Laura Bonner
Laura Bonner, at 19 years-of-age, was one of only two acts to get four songs through to the final of the Moville & Greencastle Music Academy’s Songwriter Contest Final.
Her songs Liquid Confidence, Loaded Gun, Unattainable and Kick’n Beat all scored well in the heats and semis and made it through. She sprang to fame by winning a talent contest in Rawdons and now plays there regularly.
In the semi-final in the Sean Ti she came along with her guitar and was standing by herself waiting for her slots till she was asked over to the Tony Bramwell table. That shows how keen she is to perform and to make the grade as it is not easy for a 19-year-old girl to come out on her own to a pub. I know many women much older than she is who wouldn’t do it.
Impressed
One guy, Jim Fernand, was so impressed by her songs that he offered to get her some contacts in the music business in London. Said Jim “I think she is brilliant, she’s just great and I’m happy to encourage some local talent”. The advice Tony Bramwell keeps giving to acts with potential is “Just keep doing what you are doing, getting better and better and ready when and if the opportunity does come along”.
At 19-years-of-age she certainly has time on her side – and the talent to go along with it. She has a style all of her own too. She’s not a me-too performer. She didn’t manage to place in the Songwriters final but, as even Tony Bramwell said, the competition was of very high quality.
It would be good to see her get more gigs in the area in places like Rosatos so that when her chance comes, as it surely will, she’ll be honed and ready.