Northern Irish singer-songwriter Odhran Murphy has just released his sophomore EP Roots & Reverie, a six-track project that expands the world he began sketching on his debut release. The record arrives after a period of steady growth for the County Armagh artist, whose early songs gathered more than 12 million streams and helped establish him as a compelling new voice within contemporary country folk.
The EP unfolds across six songs — Heal, I See You, Dance To You All Night, Heart’s in the Heather, If I Were A God, and Mary-Anne. Together they revolve around a simple but resonant tension: the pull between home and ambition. One side of the project reflects on Murphy’s upbringing in rural Northern Ireland, shaped by friendships, family, and the quiet landscapes of County Armagh. The other turns outward, exploring imagination and possibility, tracing the emotional space between staying rooted and stepping into something new.
Part of the EP was recorded in Nashville with producer Jamie Kenney, where Murphy tracked the songs live with a full band. The approach gives the record a sense of immediacy and warmth, allowing the arrangements to breathe naturally. Acoustic textures remain central, while subtle traditional elements echo the musical environment Murphy grew up around, one shaped by generations of relatives playing instruments in pubs across Ireland.
For Murphy, the release carries a deeply personal weight. Reflecting on the project, he shared: “I honestly don’t know how to put this into words… this project has been a part of me for so long. So many hours, late nights, doubts, moments of clarity, and everything in between went into these songs. It’s the most honest work I’ve made, and letting it go out into the world feels equal parts terrifying and beautiful.” Across Roots & Reverie, that honesty becomes the thread holding everything together — a collection of songs grounded in storytelling and the quiet confidence of an artist increasingly comfortable in his own voice.
From supporting Mumford & Sons in Dublin to sold-out headline shows in London and Dublin, Murphy has been quietly building a reputation as both a songwriter and performer to watch — one whose connection to storytelling continues to resonate far beyond the landscapes that first shaped it, and whose new EP suggests that the year ahead could mark an important new chapter in his rise.