Strabane’s rising country star

MOVE over Dolly, Lorretta and Tammy, there’s a new country star in town as Strabane’s own Jamie Donnelly became the recipient of the Rising Female Artist of the Year award at the Hot Country TV music awards on Tuesday night. The awards, a huge deal in the country music world, attract the great and the good of Ireland’s country music scene with the likes of Mike Denver, Nathan Carter, Philomena Begley, and many more in attendance.

As Jamie explained, “It was a massive surprise to win and I’m so proud to be crowned the Rising Female Artist for this year.

“The winners are decided by Hot Country before the event so there were no nominees read out, and I was so elated when I heard my name being called. With so many up-and-coming artists in country music, to be recognised really is brilliant beyond words.”

Jamie first picked up a guitar at ten-years-old and, despite dabbling in other genres, immediately found a passion in country music, with doyennes of the scene like Tammy Wynette and Dolly Parton inspiring Jamie to enter the industry, a journey which began with the release of her first EP in 2017.

Going forward, Jamie is working on a new album, hopefully for release this summer. Entitled ‘This One’s For The Girls’ this covers album is Jamie’s tribute to many wonderful female country artists such as the previously mentioned Tammy and Dolly, Loretta Lynn, The Chicks, and Shania Twain as Jamie puts her own spin on their classics. Jamie is also hopeful of getting more awards. She admitted, “After winning Best Female Newcomer at the NICMA Awards in February and Rising Female Artists at the Hot Country Awards, I really want to be able to win many more in the future. There’s no better feeling than being recognised by your peers for doing something you love.”