Kevin Fowley

Kevin Fowley

Kevin Fowley is a Franco-Irish musician from Dublin whose work draws on both French and Irish traditions. He grows up between France and Ireland, and this bicultural, bilingual background shapes his music from an early stage. His mother sings French lullabies, while his father, originally from Donegal, plays Donegal fiddle tunes, giving Fowley direct exposure to French folk material and Irish traditional music.

Fowley works across folk, jazz and related styles, and his music combines elements from both sides of his background. He notes that thinking in French brings out a different side of his personality and leads him into different patterns of thought.

Recording and release

In July 2024, Fowley releases À Feu Doux on the UK label Basin Rock. The record consists of French lullabies and traditional folk songs, some of them dating back to the 14th century, including songs his mother sings to him as a child. He adapts the material with contemporary arrangements and subtle tape manipulations, and records it in the attic of his Dublin home so that the sound includes room ambience and floorboard creaks.

Touring

After the album’s release, Fowley tours in 2024 and 2025 as a special guest for Oisín Leech, John Francis Flynn and Nadia Reid, performing across Ireland and the UK.