“How she plays the harp, you have to see it to believe it!” – John Toal, BBC Radio Ulster
Edinburgh-based harpist/singer-songwriter Dara Dubh releases ‘A Pirate Named Valkyrie (aka the sexy pirate song)’. Dubh shows us what a ‘saucy’ modern day sea-shanty can sound like. Elements of folk, jazz and rock carried by the tumultuous story of enemies-to-lovers at sea.
Dara Dubh is an Irish alternative-folk artist who reframes the harp in a strikingly modern context, challenging expectations of both the instrument and Irish artistry as a whole. Blending the delicate with the downright fierce, Dara brings a sharp, emotional edge to a sound shaped by folk roots and contemporary influences including Paolo Nutini, Little Simz and Kae Tempest.
Born in Belfast and currently based in Edinburgh, Dara Dubh has quickly become one of Scotland’s most exciting emerging artists, known for her distinctive harp style which takes the instrument beyond its traditional settings and brings it into bold new spaces. Dara is one of only eight artists selected for the Made In Scotland Showcase at this year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe, highlighting the most promising emerging artists in the country.
Perfectly timed for Halloween antics, Dara Dubh releases ‘A Pirate Named Valkyrie (aka the sexy pirate song)’, a song following an original story about a rebellious female pirate captain who is nicknamed “Valkyrie” for her reputation of carrying the souls of her victims to the next life. This sultry pirate ballad tells the story of two rival captains whose paths cross when their crews make landfall on the same island. Drawn together by irresistible tension, the two captains share a passionate, unexpected night while their crews unwind. However, when the male captain’s crew discovers the affair, mutiny brews. Enraged by his betrayal, they present him with a harrowing ultimatum: forfeit his command, or lead the ambush that forces the female captain to walk the plank.
“In 2024 I performed on harp and vocals at the Edinburgh Tattoo under the iconic Edinburgh castle. Myself and another harpist performed two old folk songs ‘My Mother Told Me’ and ‘Long Time Travelling’, there was also a.lot of conversations around Pirates, Vikings and other folklore that inspired me to create my own story of 2 pirates from opposing sides who would engage in a romantic but dark love affair. This may have also been inspired by my own romantic relationship during this time… but that’s a story for another time.”
The release will be supported by a music video made in collaboration with BLOCK414, with a music video launch on 30 October, all pirate themed, with live music, DJ and pirate themed games, along with a screening of the music video. The event will be held at The Mother Superior in Edinburgh’s Leith.
Dara’s summer featured a complete run of shows around Ireland, half of which sold out. She also sold out her Made in Scotland Showcase debut, with “punters standing in the rain just to catch her in action and maybe squeezing into Sneaky Pete’s” – SnackMag.
Dara has supported artists including Chasing Abbey on a sold out run of UK shows, as well as Bricknasty and BIIRD, and performed with Valtos at the Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony.
Dara Dubh will release her debut album, Go Like Crazy Big Moon, supported by funding from Creative Scotland, in November 2026. The album features original storytelling, themes of strong female characters and a range of genres that are connected through the harp, all brought together by Dara’s raw vocals and folk-inspired songwriting style.
For more information on Dara Dubh please check her website and instagram.