Rhythm Nation

Clare Sands on the power of the fiddle and faraway places

The ‘fearless fiddler’, singer and composer reveals which tracks, from Stéphane Grappelli’s playful gypsy jazz to Bonobo’s rhythmic Gnawa, have inspired her

Clare Sands is a sixth-generation fiddler, bilingual singer, multi-instrumentalist and composer from Cork

Clare Sands is a sixth-generation fiddler, bilingual singer, multi-instrumentalist and composer from Cork. She also holds a black belt in martial arts and has won three medals for Ireland at the World Karate Championships, reflecting the uncompromising nature of her music.

Sands describes her self-titled debut album as “fearless folk”, a blend of traditional and contemporary influences with spoken word contributions from guests including Manchán Magan, Bernadette Devlin McAliskey, Fiachna Ó Braonáin and Tommy Sands. ...