Best songs use the worst equipment with JyellowL, shiv, Kojaque and Gemma Dunleavy

JyellowL, shiv, Kojaque and Gemma Dunleavy, four key voices on the Dublin music scene, discuss the art of storytelling, the importance of showing up, and how being an artist is a walking contradiction.

JyellowL is a Nigerian-born rapper based in Dublin, Ireland. Influenced by the city’s thriving underground hip-hop scene, his music is packed with socially conscious lyrics that deal with everything from racism to the climate crisis. His debut album 2020 Division was nominated for Irish Album of the Year at the RTÉ Choice Music Prize Awards, and his track Ozone featured on the FIFA 20 soundtrack.

DJ-turned-singer-songwriter shiv was born in Zimbabwe and raised in Ireland’s County Kildare. Her music blends lo-fi hip-hop beats with elements of R&B and neo-soul to create a sound which she calls “emotional escapism”. Her latest EP, The Love Interlude, was released in 2021.

Rapper, producer and visual artist Kojaque was born and raised in Dublin. His sound blends elements of hip-hop and jazz with poetic lyricism. He co-founded Soft Boy Records in 2015, and has toured with the likes of Slowthai and Lana Del Rey, collaborated with Swedish-born rapper Luka Palm, and performed at festivals including SXSW and Glastonbury.

Gemma Dunleavy is a songwriter, producer and north inner-city Dubliner known for experimenting with instruments like the harp and flute. She blends her love of pop and club music with traditional storytelling, and has collaborated with the likes of Murlo, DJ Sharda and Swing Ting. In her own words, her songs “each represent something I’ve experienced, someone I’ve been, someone I am or someone I’ve lost.”