SexyTadhg – releases their most vulnerable track to date ‘Never Been Loved In The Daylight’

Irish rising LGBTQIA+ artist SexyTadhg (pronounced Sexy-Tie-g), celebrated for their bold, theatrical, and politically charged artistry, returns with a new single, ‘Never Been Loved in the Daylight’. Moving away from the big band spectacle of their acclaimed previous EP Sexy, Tadhg embraces a more emotionally raw and intimate approach.

Recorded live in an intimate setting, the performance showcases Tadhg’s captivating stage presence and stunning musicianship, qualities that have earned them widespread acclaim for their live shows. Produced by Daniel De Burca and mixed and mastered by Alex Borwick, the track is a poignant exploration of personal introspection and universal longing.

With just piano and vocals, ‘Never Been Loved in the Daylight’ is one of Tadhg’s most emotionally affecting tracks to date. Stripped of grand instrumentation, it foregrounds vulnerability and raw emotion, highlighting the depth of their songwriting while retaining Tadhg’s signature melodic flair.

Reflecting on the new single, SexyTadhg shares:
“While I was very lucky to be able to take refuge in my childhood bedroom during the pandemic, it triggered a lot of self reflection. I was so hopeful of falling in love once I’d left home but I came back to realise that I was even lonelier than before.

As a result I was listening to a lot of Joni Mitchell and Adrianne Lenker. I remember coming up with this syncopated rhythm and the words ‘I’ve never been loved in the daylight, the sun always scares them away’ spilled out of me and it felt like an emotional shotgun had gone off. I open-mouth cried for a bit and then stayed writing all afternoon in my bedroom and completed the lyrics the next morning on the bank of the river Barrow.

Towards the end of covid gigs were starting to come back and I noticed there were some cabaret gigs starting up in Dublin. I remember seeing a sticker for “Cabaregg” in town and thinking, “God, I need to do that”. And sure enough only a month later Aoife O’Connor and Pea Dineen asked me to close their next Cabregg show in Bellobar. I had never performed in a cabaret before so I was petrified. Having to follow the hilarious Goblins Goblins Goblins and the mesmerising Bella Agogo who was very kindly offering me many words of affirmation backstage felt like a terrifying task. I hadn’t got to perform this song much because I didn’t often get to perform to a crowd who were really listening to my lyrics. So I walked out in a leather trench coat and duct tape and sang the song.

Once I’d finished I found myself enveloped by a roaring applause and a seemingly never ending standing ovation. I felt truly heard, appreciated, respected, even loved. Every performance of this song since feels like a moment of healing for me and a reminder that we’re never alone in loneliness.”

This latest single builds on the momentum of their critically acclaimed debut EP, Sexy (released September 17th), a politically charged exploration of queer experience that celebrates joy, love, and empowerment while confronting struggle and stigma. The EP blends theatrical soul, big band jazz, and pop flair, earning praise from BBC Radio 6, RTE 2FM, Dork, Clash, Notion, Hot Press, Irish Times, and more, and cementing SexyTadhg’s place as a vibrant, fearless voice in Irish music.

As well as garnering tastemaker press support, national radio play, SexyTadhg has also made multiple national TV appearances including the Six O’Clock Show, Ireland AM, Ireland In Music, and Irish language shows such as Síorstíl and Glúin Z. Live, they have captivated audiences on an 18-date UK tour supporting The Mary Wallopers and also at their Fairview Park, Galway Big Top, and Cork Marquee summer gigs, at major main stage festival slots, and in sold-out headline shows in Ireland, proving themselves an unmissable live act.