Dunlavin’s Amy has just released her first single

A 16-YEAR-OLD DUNLAVIN GIRL who has represented her county many times in singing competitions, has just released her first single ‘Emilio’.

The song ‘ took off ’ when talented Amy Barrett, pictured right, first performed it on live radio back in 2015 and she’s hoping that the public will again take it to their hearts now that she’s officially released it.

‘I was interviewed by Declan Meehan in the East Coast FM studio in Bray and played a new song “Emilio” live for the first time,’ said Amy, who wrote the song when she was just 14.

‘We put up a video on YouTube for family and friends but it took off. I was really surprised by the reaction. The lyrics are very simple but it seems to be catchy and one of those songs that sticks in your head.’

The radio appearance opened up a number of opportunities for Amy, including supporting 2018 Irish Eurovision entrant Ryan O’Shaughnessy and Kolumbus, who co-wrote Ryan’s Eurovision song.

A suggestion that Amy should record Emilio came to fruition when she stepped into a recording studio last year.

‘I recorded two songs with producer Mark ‘Cappy’ Caplice in Baltinglass,’ she explained. ‘Studio recording was a new experience but Cappy was very positive and encouraging. “Emilio” was then mixed by a very talented producer Cian Sweeney from 1,000 Beasts.’

‘Emilio’ has been available on iTunes, Spotify and other digital stores since Friday and Amy is hoping for a positive reaction to the song.

‘I don’t know what to expect,’ she said. ‘You are putting yourself out there when you release your own song. Songwriting is really subjective, like the singing competitions. Some people may love it and others may hate it but that’s fair enough. You have to take a chance and have no regrets.

‘I hope to get my second song ‘Heartbreak’ finished and mixed in the next few weeks,’ she said.

Amy has represented Wicklow many times in both Scór na nÓg and Community Games singing competitions and won all-Ireland gold for singing at the 2015 Community Games finals in Athlone with her sister Sophie. She is regularly asked to sing the National Anthem in Aughrim before county matches and club finals and plays camogie with the Wicklow minor team and the Donard-The Glen senior team.