Kíla

Formed at school in Dublin's late 1980's, Kíla is heralded as one of Ireland’s most innovative and exciting bands. Their unique sound has been ever-evolving, rooted in tradition, yet inspired by a myriad of influences and ideas from all around the world. Often defined as contemporary Irish World music, Kíla fuses the effects of their own melodies and Irish (Gaeilge) lyrics, Irish folk instruments such as whistles, fiddles, Uilleann pipes, bones and bodhrán with djembe, congas, drums, mandolins, brass and acoustic/electric/ bass guitars. Kíla's eight members come from the differing musical backgrounds of traditional, classical and rock. The result is a fresh blend of freewheeling instrumentals, furious jigs, and primal rhythms that transcend the traditional boundaries of Irish music.

Bristling with passion and energy, Kíla are widely renowned for their live performances and have played in over 30 countries, as well as worked extensively in TV and film. Their music has been placed in  many documentaries on RTÉ, TG4 and most recently in several BBC2 Timewatch documentaries. Their most notable involvement in film is their collaboration with French composer Bruno Coulais on the soundtracks for Cartoon Saloon’s Oscar-nominated and Annie-winning animations 'The Secret of Kells’ and ‘The Song of the Sea’.  Kíla were also nominated for an Emmy in 2015 for their soundtrack to the film “Ireland’s Wild River” which had the enviable title of being "The best wildlife film in the world of the past two years".

Photo: Robbie Ryan

"Whatever it is... this is it. Kíla are right there at the cusp of it... Somehow you get the feeling they lit the fuse for the big bang." -BONO

"One of the most beautifully euphoric live experiences" -BBC WORLD REVIEW

"Softly spoken off stage and complete lunatics on it, Kíla have torn up the rulebook with their wantonly eclectic mix of styles, Brilliant!” -HOTPRESS

"All the wonderful, shamanistic energy of the amazing Kíla” -NEIL JORDAN