The Kates are worth the wait!

Since West Cork super group The Kates burst onto the scene in 2024, things have been on the up for the talented five piece, and now it’s about time for their debut album!

With the album set to release later this year, we will have to make do for now with the first single from the record, ‘You Don’t See It’ which comes out on 20 February.

The new track sees Mary Beth O’Mahony take lead vocal on a song that features the writing talents of all five members of The Kates. They continue to lean into their rock background while the harmonies that brought them acclaim on their debut EP, ‘Pictures Here Of Dreams’, sound more dynamic and confident, finding comparison to contemporary peers like Pillow Queens and Little Green Cars. In the song, The Kates talk about life as women and the unwanted pressure and attention often felt. Míde Houlihan’s percussion cheekily taps into the concept and lyric of “Time keeps ticking”. The band are declaring time is up on these old fashioned ideals. The Kates are writing their own story and walking their own path.

Speaking about The Kates’ upcoming album, bassist Paula K says: “We have spent the last year gigging and writing. The upcoming album is a collection of songs that happened between takes of our work and family lives. Naming that space as a creative outlet where ideas were born, and we found out more about ourselves as a band. Our Kates space.”

The Kates comprises Eve Clague, Liz Clark, Mary Beth O Mahony, Míde Houlihan, and Paula K. All five members have played, sung, and written their own music for years, each releasing albums of original work.

Several years ago, Paula K had the original idea to set up the all-women rock band, specifically for a fundraiser for ovarian cancer charity OvaCare. Paula explains: "The fundraiser was in memory of my mother Catherine who passed away from ovarian cancer, and she inspired the name. She was a feminist who loved to lift other women up. The Kates have been going ever since!”

There’s a busy year ahead for The Kates. If you’d like to catch them locally, they play Connolly’s of Leap, county Cork on 7 March, followed by a show in Caughlan’s in Cork city on 13 March.

Follow the band @thekatesmusic to stay up to date with news on the upcoming album.