intimacy of women’s voices. Moving between original compositions and reimagined works by female songwriters, the performance unfolds through layered harmonies, collaborative arrangements, and moments of deep listening. It’s the kind of night that invites you to lean in—intimate in feeling, expansive in sound.
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Hannigan’s solo career has now spanned 18 years, and across that time she has steadily cemented her place as one of Ireland’s most vital contemporary songwriters. From her Mercury Prize-nominated debut Sea Saw, through 2011’s Passenger, to her third studio album At Swim, her work has remained unmistakably her own—tender, precise, and emotionally fearless. With SIRENS, she turns that sensibility outward, bringing together voices that have inspired her for an evening rooted in collaboration and community.
For further information on the event, please visit the Barbican website.
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Image provided, courtesy of Barbican
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