The Reillys release new single Brother
after breakout year on the Irish Indie-Folk scene
Music Review | 7th March, 2026
If you’ve spent any time scrolling music clips on Instagram lately, chances are you’ve stumbled across The Reillys. The Belfast/Dundalk indie-folk four-piece have been quietly building a serious online buzz, racking up more than 2 million views and 45k followers thanks to their beautifully shot cover videos filmed in some of Ireland’s most iconic spots. Think haunting harmonies echoing across the Giant’s Causeway, or stripped-back acoustic sessions among the eerie trees of the Dark Hedges. Not a bad backdrop for a band that hadn’t even released their own music yet.
Those cinematic covers quickly caught people’s attention, but The Reillys weren’t content staying in cover-band territory for long. In 2024 they stepped into original material with their debut single Child
, a tender, heartfelt track about the emotional rollercoaster of becoming a first-time father. It marked the beginning of a run of releases that firmly planted the band in the middle of Ireland’s thriving indie scene.
And they haven’t exactly been taking it easy since. 2025 was a whirlwind year, with the band somehow managing to squeeze in over 200 gigs across the country, while also landing a coveted slot at Electric Picnic along the way.
Now they’re back with their latest single, Brother.
A reflective, slow-burning ballad, the track leans into the band’s folk roots while keeping one foot in modern indie-pop territory. Built around a warm acoustic guitar and gentle string accompaniment, Brother
unfolds with the kind of layered vocal harmonies that have become a signature part of The Reillys’ sound.
Lyrically, the song digs into something that doesn’t always get enough airtime in songwriting: male friendship in adulthood, especially that strange stage in your thirties when everyone’s lives start heading in different directions.
Brother is a song about the importance of friendship in your 30s. As everyone begins to marry and have families, it's something we often take for granted. Inspired by Belfast's love of the word ‘brother’ as a way to describe a good male friend and how endearing that is to someone who moved up from Dublin.- The Reillys
It’s thoughtful, warm, and quietly nostalgic, the kind of song that feels like a late-night catch-up with an old mate you haven’t seen in years.
And if the band’s trajectory so far is anything to go by, Brother
is likely just another step in what’s shaping up to be a very big story for The Reillys.
The single, Brother, is available through all streaming platforms.
Photo Credit: The Reillys
