Nicky Byrne and Aidan Power present a brand new six-part series The Hit. This exciting and original series, is a music competition that gives fledgling songwriters a chance to have chart success with an established star. This series will have viewers enthralled as each week songwriters showcase their talent to two established music stars with the hope that they will pick their song. The stars then battle against one another to find the perfect song and are under pressure to select one they can turn into a hit.
Shot in front of a live audience in the O2 Dublin, the artists then reveal which song they have chosen. But ultimately it’s the audience and viewers who decide; when – at the end of each show – the two songs are immediately released for download. The artist and songwriter whose song charted the highest across the following week will then go forward to the grand finale show in August.
For the grand finale of the series the five artists will return to perform their song live in the O2 with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra. But which artist will have the ultimate Hit? Only the viewers can decide!
Episode One:
From hundreds of submissions Grammy award winning music producer Steve Lillywhite, who has produced bands such as The Rolling Stones, The Pogues and U2, will select a shortlist of songs. In episode one, six Irish songwriters will pitch theirs songs to The Stunning and Julie Feeney, who will battle it out to find the perfect song.
Quotes from Nick Byrne and Aidan Power:
“My Friday nights will have a whole new twist!” said Nicky Byrne “I’m really looking forward to seeing what Irish songwriters have to offer. And I’m also eager to get back on the 02 stage – where I’ve enjoyed so many great shows in the past. But this one will be a whole new ball game!”
“I’m very excited to be involved in The Hit and I can’t wait for the live shows in the 02 and to work with Nicky” said Aidan Power “This series brings together Irelands best songwriters and artists to work together and I know it will make gripping viewing. “
RTÉ 2fm is set to partner with The Hit and Domino’s Pizza across the schedule in a multi-platform sponsorship opportunity. Each of the two weekly shortlisted songs will get three plays across the day during primetime programming on RTÉ 2fm from Mon-Thurs. Each day, one play will air on Breakfast with Hector, Tubridy, Colm Hayes Show, Larry Gogan and Rick in the Afternoon. On the weekends: each song will get played on both Saturday and Sunday on Weekenders with Ruth and Paddy. 2fm links with The Hit each Friday as Jenny Green’s show comes live from inside the O2 from 8-9pm. Jenny will also be broadcasting from the 2fm Roadcaster which will be situated on site at the ‘3 Bears’ from 9-10.30pm.
Dan Healy, Head of RTÉ 2fm said “I’m thrilled that 2fm is the official radio station to partner with The Hit. It’s going to be a really big production for RTÉ this summer and we are delighted that 2fm is a key part in this. We will be delivering The Hit content to the 2fm listeners across our prime time programming. I’m really looking forward to working with both Nicky Byrne and Aidan Power as they will appear each week across the station with updates from the show.”
Tickets for the new series can be bought through Ticketmaster.
This format was created by Vision Independent Productions and is backed by RTÉ and Warner Brothers International.
Julie Feeney biog:
Julie Feeney’s third album Clocks recently went straight to No. 1 in the Independent Irish Album Charts. It won ‘Best Album’ in The Irish Times ‘Album of the Year’ category for 2012 and it was also shortlisted for the Choice Music Prize. Julie is winner of the Choice Music Prize for ‘Irish Album of the Year’ for her self-produced debut album 13 songs on which she played most of the instruments herself. Her second album pages was shortlisted for the Irish Album Of The Year prize and featured in ‘101 Irish Albums You Must Hear Before You Die’ by Liberties Press.
Her sell-out shows on both sides of the Atlantic have received rave reviews where she combines her unquestionably original sound; and her innovative, avant-garde approach, while rooted in classical music, straddles both the pop and theatrical worlds.
On July 28th her first composed opera BIRD will have a concert performance at Galway Arts Festival ahead of the 2014 full production. Composer, singer, orchestrator, songwriter and producer, Julie is a true artist with immense vision.
The Stunning biog:
In the seven years that The Stunning were initially together, they toured relentlessly building up a following that would make them one of the most successful Irish bands ever. In 1990 their debut album Paradise In The Picturehouse spent five weeks at number one and became one of the most-loved Irish albums of all time. Two years later, the follow up Once Around The World also hit the No. 1 spot, and the band went on to sell over 100,000 albums in Ireland alone. Brewing Up A Storm has become an anthem of sorts and is to be heard everywhere from football stadiums to clubs around the country where it is still a guaranteed floor-filler. Songs such as Half Past Two, Romeo’s on Fire, and Everything that Rises are still to be heard on the radio and have been featured in movies and numerous compilation albums of the best of Irish rock. They toured the US and the UK with the likes of Bob Dylan and the B52s. During their time, the band scooped every music prize and award going and they were rarely off the airwaves. Once a year, they reform to do a few shows and in 2012 they celebrated their 25th anniversary with a number of gigs around Ireland.
Songwriter biogs:
Songwriter: Alice Lynskey (21)
Song: Run and Hide
Wexford – originally from Dublin
Originally from Tallaght, Alice now lives in Ferns Co. Wexford. Alice is a student, studying for her science degree in DIT (BSc Pharmaceutical healthcare). Alice enjoys playing the guitar, writing music and has recently learnt how to play the piano. Her granddad is a huge supporter.
Songwriter: Niamh Murphy (34)
Song: Land’s End
Location: Cork
Niamh is a qualified primary school teacher working in Kinsale. Niamh plays in band called Foxglove and believes that it’s crunch time when it comes to her career.
Songwriter: Nigel Place (41)
Song: Sad Songs
Location: Dublin
Nigel believes taking part in The Hit might make him seem a little cooler in his kid’s eyes! A few years ago, he quit music to take up running. He has run four marathons but decided to go back to music when he realised he was mediocre at running but naturally talented at music! Nigel is married to Alison with three children- Lír 12, Ella 10 and Aaron 8.
Songwriter: Christy McGuigan (51)
Song: I Was Not Expecting To Be Loved
Location: Warrenpoint — Co.Down
Christopher has been a self employed musician and music teacher teaching children to play the drums, guitar and piano for the last 30 years. His mother runs the local theatre in Warrenpoint and he enjoys writing for the pantomime and doing some comedy acting in his spare time.
Songwriters: Gary Burke (30) and Katie Carpenter (29)
Song: Dimension Me
Location: Kildare – originally from Dublin
Music teachers Gary and Katie met while studying Popular Music Performance in Ballyfermot College of Further Education and have been dating for the last nine years. They both share a love for music, songwriting and each other – as a result the duo formed a band called Jezzebelle.
Songwriter: Tommy Moore (27)
Song: New Tattoo
Location: Dublin – originally from Westmeath
Tommy grew up in Bermuda but attended secondary School in St Finian’s College Mullingar. He moved to Dublin in 2002 and studied a Diploma in Music Management at BCFE. He then started playing bass professionally and in 2007 started a degree in jazz performance at Newpark Music Centre. For the past six years Tommy has been concentrating on songwriting as well as a career as a bass player.