Kilkenny duo to release debut single this Friday

'Spotlight', the debut single from Kilkenny musical duo Novatone, is set to be released this Friday, February 28. The single will be officially launched with a full 5-piece band gig on Friday, March 28 Upstairs in Whelan’s, Dublin. Special guest is Lily and tickets are on sale now.

Mark McCorry and Ann Marie Walsh are Novatone; they are based in County Wexford but are originally from Kilkenny. Having written and performed as an acoustic duo for many years, they played their first full band electric Novatone gig in November to a full house in Little Whelan's.

At just over 2 minutes long, the theme of ‘Spotlight’ is stage fright, something that has been a limitation for Ann Marie previously. The lyrics portray what it’s like when fear takes hold as the spotlight illuminates the performer - and leads to the question of what brings an artist back into the spotlight again to conquer it.

“With Novatone now we’re shifting our focus away from the limitations that stage fright has created in the past to being brave by releasing our debut single and playing with a band - getting out there, sharing our music and to hell with the fear!”, Ann Marie explained. 

Support has been strong so far with Sarah Corcoran from Pillow Queens saying: “The new Novatone song ‘Spotlight’ is so great! Reminds me of Rilo Kiley meets Belle and Sebastian meets Carnival ere The Cardigans - very cool”, while John Loftus from 8Radio.com called it ‘a brilliant debut single’.

Spotlight has been played by Mairin Fahy on Galway Bay FM, David Dee Moore on Folk Friday Radio (Ones to Watch), Paul Cullen (Song of the Week) Hits Radio Ireland and selected as Track of the Week on Longwave Music Radio.

Novatone are not your usual indie pop band as both Ann Marie and Mark have been involved in the music scene for years in everything from event management, club DJing to performance. 

“We’ve been thinking about big themes like legacy and pondering the idea that the music we make together is part of what we hope to leave behind in this world and ‘Spotlight’ is just the start of that” says Mark. 

Plans are underway for a follow up single in the summer and an EP in the autumn, the fruit of recording sessions in Co Kildare last winter featuring Áengus “The Goose” Samuel-Maher on drums and Dylan Bailey on bass with recording and mix engineer Chris Byrne at the desk. 

Previously, Novatone have played Workmans, Cobblestone, Whelans, Seamus Ennis Centre and they ran a successful long running singer/songwriter event ‘Tuesday Night Music Club’ in Dublin, featuring Declan O'Rourke, Mundy and Duke Special.

Mark was a member of acclaimed Kilkenny band Kaydee who signed to EMI Records, released an album and toured in the UK and Ireland (3Arena, Olympia Theatre, Cork Opera House), while Ann Marie is a radio presenter who works in Audio, Podcasting and Arts PR but began her career as a musician and music booker.