Griogair Labhruidh

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]

  1. ^ "Griogair Labhruidh". BBC Music. BBC. Retrieved 6 January 2017.
  2. ^ a b 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. ^ a b "The Band". Dàimh. Retrieved 6 January 2017.
  6. ^ a b 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. 15 January 2017. Retrieved 16 January 2017.