Kayleigh Noble selects 10 tracks that soundtracked her evolution

The Dublin singer and songwriter picks the ten tracks that shaped her sound, from Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell and Kelela to Shygirl, Sega Bodega and Abra.

Kayleigh Noble is a Dublin singer and songwriter whose world extends beyond the music, combining pop and alternative influences with fashion, photography and the energy of contemporary Dublin.

Her new single ‘Ego’ is out this Friday November 13th, built around the sound of the Korg M1 and the textures of house and speed garage, the same day as her biggest headline show yet at The Academy in Dublin.

Here she picks ten tracks that soundtracked her evolution, from songwriting that comes straight from the heart to the electronic-pop sound she has moved into recently.

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Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell – ‘If This World Were Mine’

As a hopeless romantic, this song is so insanely beautiful. It’s definitely been sampled a few times, but I love the original. It’s so soulful and pure. It really touches the singer-songwriter in me. I love to write and hear songs that are purely from the heart.

My friend sohotsospicy found a remix of this track on vinyl and it’s absolutely incredible.

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Kelela – ‘Crystalize’

Anything by Kelela is insanely good, but this one stuck with me. It was and is always on repeat, I just love it start to finish.

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Dev Lemons – ‘Best Friend’

A more recent track, again on the theme of pure from the heart. I used to write songs like this and still can, and I love when I relate so deeply, because I hope when I write tracks like this people feel how I feel.

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Imogen Heap – ‘Hide and Seek’

I adore anything Imogen Heap, she’s one of my idols for sure. She is just beautiful, such a strong, incredible female artist. Her production is so amazing and inspiring. This song always gives me goosebumps. Her vocals, production and songwriting are just fantastic.

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Sega Bodega – ‘Only Seeing God When I Come’

I adore this track, again for the production and songwriting. These tracks definitely started to introduce me to a more electronic dance sound. I’ve always felt my music is shaped by what I consistently listen to. This track has so much depth and feeling to it while also being a banger, and I love when an artist can create that balance. Sega has also touched many tracks by artists I love and you can hear his production. This song introduced me to him so I had to choose this one, it’s a classic to me.

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Shygirl – ‘Cleo’

You can’t have Sega without Shygirl. I have been a Shygirl stan from the start. She’s so iconic. I love how she mixes that pop sound with electronic dance. She does a stripped edit in Abbey Road Studios with a full orchestra. It’s just bliss. She’s so talented and I am obsessed with all her features, how she switches it up and raps and can do it all. It’s very inspiring.

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AZARI & III – ‘Hungry for the Power’

I’m moving into a more house-driven sound now, and this has definitely shaped my sound. My parents are house lovers who got married in Ibiza and I went there every year. This song will always remind me of that, being with my girls on a balcony and thinking this is how music should make you feel. I just want to dance all night.

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Benny Benassi – ‘Satisfaction’

I love this track because it’s dancey, very sexy and fierce, which is how I love to feel when dancing. It’s also a cult classic for the gays.

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Shygirl – ‘4 Eva’ (Coast remix)

This song definitely shaped my recent sound and it’s on repeat at the moment. It’s a remix of an artist I’ve already chosen above, Shygirl. I love the production on this.

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ABRA & Boys Noize – ‘Affection’

I adore ABRA as an artist, this particular track is so beautiful. Her vocal cries and her lyrics with the beat are so perfect.

Follow Kayleigh Noble on Instagram.