Pretty Happy

Pretty Happy are a 3-piece sister-brother-best friend art-punk band from Cork known for intense theatrical live performances, and embracing the idioms and energy of their home city.

The band’s EP Echo Boy was received to tremendous praise. Their song Boots was selected as Jack Saunders Future Artists Track of the Day on BBC 1. The Irish Times named Pretty Happy one of the top ten Irish bands in 2022 and Boots was selected as one of the top ten songs of the year.

Pretty Happy are heavily inspired by their home city of Cork. The people of Cork are nicknamed the Rebels due to their stubborness to conform. The band take this rebellious identity to heart in their characteristic musicality and their Cork accented stream of consciousness ravings.

Whilst their music at times may have a jagged edge, the band strives to promote inclusion. Everyone is invited and welcome at a Pretty Happy show.

In 2022, Pretty Happy supported the iconic Kim Gordon (Sonic Youth) across Europe & the UK as well as making appearances at Primavera Sound in Barcelona, All Together Now & Electric Picnic. The band also supported Indie icons Pavement & Future Islands in Ireland & toured the UK with Pre-Occupations.

Most recently Pretty Happy made their television debut appearing on RTÉ 2 for Other Voices.

Off stage, Pretty Happy like to engage in other artforms including directing their own music videos, curating their own cultural space in the Cork Opera House and directing and producing feature length documentaries.

On stage, Pretty Happy tap into a primal cultural mania. Their songs, always filtered through an absurdist lens, cover drink spiking, suburban angst and rape culture. Their intense live show mirrors the ebbs and flows of the human condition. Most important to the band, is the use of humour in their songs. Inspired by the essential Irish trait of finding humour in every situation no matter how sad or horrifying it may seem.

“DIY rock that will rip you in half, they have no intention of being polite, Pretty Happy, it's just how they feel. You might feel a bit possessed after it.”
-Jack Saunders,  BBC Radio One (Next Wave Future Artist Track of the Day)

“Pretty Fantastic. I love it. I love the energy. It just makes you laugh, it’s brilliant.”
-Simon Le Bon, Sirius XM, Duran Duran.

“Distils the essence of Pixies and sprinkles Cork’s undiluted psycho-geographical accent all over it... one of the best new-ish bands in the country”
-Tony Clayton-Lea, The Irish Times

“Pretty Happy are a diamond in the rough... surely destined for bigger things”
-Lauren Murphy, Sunday Times

“Brilliantly surreal”
– Tom Robinson, BBC6

"So good. Such an amazing band.”
- Sofia K, KEXP

"One of the country's most dazzlingly original acts."
-Hot Press Magazine

“Cork band Pretty Happy blow your ears off with punchy guitar, then set your head spinning with their darkly funny lyrics.”
-Clare Martin, Paste Magazine

"Pretty Happy are .... developing a reputation for the energy of their live shows and Abbey Blake’s emerging distinctive pedal-driven electronic guitar style."
- Ellie O'Byrne, Irish Examiner

"Something of a best-kept secret."
- Lauren Murphy, entertainment.ie

“New wavey post-punk which delights. ”
-Nialler9