Photo Credit: Evie Mac Mahon
Kildare-born Elle León Gallagher announces the release of her sophomore album ‘A Chara‘, out October 10 via Catalan indie label El Jardí Amagat. Following the success of her single Music & Memories, described by Music Crowns as “walking the line between raw and refined” while drawing from influences like Alice Phoebe Lou, Courtney Barnett and CMAT, the album deepens her exploration of connection and belonging.
Meaning “dear friend” in Irish, ‘A Chara‘ was made over the course of a year and a half with cherished friends and collaborators; what wasn’t recorded live was captured in a rehearsal space or at home in order to preserve the warmth and closeness of the creative process itself.
“It’s an exploration of behaviours and thought processes provoked by close relationships, circling back to friendship as the fertile ground for each kind; whether with ourselves, family or chosen family, the subconscious, romantic entanglements and both inevitable and unexpected kinds of loss that occur within them,” Gallagher explains.
Produced alongside Guille Harrison, the record moves through melody-rich indie soul-rock and folk-tinged textures, positioning Gallagher as a distinctive voice with comparisons drawn to Angel Olsen and Melody’s Echo Chamber but with what Rotate Magazine described as “a tender, shimmering meditation on friendship and permanence… subtle imagery that lingers after listening.”
Spanish press have also taken note, with Qualsevol Nit calling her “the only light in the dark room” and Indie Lovers praising her “well-defined set.”
On the focus track ‘Going Places!’, Gallagher says “The contrasting catastrophic sarcasm in the lyrics reflect the contradictions within finding your path and redefining yourself outside of a long term relationship and the idealisation surrounding self-care and the pressure to work on oneself”.
Over the past year Gallagher has shared stages with La Luz, Holly Golightly, Say She She, Ten Tonnes, Divorce (Primavera Tours 2025) and Brian Kennedy, building a reputation for intimate, arresting live performances. The release of ‘A Chara‘ will be marked with a Barcelona launch show on November 29 (where she’s based), a fitting celebration of an album born from community and made to be heard together.
Elle León Gallagher Socials