Dubliner goes from busking to being named as one of the up-and-coming artists for 2025
Pop-punk singer Orla Gartland has gone from uploading videos to YouTube and busking on the streets of Dublin, to being listed as a Ticketmaster Breakthrough act for next year.
Ms Gartland, who grew up in Drumcondra, was named among the brightest up-and-coming stars for 2025, alongside Amble, Alessi Rose, Aziya, KiLLOWEN, LYVIA, Myles Smith, Sammy Virji, Sienna Spiro and Swim School.
Speaking about the accomplishment, Ms Gartland said that being from Dublin has played a huge part in the making of her career.
“It’s cliché to say, but I do think music is just part of our blood,” she said.
“I started by uploading videos to YouTube and busking at home in Dublin with my friends.
“Slowly, I built up an audience of people who connected with the music – they wanted to hear more and come to gigs, so I wrote more and put a band together.
Singer Orla Gartland is looking forward to a busy year in 2025
“I think busking in town prepared me for promoting myself online; to me both of those are versions of the same thing. Just singing and trying to catch the attention of passing traffic.
“The artists that have come out of Dublin in recent years are so inspiring, everyone from Fontaines to Kojaque to Lankum. Outside of Dublin, bands like NewDad come to mind.
“I’ve independently released two albums and have had the chance to play headline tours around Ireland, the UK, the rest of Europe, Canada and the States.
“It’s a very strange job but absolutely the one I was meant to do,” she added.
Ticketmaster’s annual Breakthrough list is a hand-picked selection of the hottest artists, bands and singer-songwriters set to make waves on stages worldwide.
This annual list has previously featured some of the biggest names in music, including four-time nominee and two-time MOBO Award winner Central Cee, five-time Grammy Awards nominee Wet Leg, and most recently The Last Dinner Party.
Amble are among the ten acts on the breakthrough list for 2025. Pic: Adam Heffernan
“Being on Ticketmaster’s Breakthrough list feels amazing,” Ms Gartland said.
“I feel confident as a performer right now and my show is in a great place; it’s ready for some of my dream venues like The Olympia, where I’m playing April 12 next year. I’ve wanted to headline that room for a long time.
“I’ll be continuing to flog my second album, Everybody Needs a Hero, and playing tours in the UK, Europe, and North America, hopefully some festivals too.
“I suspect album three will start to come together as the year unfolds, too,” she added.
Andrew Parsons, Managing Director Ticketmaster UK, said: “These ten acts are bringing something fresh, real and exciting to the music scene – they’re exactly the kind of talent fans crave right now.
“Supporting artists at this stage of their journey is a huge part of what we do at Ticketmaster, giving them a platform to connect with bigger audiences. We can’t wait to see the heights they hit in 2025.”
