Irish kids go viral with drum & bass rap song ‘The Spark’

21 May, 2024

Stock photo of children dancing on a dancefloor (Credits: Getty)

A group of Irish kids have gone viral thanks to their rap skills on a drum & bass song called ‘The Spark’.

The track was made by a group of 9-12 year old kids who live in Knocknaheeny, where Kabin Studio is based, in conjunction with a group of children living in refugee accommodation in Losdoonvarna, Co. Clare. They worked with local producer GMCBeats to make the tune, and shot the video around Cork with Seán Downey.

Created by Rhyme Island, a youth rap initiative based at Kabin Studio in Cork, in collaboration with government initiative Creative Island, ‘The Spark’ has now become the unofficial anthem of Cruinniú na nÓg, Ireland’s national day of creativity for young people.

The video has gone viral on X/Twitter, with over 8million views since it was uploaded on May 15. “Send them to Eurovision please”, one user wrote, whilst another demanded: “Put this on Spotify NOW!!!”

Meanwhile, broadcaster and radio host Julie Adenuga praised the song as “amaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaazing”, adding it was the “best chorus I’ve heard in a while!!!!”. Watch the music video and check out some more reactions below:

Speaking to The Guardian about the track, GMCBeats (real name Garry McCarthy) said the idea for the song was concocted in March during a weekly workshop at Kabin studios. “We were looking to work with something upbeat and put on a drum’n’bass track,” he told the newspaper. “We found the beat and started coming up with chant and chorus ideas.”

During an Easter camp, the kids came up with the first verse and now iconic chorus, which sees them chant: “Think you can stop what we do? / I doubt it / We got the energy we’ll tell you all about it / I searched for my spark and I found it / Everybody in the crowd start bouncing.”

Later, tutors from the camp brought the song to a direct provision (asylum seekers’ accommodation and support) refugee centre in Lisdoonvarna, where children staying there helped to complete the song.

Kids from both areas then made the music video with Downey, a tutor who also goes by the name SwanIGuess.

“We do things quickly. We’re doing this all the time – new songs every week. This one just happened to go a little bit further,” he said of the video, adding that it was not intended for  commercial purposes: “We don’t want to make money off it. If it does make money we want it to support Kabin Studio and kids in direct provision.”

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