Question of Taste: Loah includes Bjork and Talos in her selections 

The Dublin-based singer plays Cork Opera House as part of the Right Here Right Now event 

Loah is at Cork Opera House on Friday. 

Loah is Sallay-Matu Garnett, a singer-songwriter of Irish/Sierra Leonean descent.  On Friday, Nov 12, she will play at Cork Opera House with an orchestra and Niamh Regan, Wallis Bird and Mary Coughlan. The gig forms part of the Right Here Right Now event in Cork at the weekend, with concerts also taking place in Coughlan's and Cyprus Avenue. 

Best recent book you've read:

Nanny, Ma and Me by Kathleen, Dominique and Jade Jordan. A beautiful and honest account of family, race and home in Ireland.

Best recent film:

I recently watched the John Wick series for the first time and despite my own preconceptions, I thoroughly enjoyed the thrilling, indulgent, drama of it all!

Best recent show/gig you’ve seen:

Seeing Talos, and then Saint Sister and Lisa Hannigan play in Connolly's of Leap at the end of the summer was quite special. I'm fairly sure they opened a portal for angels with the harmonies!

Best piece of music you’ve been listening to lately (new or old):

Hiatus Kaiyote are one of my favourite bands. Their album Mood Valiant that came out in June has been filling my days with glorious, lush arrangements and grooves.

First-ever piece of music that really moved you:

In the name of brutal honesty, Mama by the Spice Girls was the only thing that came close to reflecting my total adoration for my mum growing up. There is so much to be said for the explosive colours of pop music that are able to so deeply, intensely and unapologetically reflect a singular emotion.

The best gig you've ever seen (if you had to pick one!):

This is an unfair question for a musician, it's giving me all sorts of anxiety haha! A particularly memorable one was Bjork's Biophilia tour show at Electric Picnic. I adore her work and I can still feel the earth-splitting sound and waves of the tesla coil above the stage vibrating as if thunder itself was an instrument.

Radio listening and/or podcasts:

Dan Carlin's Hardcore History is a current huge favourite.

You're curating your dream festival – which three artists are on the bill, living or dead?

Jimi Hendrix, Billie Holiday, Joni Mitchell.

You can portal back to any cultural event or music era – where, when, and why?

Prohibition-era 1920s jazz! What an exciting melange of excitement, subterfuge and artistic creation.