Released today, Irish singer-songwriter Janet Devlin has returned with her third album Confessional. Arriving six years after her second album (Running with Scissors), the record is a balanced fusion of Irish folk melodies, brooding anti-ballads and soaring melodies that embody the record’s introspective reflection on her true life story. Janet completed the project at Abbey Road, where it was mastered by our very own Christian Wright.

Janet Devlin first rose to prominence as a contestant on The X Factor, where her unique vocal style saw her reach the quarter finals of the competition. Following gigs around the UK, she then released her debut album Hide & Seek in 2013, and followed up a year later with Running With Scissors. Now aged 25, Janet is about to release her extremely personal third album that has been four years in the making. Entitled The Confessional, it is a concept album that goes back to before she travelled to London to take part in a competition that would change her life entirely.

There is a melting pot of folk, pop and traditional Irish music shaping the album’s sonic blueprint with Irish scene legends such as Davy Spillane, Eoin Dillan, Brian Fleming and Peter Browne featuring alongside production from Jonathan Quarmby (Lewis Capaldi, Tom Walker). Devlin’s distinctive voice and beguiling charm and honesty lends to the deeply personal moments on the album. The album kicks off with the title track, a traditional Irish folk and pop crossover, which lays the foundations for what is to come. The Sunday Times adds: “Her versatile voice is bewitching, spilling disturbing secrets over Celtic pipes on the title track and bringing to mind Hozier and Tori Amos on the spine-chilling So Cold."

Janet brought the project to Abbey Road mastering engineer Christian Wright, who has worked on a vast majority of her catalogue: “My new album has been a labour of love! I was so thrilled and lucky to be able to have all 12 tracks mastered at Abbey Road - you just can't get a more iconic studio! A real bonus was working with Christian Wright once again - he has worked on so much of my catalogue over the years, so it was fitting that he mastered Confessional. I really trust him with my music; he knows me and my sound and has heard it evolve and develop. It's a real joy to watch him work as it still amazes me how he manages to make my tracks sound! It's like a dark art that I don’t understand! A real highlight however must be cutting my vinyl at the studio - I had never seen the technique before and had the best time immersed in the process, and even got Christian to engrave a personal quote from me onto the lacquer. No pressure, and thankfully - no spelling mistakes!”

Confessional is an honest, brave and knowing cathartic journey, dealing with addiction, self-harm, religion and sexuality. Available to purchase now, alongside the accompanying book My Confessional, which details each real-life story from the album.