Huartan

Formed in 2023, Huartan have created an original blend of Irish traditional music and electronica, quickly earning them recognition, including the 2025 BBC Introducing NI Artist of the Year award, the 2024 NI Music Prize Live Act of the Year, and the inaugural Amhrán na Laoch competition by Hot Press. Through bold reinterpretations of at-risk Irish language songs, their mission is to connect contemporary audiences with the oral singing tradition and native language of Ulster.

Emerging from the Gaeltacht quarter of West Belfast, Huartan is formed by three Irish traditional singers and musicians — Catriona Ní Ghribín, Múlú, and Stiofán Ó Luachráin, who also serves as the band’s producer — alongside masked performers who embody the presence of the síogaí (fairy folk). Each artist is highly accomplished: Catriona also performs with the Mary Wallopers, Múlú with Biird. Together, they share a commitment to preserving and pushing the boundaries of Irish language song.

Rooted in decolonial and anti-capitalist ideals, Huartan’s otherworldly live shows channel a mythical pre-Christian Ireland, with performances that are at once unsettling, theatrical, and politically charged. Their most recent sold-out headline show at Belfast’s Mandela Hall was an important milestone, demonstrating their rapidly growing audience and unique live aesthetic.

In 2026, the band will be touring their self-titled debut album, featuring a collection of traditional Gaeilge songs injected with “urgent, pulsating electronica” (Hot Press). As Peter McGoran writes, “Huartan have been one of the key voices in a serious ‘realignment’ of modern Irish music and culture (…) despite being relatively new, they have tapped into something massive with their music – and audiences have responded in kind.”

“When you hear Huartan, you start to wonder why people haven’t been putting Irish traditional music and electronica together more: there’s an element of trance about both when done right.” – Dig With It Magazine

“Truly ​​one of the most visionary albums from 2025” – Chordblossom