Michelle Gahan – Vulnerability (2024)
While Michelle Gahan is not necessarily on the tongues of everyone across the globe – well, at least not yet – she is one of the more intriguing folk artists turning heads far beyond her Irish borders. Beginning her musical journey with a family ballad group, Gahan has made a name for herself as a former member of Cloud 9 and a church service soloist. As a solo performer, her natural talent has graced the stages of notable venues like Dublin Castle, The Workman’s, and The Brian Boru, as well as garnering critical acclaim from press like The Galway Advertiser, Over The West Radio, and Music From The Heart.
Sauntering into 2024 with a smile, Gahan releases her new single ‘Vulnerability’. This is our first encounter with Gahan, so I was unsure what to expect, something folksy I imagined. Once I hit the play button, I expected a calm folk tune to blare from my speakers; however, the sound slipped around my idea of what was to come. Inspired by the likes of The Cranberries, Gahan has an obscure haunting similar to Dolores O’Riordan, but she leaves no chill on your skin. Instead, her voice has tender warmth like a comfortable hug from an old friend.
Recorded and produced at Beardfire Studios with Rohan Healy, Al Quiff, Dermot Whelan and Sean Mac Erlaine, ‘Vulnerability’ is a refreshing lift after a long day at the office. Calm and laidback, the piano-driven ballad has a soothing effect; however, the lingering strings insert a melancholy twist. Finding the delicate line between rich comfort and stirring chill, ‘Vulnerability’ fuses delight and despair in a three-and-a-half-minute track.
For me, it is not the simplistic arrangement that tugs at my heartstrings, it is Gahan’s off-kilter vocals. Confident and bold but fragile and subdued, she captures the intricacy of human emotion with elegance. Even without the instruments, Gahan perfectly expresses the profound theme of ‘Vulnerability’ – the journey from “emotional fragility to a place of strength…” offering an empowering step out of darkness fully realising that even the vulnerable can be strong.
Find out more about Michelle Gahan on her Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram and Spotify.
Listen to more folk tunes on The Other Side Reviews Folk playlist:
