The Russian/Kilbeggan opera singer who's now a country star

Larissa Tormey has just has been announced as one of the four artists shortlisted for the Best Irish Country act at the Irish Post Music Awards 2018.

The singer who lives in Kilbeggan but is originally from Russia, joins by fellow country acts Nathan Carter, Cliona Hagan and Derek Ryan on a prestigious short list.

The story of the Russian opera singer who ended up living on a farm in the Irish midlands and singing Irish country music continues to fascinate many around the country.

Larissa released her first country album "God Loves A Trier" last year and never looked back! Shortly after the release she opened the most prestigious country music event in Ireland "Hot Country TV Awards".

"Cowgirls Don’t Cry", released in March 2018- is the next album from Larissa,  who met a Westmeath bachelor at a party night in Moscow. From Russia with Love weaved its own spell and the girl who had hardly a word of English back then is now fluent in the language and very much at home on the farm in Kilbeggan!

Her rendition of Danny Boy in both English and Russian as by Larissa has also attracted attention.

The gentle beauty of her native language lends a special mystique to this rendition and you don’t have to understand a word to know that something special is happening here. Music truly is the language of the soul.

“I am amazed at the response to Danny Boy,” says Larissa.

“People have different views on their other favourite songs on my new album, but they all seem to like my version of Danny Boy. It is wonderful that people here in Ireland like me singing this song so well. They certainly do like the Russian flavour to it and I am so happy about that.”

An outstanding track is Love and Confusion written by Mundy. “I was singing in an open-mike gig in Dublin and he was the presenter. He said he was from Birr and afterwards I approached him and said I live in the Midlands too and we exchange the details, I didn’t know then that he was so famous,”- says Larissa. “Later when I was doing covers of other people’s songs I contacted Mundy and asked if there was any of his that he thought might suit my style of singing. “He suggested Love and Confusion and my producer Pete Ware thought it was a brilliant song to record,” she added