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06 Sept 2025
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06 Sept 2025
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Young and gifted Laois rock and pop musicians have won a chance to perform at Electric Picnic.
Electric Picnic and Youthwork Ireland Laois have announced the winners and runners up of their competition to give away spots on the Hazelwood Stage at the long awaited festival on September 2 to 4 in Laois.
Over 30 musicians and bands had entered the Electric Youth talent competition held over two days this week at the YWI Laois headquarters in Portlaoise.
YWI Laois manager Clive Davis along with Electric Picnic's Flora MacKeddie and Anton Cullen had the tough job of whittling them down to one overall winner, and three runners up.
"It wasn't easy, we spent a long time discussing who should win, Every single act was just amazing and they all deserved a place on the stage," Clive told the Leinster Express.
The winners are Anita, a fourpiece from Portlaoise aged just 14 to 16 years, who performed their original music.
They include: Ruairi Phelan on lyrics, vocals and drums, Evan Kelly, Jane Phelan, Antoni Calka and Matthew O'Rourke.
"They were absolutely amazing. The Electric Picnic judges said that they encompass what Electric Youth is all about, a young dynamic group starting out on the path to success," Clive said.
The three runners-up with also get an alloted time on the Hazelwood stage in the woods.
They are: Aly (Alyson Skerritt), 15 from Portlaoise who is a "brilliant" ukelele player and singer and a regular busker in Portlaoise; Brinda Irani, 16, from Portlaoise who sings and plays guitar and keyboard using loops for a layered sound, and the energetic rock band Motion Sickness, with members Cara, Bonnie, Saoirse and Neil coming from Ballyfin, Mountrath and Abbeyleix, aged in their early 20s and performing their original songs.
"I urge everybody who has an Electric Picnic to come along and support them. We don't have their times yet but the Youthwork Ireland Laois logo will be in the app by their names," Clive said.
See photos from the Electric Youth competition by Alf Harvey. Click on NEXT below photo.
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