Oonagh on the songs.

About You Now: Is a Cathy Denis cover - this was a club hit for the Sugababes and we had great fun stripping it right back to a simple love song.

Sore and Tired: Is a cheeky number about being in a band and missing everyone at home.

Harmony Street: I wrote this song very quickly whilst recording the album - the studio is off Harmony Street in Belfast. I read a lot so you will find a lot of lines from books in my songs. "A sleepless bed is a haunted place" is in Harmony Street - I think it's a great line.

September: I live behind a woodland and park in Moira and one day in autumn I noticed the swallows getting ready for their big journey and I thought to myself, September is a month of tremendous change, the world preparing for winter. It's something similar to coming to the end of a relationship - you know there's a dark time ahead, but you also know there will be spring.

I Still Believe: Is about being married and how life circumstances change but you have to remember why you got together in the first place.

Beauty the Betrayer: Is a woman's delicate relationship with beauty and how it is like an adulterous husband who has left her for youth - but she still loves him.

Jigsaw Pieces: There is no joy on this earth like your children - this song is about my son Leo, but hopefully all parents will relate to this song because as parents we all have to make the same journey.

Lovely Friend: I am blessed to have three sisters who I couldn't do without. There's an old saying, "you can pick your friends but not your family". This song says 'I'd choose you anyway'.

Silver Shoes: About the nights out I have with my university friends - they are treasured and precious.

l Am Because: I wanted something simple and catchy for this number; it sort of does what it says on the tin -I am because we are! Gerry O'Connor (producer) thought it lent itself to a pop sound - so we did a big production on this one - sort of threw the kitchen sink at it.

Dear Miss Lonely Hearts: I love Thin Lizzy and think Phil Lynott was a fantastic songwriter -1 just had to do one of his songs.

The Dove Children: Is about Northern Ireland - it's the story of a boy who has grown up without first-hand knowledge of the Troubles (thank God) but his father is still embittered. I suppose we need to be careful what we say to our children - give them a chance if we can.

Latest News

www.liveireland.com The Livie Awards 2012 Thunder on the Horizon Award - Oonagh Derby

We have never done this before. Harmony Street by Oonagh Derby is a fantastic album. This talented woman from Northern Ireland has a voice from heaven. She is a superior songwriter and a massive talent. It is thrilling that Ireland can still produce such as she. Here's the thing. This is not a traditional album. As we said, we have never done this before. I mean, it's just not traditional. But, she is that good. You heard it here first. Find her. Find this album. Find something brand new and special.

more detail at www.oonaghderby.com

Press Reviews

If you've bought every one of these cd's and now you want something that is completely Irish to the bone, but not traditional, look no further than Oonagh Derby's Harmony Street. This singer from Northern Ireland has put out an overpowering first album of mature music and lyrics, perfectly performed. What a future. She is a star already. Get ready to tap your foot, and Imelda May, stand back.

Stirrings Magazine

Oonagh Derby is a singer/songwriter from Armagh who here presents ten self-penned song together with two covers: The Sugar Babes' About You Now, on which I will make no comment, being unfamiliar with the original, and an excellent take on Dear Miss Lonely Hearts, one of my favourites from the Phil Lynott canon and superb demonstration on how to cram as many internal rhymes as you possibly can into one set of lyrics.

Many of her own songs are on the subject of love, lost (September, Harmony Street), found (I Am Because), for a friend (Lovely Friend - underpinned by some fine 60s/70s folk finger-style guitar), for a father (The Dove Children - a few seconds of pure celtic blues here from Barry Kerr's uilleann pipes) and for a child (Jigsaw Pieces - loved Colin Henry's discreet use of dobro).

Oonagh has a fine voice, writes good strong tunes and is a more , than competent lyricist. She gets sympathetic support from some very able musicians on guitar, flute, fiddle, bass, pipes, percussion, banjo, viola etc and the arrangements are well thought out and executed. Stylistically she rings the changes sufficiently to maintain interest throughout, from the country rock of Sick, Sore and Tired to Beauty the Betrayer - for me the standout track, a lament spoken over a slow air on the pipes (a minor niggle here, I wish she'd stuck to "you" throughout instead of going into classical poetry mode and throwing in a few "thee's" and "thou's") Recommended. Ian Spattford

www.netrhythms.com

Oonagh's an Armagh singer-songwriter whose original songs, written from a modern-day woman's perspective, are musically accessible while remaining edgily contemporary in outlook. Her debut CD's 12 tracks comprise ten original compositions and two covers, and employ a comfortingly familiar-sounding instrumental backdrop that makes good capital of acoustic instrumentation alongside occasional use of a radio-friendly rhythm section. Oonagh has evidently found a sympathetic producer in Gerry O'Connor (of Four Men And A Dog fame), who also brings his own brand of banjo and fiddle virtuosity to the mix on several tracks.

Perhaps against the odds, Oonagh has chosen to kick off the CD with one of the covers, a neat and perky take on The Sugar Babes' About You Now with some pleasing guest dobro work from Colin Henry well up in the mix. After that encouraging opener, though, I was surprised to find Oonagh's own compositions, for all their well-sung and pleasantly scored qualities, rather lacking in individuality, at any rate the first pair, Sick Sore And Tired and the title track, these being little more than pop-rock confections with not a great deal of musical substance to fire the imagination. Things seem to improve with Oonagh's poetic expression of regret on the more lyrical September and the cautious optimism of I Still Believe.

The album's centrepiece, Beauty The Betrayer, is the odd-track-out in that it pits Oonagh's spoken lyric against Barry Kerr's keening uilleann pipes, and the wistful acoustica of Jigsaw Pieces (one of four songs jointly penned with Stephen Derby) is an affectionate expression of love for a child couched in a gentle and attractive musical setting. Lovely Friend continues in a similar vein, while the uptempo country-styled Silver Shoes explores the fantasies and regrets of a modern multi-tasking mother. However, the spell is then broken by I Am Because, another slight, pop-styled excursion that doesn't really do anything special. Oonagh's individual and clearly heartfelt cover of Thin Lizzy's Dear Miss Lonely Hearts brings the disc's final interlude, and qualifies as another successful reworking, leading effectively into one of the album's standout cuts, The Dove Children, which closes proceedings in reflective mood with a beautiful guitar-and-dobro backing that (sparse though it is) feels almost too sumptuous for its tearfully questioning and confused lyric.

In all, while I can appreciate the superb quality of Oonagh's voice and some of her songwriting certainly engages appropriately, I still don't feel wholly convinced by her debut offering, even after a number of visits to Harmony Street. David Kidman August 2011

The Irish Post 14.8.11

ARMAGH-BORN singer/songwriter Oonagh Derby has written 12 tracks on this debut album. Although Oonagh's family roots are in traditional music the album opens with her very own interpretation of The Sugar Babes' About You. It works incredibly well, as indeed does the whole project.

The album is a mixture of different influences but somehow Oonagh manages to knit them all together to produce a very impressive and enjoyable sound. Particularly impressive are her own harmonies.

The arrangements by guitarist Gerard Thompson are melodious, well-crafted and beautiful - it seems Oonagh has gathered a wonderful collection of musicians to complement the choice of material. Sometimes it is easy to pick a favourite track but this album is different because so many of the songs are of equal strength.

Since radio play is such a lottery these days I wonder where Oonagh will get the exposure she deserves because some of these songs deserve recognition - I can see some of them being covered by other artistes.Track 4 September is simply gorgeous.

The brilliant Gerry O'Connor, who also plays a number of instruments as well as producing the album, shows his considerable production skills by getting the feel of the songs just right.

Other guest musicians include Barry Kerr on uilleann pipes/ whistles, Colin Hendry on dobro, Cormac O'Kane on keyboards and Liam Bradley on drums.

This is a cracking debut album that has manifestly been given a lot of thought. It should certainly help establish Oonagh Derby's reputation as a singer and songwriter of real quality. Joe Giltrap

www.liveIreland.com

Oonagh Derby has Harmony Street out. A great singer. Fab songwriter. Okay. This is not strictly trad. It IS strictly Irish, and this talented young woman from Armagh is set for a very long run, indeed. This is a fast train leaving the station. Get on board. Big time talent. Stunning. Check her out, and we know Copperplate in London has this, as well. If Copperplate is handling it, and it is not trad, it tells you how good this is. Bill Margeson

R2 Reviews Shorts.

Oonagh Derby makes her solo debut with Harmony Street, helped by guitarist Gerard Thompson. Pop-rock with folkish overtones - flute, fiddle and pipes, it's pleasant Radio 2 fare.

www.liveIreland.com June 11

Speaking of Copperplate, they are representing the fantastic, Oonagh Derby and her brand new album, Harmony Street. Full review coming next month. Suffice it to say that this Armagh young woman is a stunner of an alto singer. It is available through the Copperplate site, and we're sure you could also get it from her directly, as well as th usual outlets such as cdbaby and Claddagh. Google. We may well be listening to Newcomer of the Year! Bill Margeson

Fatea Online Magazine

Oonagh, pronounced Una, Derby's impressive debut album "Harmony Street" is contempory country with the odd Celtic twist. Songs like "Sick Sore And Tired", a look at the tedious side of touring, give the album an honest feel, this is not an album that allows you to wallow in false sentimentality, rather one that introduces you to a fresh perspective on country songs. Produced by 4 Men and A Dog'd Gerry O'Connor, it's an album with clean lines and one that picks up Irish instrumentation along the way to give the whole project a distinctive feel.Tim Carroll

FolkWords Album Reviews (June 19, 2011)

Oonagh Derby - gorgeous debut album 'Harmony Street'

An outstanding cover of 'About You Now' immediately connects (this is how it should be sung) delivered by the emotive voice of singer songwriter Oonagh Derby. Her debut album 'Harmony Street' also includes 10 outstanding original songs plus an engrossing version of Thin Lizzy's 'Dear Miss Lonely Hearts'. And it's a momentous album.

Harmony StreetOonagh's voice carries the passionate, accented edge of Armagh with songs that are piercing, meaningful and memorable. From her startling rendition of 'Beauty the Betrayer' (the most eloquent piece of poetry set to music that I've heard in a long time) to the awesome, almost frightening beauty of 'The Dove Children' — this is earth-shattering, intense and evocative. The forceful 'Sick, Sore & Tired' with its biting, uncompromising cut of truth and the passionate yearning of the title song 'Harmony Street' together stand testimony to Oonagh's impressive vocals.

Songs rejoicing in the wonder of childhood run the risk of syrupy sweet talk — not so with 'Jigsaw Pieces', Oonagh sings this tender tale with soothing sincerity that touches with its careful observations. There's a bluegrass feel to 'Silver Shoes' enhanced by a subtle banjo, which cuts into a longing desire to return to a time with less responsibilities — easy to identify with that one; while the lilt of 'I Am Because' with its infectious hook sticks in your mind.

Bathed in the traditions of her heritage yet written and delivered in a 'bang up to date' style, 'Harmony Street' displays both depth and originality - seldom will a debut make such an impression.

Playing alongside Oonagh on various tracks on 'Harmony Street are Gerard Thompson (guitar) Gerry O'Connor (banjo, fiddle, viola) Nicky Scott (bass) Liam Bradley (percussion, backing vocals) Cormac O'Kane (bass, keyboards) Barry Kerr (flute, pipes) Colin Henry (dobro, Wiessenborne slide guitar). Tim Carroll