Irish Singer-Songwriter Darren Kiely Releases ‘Weight’

Free Flight Records’ Irish prodigy Darren Kiely is kicking off 2025 with the release of a reflective track, Weight. Produced by David Baron, Kiely wrote the track alongside Ross Ellis and Joe Fox. The song explores the experience of acknowledging how one’s flaws might negatively impact a relationship and features Kiely’s ability to convey emotions with his vocals.

Darren Kiely

Darren Kiely (David McClister)

Kiley reflected on the track, sharing: “Weight expresses a deep sense of guilt but also self-awareness of one’s struggles and insecurities and the impact they have on their loved one(s). It represents what an escalation of those thoughts might look like and is for anyone who may feel like they’re holding someone else back.”

In addition to the release of this new music, the 27-year-old Cork natiive is also starting the new year with a new accolade. The singer-songwriter recently earned a spot as one of Amazon Music’s 2025 Artists to Watch. Kiely is also gearing up for his Never Been Here Before World Tour, which will begin on 5th February in Copenhagen. The tour will hit numerous cities in Europe, the United Kingdom, Ireland, South Africa, and Australia.

Hailing from a quaint town in Co. Cork, Ireland, Darren Kiely’s folk-infused pop sound originates from his inherited love of traditional Irish music, intertwined with modern influences such as The Lumineers, Mumford & Sons, and Noah Kahan. At just five years old, Darren learned the tin whistle, and at eight years old he picked up the fiddle, eventually teaching himself to play guitar as well. Darren began singing in 2019, quickly garnering attention for his raw and fervent vocals and emotive delivery. After winning numerous honors at a national level in Irish traditional music, Darren found his way to NYC in 2022 to continue developing his own music and sound, and soon after headed to the songwriting hub of Nashville.

Signing to Free Flight Records, Kiely’s unique presentation of folk-infused pop and lush storytelling, which echoes the backdrop of the Irish countryside where he was raised, is the forefront of his debut EP, Lost. The seven-track project explores the triumphant war of overcoming self-doubt, struggling to find himself, questioning emotions and seeking answers, while his follow up EP, From The Dark, Kiely takes his craft to new heights as he explores the harsh realities that come with growing up and moving on. Lost features track Mom & Dad, which debuted in the Top 40 on the Irish Singles Chart and Top 5 on the Irish Homegrown chart, as well as fan-favourite Sunrise which reached No. 1 on the chart.

Darren Kiely recently took his new music on the road with his headline The Road Home Tour & The Lost Tour, where he sold out shows across his home country of Ireland and in North America and has toured with The 502s and Mat Kearny.

Upcoming UK & Ireland Tour Dates:

FEBRUARY
20th – Electric Ballroom, London
22nd – Trinity, Bristol
24th – O2 Institute2, Birmingham
25th – Brudenell Social Club, Leeds
27th – SWG3 Galvanizers, Glasgow
28th – The Tolbooth, Stirling

MARCH
1st – Newcastle University, Newcastle
3rd – Academy 2, Manchester
5th – Ulster Hall, Belfast
7th – Lesiureland, Galway
8th – City Hall, Cork
9th – National Opera House, Wexford
13th – 3Olympia, Dublin
15th – Milk Market, Limerick

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