Northern Ireland-born indie folk artist Andrea Magee, based in Austin, TX, was just seven years old when she started performing in her family band.
“Coming from Ireland, music was just something we did at home—it was woven into daily life,” Magee says. “The moment it got real for me was a week playing in a bar in Ardara, Co. Donegal, when someone handed me twenty punt at the end of the run. I remember thinking, ‘I get to do the thing I love and get paid for it? This is so cool.’ That was it. I was hooked.”
The artist says that she’s carved out her own little world with her sound. “I play traditional Irish instruments and build most of my sound around the bodhrán,” she says. “If I had to put it in a box I’d call it Celtic Americana, but honestly, it’s a bit of everything. I just try to keep it honest and real.”
That can be heard on her most recent and third full-length solo album, Wild Women, which dropped in May.
“I’m really proud of it,” Magee says. “It’s an honest reflection of life—I use music to cope with whatever gets thrown at me, and I tend to write from that place. I got to work with some of the best musicians in Austin on it, I loved the recording process, and the response has meant the world.”
For Magee, the DIY ethic is the core of her career to date. “When I first came to America twelve years ago, someone said to me: if there isn’t a door, build one,” she says. “It stuck, and it’s been my approach ever since—I should probably get it tattooed on me at this stage. It’s especially true of She Rises Fest, which just wrapped its fourth year. That festival is DIY to its bones, and I have a wonderful team who all work that way too. In this industry, if you want something to exist, you have to build it and figure it out as you go.”
Looking ahead, Magee has plenty for the remainder of 2026. “Right now, I’m relishing the album and the success of She Rises 4,” she says. “We’ve already started on She Rises 5, so expect a lineup announcement before long. I’m heading to Ireland for a month to see my family, then September is a very busy touring month around Colorado and New Mexico. After that, I’ll let the world unfold and let the music go wherever it needs to go.”
