Darren Kiely: A potential pop-folk sensation
Noah Kahan took the world by storm with his 2023 album Stick Season, a display of raw emotion and some incredibly catchy songs. Kahan was able to captivate listeners with his powerful yet somber attitude, timely lyrics, and musical energy that feels both foreign and homely. All of this to say: Kahan is hard to explain, and his rise to fame is even more complex—a perfect storm, if you will. Kahan now has billboard-charting songs and collaborations with some of pop’s biggest stars, such as Post Malone and Hozier. While he is by no means the most successful folk star, he shines a great spotlight onto modern folk; however, most folk artists aren’t able to break through the fame barrier.
So, this has got me thinking: Who is folk’s next big star? Who could follow up on Noah Kahan’s emotional and critical highs? Who could take on the torch and make folk a genre to be reckoned with again?
Those interested in folk likely have their own answers. I suggest one Darren Kiely, an Irish bloke with only eight songs published. Now, some of you may be asking, why him? Simply put, there’s a reason why he has garnered many fans with just a year of musical output.
One of his songs, “Lost & Found,” was released only a month ago (at the time of publishing), and already has over 400-thousand views. That might not sound like much, but most artists can only hope for those numbers in such a short amount of time. I first encountered Kiely on TikTok, where he advertised a snippet of “Lost & Found.” To say that I was immediately hooked would be an overstatement, but I was certainly intrigued. Though I’ve found some favorite artists on TikTok (Vian Izak and Juniper Vale), I’ve ignored hundreds of others, swiping past, never to be seen again, but somehow, Kiely stuck with me. Looking back, I see that it’s because he is a diamond in the rough, creating subtle, but attention-grabbing music.
I highly suggest you check him out for yourself, but if you need more convincing, allow me to provide some recommendations. If you want infectious hooks, look at “Lost & Found” and “Sunrise”; if you’re looking for more emotional beats, “Mom & Dad” and “How Could You Love Me” have you covered. These two thematic elements are a constant in each of his releases.
Kiely’s music, to me, really seems to be the only one to rival Kahan’s. However, his unique accent and beautiful lyrics sometimes transcend any traceable influence. For example, in “Sunrise,” he sings, “there’s a black hole in this town. I like the way it draws me close and drags me down.” The imagery of a black hole as intriguing, rather than startling, is uncommon, yet it works in the context of his music. Not only that, but the meaning behind these lyrics, like most of Kahan’s music, is relatable to a wide variety of people, making it much more accessible.
While timelessness isn’t the only metric of an artist’s success, it certainly contributes to their star power.Kahan’s comment about “Covid on the planes” has been outdated for a while, not to mention his mentions of Vermont and New England and other specifics, which all only pertain to small groups of people; most can look past it, but on repeat listens, it sticks out a bit. With Kiely’s music, no matter if you're in New England, Ireland, or somewhere else, it’ll find a way to pertain to you—that’s what makes Darron Kiely special.
You can listen to Darren Kiely on every music streaming platform, and I highly recommend you give him a chance—I know he will grow on you, too!
Thumbnail Photo courtesy of Pexels