Joy Dunlop
| Joy Dunlop | |
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| Background information | |
| Origin | Connel, Argyll, Scotland |
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| Instruments | Vocals, Scottish stepdance |
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| Website | Official site |
Joy Dunlop is a Scottish Gaelic speaker, singer and Scottish step dancer from the village of Connel in Argyll, Scotland. Singing predominantly in Gaelic, her performances showcase Gaelic music, song and dance in a contemporary style that remains true to its roots.
Dunlop graduated from Sabhal Mòr Ostaig with an honours immersion degree in Gaelic Language and Culture and the Anna NicDhonnchaidh prize for her efforts in promoting and supporting Gaelic in the community. Inititally working as a Gaelic Development Officer for An Comunn Gàidhealach, she decided to pursue a full-time music career in 2010.
Dunlop has performed throughout the world as both a solo and collaborative performer. Nominated as 'Gaelic Singer of the Year' in 2010 and 2011 at the MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards, she released her debut album Dùsgadh / Awakening in 2010 to great acclaim, winning the Scottish New Music Award's "Roots Recording of the Year" and numerous other accolades, including a 4 star review in the Scotsman' & being named "Album of the Month" in The Scots Magazine. She released the collaborative album, Fiere in 2012 with Scottish fiddle and harp duo Twelfth Day, touring the album around the UK and Ireland. In 2013, Dunlop launched her second solo album, Faileasan (Reflections) which was wholly created from her native home of Argyll. This received international airplay and glowing reviews worldwide, including being described as, "The rare disc that will fly with both the Gaelic scholar and the modern music fan" by the Huffington Post.
A familiar face on the Scottish music scene, Dunlop has performed at numerous international festivals including Celtic Colours, Nova Scotia, Schotland Festival, Holland and Celtic Connections, Scotland. She has performed in the past with Scottish Harp player Rachel Hair and recorded two songs on her new album The Lucky Smile.
A regular Gaelic singing competitor, Dunlop won the prestigious Gold Medal at the Royal National Mòd in 2010, the Oban Times Gold medal and Puirt-a-Beul competitions 2006 amongst others, and was the lead singer of winning traditional groups at the Pan Celtic Festival in 2003, 2004, and 2005. She was also crowned runner up in the Pan Celtic International Traditional Song competition in 2005.
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