Griogair Labhruidh

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Labruidh playing with Afro Celt Sound System, October 2016 Afro Celt Sound System, Barbican, London, October 2016 (25).jpg
Labruidh playing with Afro Celt Sound System, October 2016

Griogair Labhruidh (born 24 October 1982) [1] is a Scottish Gaelic singer/songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and recording artist from Gartocharn with strong roots in the Gaelic tradition of Ballachulish in the Scottish Highlands. [2] [3] After many years recording the Gaelic traditions of his local area, Gaelic became his dominant language and he is one of the few musicians who can speak and perform in a mainland Gaelic dialect, rather than the standard Hebridean Gaelic. [4] Well-versed in the ceòl mòr piping tradition of his native district, Labhruidh is a member of the Afro-Celt Sound System and has also produced Gaelic music in non-traditional genres, such as hip-hop. [5] In 2014, Labhruidh, who sings in a sean-nós style, [6] became the main vocalist for the Gaelic supergroup Dàimh. [5] He was Gaelic Singer of the Year at the MG Alba Trad Music Awards of 2015. [7] He contributed a chapter to the book Dhá Leagan Déag: Léargais Nua ar an Sean-Nós. [6]

Labhruidh was a Ph.D. candidate at the National University of Ireland; his dissertation "challenges the influences of cultural colonisation upon the Gaelic singing tradition of Scotland". [8] In addition, he runs a croft in the Ballachulish area of the Scottish Highlands. [2] [9]

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References

  1. "Griogair Labhruidh". BBC Music. BBC. Retrieved 6 January 2017.
  2. 1 2 Labhruidh and Michael Newton. "Interview with Griogair Labhruidh". Gaelic USA. Retrieved 6 January 2017.
  3. "Griogair Labhruidh - Gaelic singing". Archived from the original on 21 December 2018. Retrieved 20 December 2018.
  4. Dingwall, John (4 December 2015). "Scotland's only Gaelic rapper Griogair Labhruidh is up for a gong at the Scots Trad Music Awards". Daily Record. Retrieved 16 January 2017.
  5. 1 2 "The Band". Dàimh. Retrieved 6 January 2017.
  6. 1 2 Ó Cróinín, Dáibhí. "New Thinking for Sean-nós Singing?". The Journal of Music | News, Reviews and Opinion. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
  7. "TRIUMPH FOR TRAD TALENT IN DUNDEE WINNERS ANNOUNCED FOR MG ALBA SCOTS TRAD MUSIC AWARDS 2015". Scots Trad Music Awards. Hands Up For Trad. 6 December 2015. Retrieved 16 January 2017.
  8. Stuart Curnow. "Griogair Labhruidh: Gàidhealtachd Warrior". Stuart Curnow. Retrieved 6 January 2017.
  9. "Meet the world's first Gaelic rapper". Scotland's Herald. Retrieved 16 January 2017.