18-year-old Irish musician Muireann Bradley is the latest to join the Mahogany sessions family with a stunning rendition of Dylan’s classic ‘Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright’, a standout favourite from her live show. Muireann brings a fresh, intimate energy to the track; the atmospheric setting of St Giles’ Church in Camberwell showcases her vocals with a stripped-down, raw delivery that echoes the power of Dylan’s original, while infusing it with her own distinct style. The church’s natural acoustics lend an ethereal quality to the music, making every note resonate with a sense of vulnerability and raw emotion. Watch here.
Muireann says, “I grew up listening to Bob Dylan, and while I love the stuff from when he turned electric, I really love the early acoustic records – “The Free Wheelin’ Bob Dylan” is my favourite, I just love the finger picking on that album. “Don’t Think Twice It’s Alright” has always been one of my favourite songs, not only does it have that killer finger picking and mouth organ, but it has this really cool natural chord progression and melancholy melody and lyrics. I learned the song a couple of years ago and always had it in pretty good shape because I played it a lot at home. The first time I received an encore on stage I couldn’t think of what to play, then I thought I’ll play “Don’t Think Twice”, it went down really well and it’s been in my live set ever since. We recorded it live in the studio on an old tape machine with my Waterloo WL-14. I had a really bad head cold and a sore throat that day and could barely sing, but I actually really like how it turned out.”
This stunning session quickly follows the re-release of Muireann’s acclaimed debut album ‘I Kept These Old Blues‘. The first pressing sold out everywhere and is already regarded as a collectible among in-the-know music fans – truly remarkable given Bradley was just 15 years old when she recorded it. Now remixed and remastered by Grammy-nominated mastering engineer Kevin Reeves, ‘I Kept These Old Blues’ demonstrates the kind of assuredness and skill to be expected of a musician five times her age, on blues standards such as Blind Blake’s ‘Police Dog Blues’ as well as Rev Gary Davis’s ‘Candyman’.
A remarkable talent hailing from the small town of Ballybofey in County Donegal, Muireann’s unique style blends traditional Blues stylings with personal and mature interpretations of classic songs from the genre, originally recorded in the 1920s right up to the 70s. Each track was recorded live in the studio and represents one entire take of her singing and playing guitar simultaneously, with most of the final masters being either first or second takes. Not only does this highlight her immense skill, it also reflects the authentic recording styles of the era these classics were originally recorded. ‘When The Levee Breaks’ is a previously unheard addition to the record – Muireann performed the track on The Late Late Show and wowed her fellow guests, Oscar and Golden Globe-nominated actors Paul Mescal and Andrew Scott (watch the performance and interview here). She also enchanted crowds at this summer’s Green Man Festival, opening the main stage on the final day (see ‘When The Levee Breaks’ for their session series here). Muireann has also been confirmed to play at End Of The Road festival 2025.
Muireann’s journey from playing in her bedroom to performing on Jools Holland’s Hootenanny on the final day of 2023 (watch here) has captivated audiences, establishing her as one of Ireland’s brightest emerging stars. Now, she is poised for a global breakout, bringing the Blues to a whole new generation – watch a brilliant overview of her story to date here.
