Aoife O’Donovan is an Irish-American singer and songwriter from Newton, Boston. She is active in contemporary folk, americana and singer-songwriter music, and is also associated with bluegrass and acoustic traditions.

Background

O’Donovan grows up in a musical family and is immersed in folk music from an early age. She studies contemporary improvisation at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston. She is pronounced “EEF-ah”.

Groups and collaborations

She begins her professional career singing lead with The Wayfaring Strangers. She later forms Crooked Still at 18 and fronts the progressive bluegrass and string band as lead singer. She is also a member of the female folk-noir trio Sometymes Why. Other group work includes I’m With Her and The Goat Rodeo Sessions, and she performs with The Wayfaring Strangers.

O’Donovan works with a wide range of musicians, including Ollabelle, Karan Casey, Seamus Egan, Jerry Douglas, Jim Lauderdale, Darol Anger, Sarah Jarosz, Sara Watkins, Christina Courtin, Noam Pikelny and Chris Thile. She also records with Yo-Yo Ma, Chris Thile, Edgar Meyer and Stuart Duncan on The Goat Rodeo Sessions.

Solo work and recordings

Her first solo release is a limited-edition 7-inch vinyl issued in June 2010 with two original tracks. One of her songs, “Lay My Burden Down”, is recorded by Alison Krauss and appears on Paper Airplane; the song also appears in the film Get Low. Her voice is also heard on True Blood and Private Practice.

Performances

She tours in multiple countries and performs with the Boston Pops and the Utah Symphony Orchestra. Her live band includes Robin MacMillan on drums, Jacob Silver on bass and Ryan Scott on guitar.

Home and later work

Originally from Newton, Massachusetts, O’Donovan lives in Brooklyn, New York.