Rising star Skye Newman: 'Ireland really showed up!'

At just 22, London singer-songwriter Skye Newman carries herself with poise beyond her years. In the past 12 months, she has rapidly built her profile, being named BBC Radio 1's Sound of 2026, following Chappell Roan. She also secured nominations at the BRIT Awards (Song of the Year for *Family Matters* and Breakthrough Artist) and the MOBO Awards (Best Newcomer). Her first two singles, *Hairdresser* and *Family Matters*, made history as the first British female solo artist in over a decade to land her first two singles in the UK Top 20. Yet, she remains unassuming. Fresh from two sold-out nights at Dublin’s Olympia Theatre, Newman described the Irish crowd’s energy as electric, saying they gave her as much as she gave them. 'I will always put on a show and give everything I have,' she said, 'but naturally, the more they give back to you, it just pumps you up even more. Ireland really showed up.' From the moment she stepped on stage, the connection was immediate. 'As soon as I stepped out, you could feel it,' she said. 'I’m a huge person on energy, and there was so much passion in that room.' She redefined her approach to team-building, deliberately surrounding herself with women in an industry still grappling with imbalance. 'I knew coming into this world there was going to be so much lacking for women,' she said. 'Not just in music, but everywhere. I was really intentional about making sure I had women in my space.' For her, it’s about more than optics. 'They’ve got the best intentions for me,' she said. 'They’re thinking about my health and wealth in terms of my mental, not just the money.' Representation, especially for young women, is a core theme in her work, reflected in her single *Woman I Am*. 'It’s everything,' she said. 'When you’re a young girl, you follow what you see. If someone can look at me and think, “She’s doing it, so I can too,” that means the world.' Growing up in an area where opportunities feel limited has sharpened her drive. 'I come from somewhere people don’t really get to do things like this,' she said. 'The fact I’ve come from less might make someone else feel like they can do more.' She also highlighted the inequality of her journey. 'There are men from my area who’ve made something of themselves, but it’s not the same connection. They’ve got an upper hand, it’s a different ball game entirely.' As the youngest of six, she learned early how to hold her own, a trait she describes as both a gift and a burden. 'I got to watch mistakes play out before I ever made them myself,' she said. 'In that sense, I’ve been lucky. But when you come from council estates and grow up with less, there’s no choice but to toughen up.' This pressure has kept her perpetually switched on. 'I’ve always had to be on it, mentally and emotionally,' she said. 'It’s helped me, but there’s a flip side. There were times I just wanted to be a kid and couldn’t. Even when I tried not to care, I couldn’t switch it off.' Despite the weight, she doesn’t linger in it. 'It is a blessing,' she added. 'Because now I can write music that might help someone else not feel like that.' She’s quick to point out the inequality of her journey. 'There are men from my area who’ve made something of themselves, but it’s not the same connection. They’ve got an upper hand, it’s a different ball game entirely.' As the youngest of six, she learned early how to hold her own, an inheritance she describes as both a gift and a burden. 'I got to watch mistakes play out before I ever made them myself,' she said. 'In that sense, I’ve been lucky. But when you come from council estates, when you grow up with less, there’s no choice but to toughen up. You grow up quick. You learn to stand on your own two feet because half the time everything around you feels like it’s falling apart.' Turning experience into purpose, she admits she's still catching herself in the moment, pausing almost in disbelief at just how quickly everything has shifted. 'It’s honestly been the most incredible year of my life,' she said. 'And the fact we’re only three months in is absolutely mental to me.' She’s set to return to Ireland this August for a second outing at Electric Picnic, where she admits she's 'buzzing' to be heading back to Stradbally. 'Festival season is the best,' she says. 'Last year was just incredible. Everyone showed up for me in such a big way. I haven’t been let down by a crowd yet. I feel really blessed. I hope everyone’s ready for it.' Her new EP, *SE9 Part 2*, will be released on 29 May, expanding on themes of identity, growth, and self-understanding. Both *SE9 Part 1* and *SE9 Part 2* will be available on CD and vinyl, with the CD released at retail and the vinyl offered as a D2C exclusive, featuring the exclusive track *Blood* and an acoustic version of *Too Far South*. For what comes next, she keeps things open-ended. 'It’s funny, even though there’s so much I want to do, I don’t have fixed milestones in mind,' she explains. 'Of course, every artist has certain venues or moments they dream about, but for me, it’s more about building a solid group of people who genuinely connect with my music. That’s what matters most. It’s easy to get lost chasing milestones, and I think that’s where people go wrong. You’ve got to enjoy the ride.'