Cork Midsummer Festival & Foggy Notions are proud to present Sharon Van Etten at Cork opera House as part of her "Darkness Fades Tour", ahead of new album 'We've Been Going About This All Wrong' out 6 May on Jagjaguwar.

“I wanted to approach this release differently, to engage my fans in an intentional way, in an effort to present the album as a whole body of work." Van Etten says of the upcoming album. “These 10 songs are designed to be listened to in order, at once, so that a much larger story of hope, loss, longing and resilience can be told.”

Her most recent release, "Porta," was produced by Van Etten (vocals, synths, drum machines) and Daniel Knowles (synths) and backed by her live band of Jorge Balbi (drums), Charley Damski (guitars), and Devin Hoff (bass). In Van Etten's words, "Porta" was written in 2020 "at one of my lowest lows. For most of my adult life I have struggled with bouts of depression and anxiety and coping mechanisms, and I sometimes let those dark moments get the best of me. During this time I felt very dissociated. Not connected to my body and I felt out of control."

Eventually, Van Etten reached out to her friend, Stella Cook, who runs Base Pilates in North Carolina. "I was seeking a friend, someone to talk to who understands what finding the core means but also knows what my weaknesses are and can help me work around them and find my other strengths. I knew I was entering a no judgment zone and I needed to be held accountable for my actions and Stella helped me step up. We would meet once a week on Zoom, have a catch up on life over a quick coffee and then get to work. Then, a day or two later she would send another video my way so I had something to work towards the end of the week. She was encouraging, but not pushy. If life got in the way, I didn't feel like I let her down - but I loved our sessions. I looked forward to them. I started feeling closer to her, and closer to myself, and it helped things seem hopeful. And I just wanted to share that with the world," says Van Etten. "Instead of the darkness. Instead of my fears. My message is to work through them. Even when it's hard. Even when it hurts. Reach out. Reach out to that friend who helps you reach out towards yourself."

A singer of distinct, controlled passion, Sharon Van Etten carved out a loyal audience with her hushed, intense albums for the lauded indie label Jagjaguwar in the 2010s. After releasing a series of albums on her own in the 2000s, it was Tramp - her 2012 debut for the label - that brought her wider acclaim. Van Etten began to broaden her aural palette with 2014's Are We There, an evolution that reached full flower on Remind Me Tomorrow, the 2019 album that brought her to her widest audience yet. Following a well-received 2021 duet with Angel Olsen, she returned to solo work with the 2022 single "Porta."

This intimate performance in the iconic Cork Opera House as part of Cork Midsummer Festival comes following the release of her new album, We've Been Going About This All Wrong, on 6 May.