Marketa Irglova is currently taking a break from singing alongside Glen Hansard as part of The Swell Season to release her first solo album, Anar. The album centers on the smooth female harmonies of Irglova and Iranian singer Aida Shahghasemi. In spite of its focus on female vocalists, the project isn't keeping Irglova from collaborating with another male singer with a soulful, gritty voice.
Irglova, who got her break co-starring in the Academy Award-winning Irish film Once and recently performed behind the Tiny Desk, is currently on tour with folk-rock musician Sean Rowe. While on the road together, she and the New York native with the distinctive baritone voice decided to collaborate on a duet of Neil Young's "Birds."
Listen to their gorgeous rendition here:
We asked Rowe and Irglova to tell us more about what inspired them to collaborate on the song:
Marketa Irglova:
I've been really enjoying singing with Aida. Creating a unified sound with her, gentle in nature, that's meant to soothe and comfort. Getting to lend that to Sean's dynamic and somewhat raw sound has been fun. I'm all for women, but even more so for women and men in harmony, creating together what neither can do alone.
Sean Rowe:
It has been such a great privilege for me to be sharing this tour with such a talent as Marketa. She's able to consistently conjure up such a haunting and distinctive sound. There's a real innocent beauty and deep abyss in her voice. Smooth as silk, but there's also a lot of shadows in there. I love singing with her. I feel the cards are right for us to collaborate again in the future.
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