Hoaretraits Ep. 15: Zeitgeist Irland 24 artist Wallis Bird

Hoaretraits is a series by photographer and podcaster Neil Hoare, that presents contemporary Irish artists that are part of Zeitgeist Irland 24 – the year’s cultural programme of contemporary arts from Culture Ireland and the Embassy of Ireland in Germany. Conceived of by Hoare as ‘audio portraits’, the podcasts explore, from the perspectives of the individual artists, themes of creativity, imagination and craft. The podcast features conversations with a diverse range of Irish artists living in both Ireland and Germany.

For Episode 15, Neil talks with Wallis Bird, an Irish singer-songwriter renowned for her bold, genre-blurring music and magnetic live performances. Hailing from Wexford and now based in Germany, she’s built a thriving international career. Her distinctive guitar style, shaped by a childhood accident, and her knack for heartfelt songwriting have captivated audiences worldwide. Over her career, Bird has released several acclaimed albums, including Home(2016), Woman (2019), and her latest, Hands (2022), which explores themes of resilience, identity, and connection. Beyond her solo work, Bird is an avid collaborator, recently contributing to Visions of Venus, a cross-genre creative project that celebrates diversity and artistic expression. As part of Zeitgeist Irland 24, Bird appeared on stage at Fluxbau in February for a special Tracks & Talk event presented by Tip Berlin.

Podcaster Neil Hoare is a multidisciplinary Irish artist living in Berlin with his dog Púca. His most recent photographic work ‘A Heimat away from Home’ is a series of portraits commissioned by the Embassy of Ireland in Germany documenting the Irish who made Germany their home since Ireland joined the EU 50 years ago. The experience of photographing so many people across Germany and hearing their stories led directly to the creation of Hoaretraits.