London – There is something quietly powerful about the idea behind *SIRENS*: bringing distinctive voices together and making collaboration the main attraction. Conceived by Irish singer-songwriter Lisa Hannigan, the Barbican programme places women’s songwriting at its heart, exploring the possibilities of shared song across contemporary folk and beyond.
The line-up is a considerable draw. Joining Hannigan are Amanda Bergman, Kate Stables, Charlotte Cornfield, Tammy Adams, Victoria Canal, The Staves and Angie McMahon. It is an inviting gathering, with the breadth of the selection suggesting a generous understanding of folk as a space for personal expression, musical exchange and discovery.
Developed during an artistic residency at Cork’s Sounds from a Safe Harbour festival, *SIRENS* has an appealingly communal foundation. Its emphasis on layered harmonies, collaborative arrangements and deep listening gives the project a clear artistic purpose. These singers are brought together to explore what their voices might reveal in one another.
That spirit is the programme’s greatest attraction. The combination of original compositions and reimagined works by female songwriters creates room for both individual perspectives and a wider conversation between artists. It also offers a thoughtful way of celebrating women’s contributions to music: through the songs themselves and the creative relationships they make possible.
With arrangements and music direction by Theodora, performing alongside her trio, the project places particular importance on the relationship between voice and accompaniment. Its ambition to combine intimacy with an expansive musical palette is especially well suited to a gathering of artists whose individuality is central to its appeal.
Hannigan makes a persuasive artistic centre for such an undertaking. Across a solo career encompassing *Passenger* and *At Swim*, she has established a distinctive place in contemporary Irish songwriting. Here, the invitation to voices that have inspired her lends the programme a personal dimension.
As a curatorial proposition, *SIRENS* is both thoughtful and generous. Its strength lies in the value it places on listening, exchange and shared creativity—a welcome celebration of what can happen when individual artistry becomes a collective endeavour.
