Limerick-born, New-Jersey based roots artist Helen O’Shea has released ew single ‘Chaos’ - the third single from her highly anticipated album ‘Songs In The Key of O’, which pays homage to Sinéad O’Connor and Dolores O’Riordan (The Cranberries).

Announcing the album in July with a special Jersey-girls cover of Sinéad O’Connor’s ‘Dense Water Deep Down’, O’Shea earned strong international support from Hot Press, Front View Magazine, Vents Magazine and more, launching the highly collaborative LP with flair. Succeeding this was the recently released August single ‘Rock and Roll Angel (feat. Barry Murphy)’, a delicate original track penned with two-time GRAMMY award winning producer Marc Swersky, in honour of The Cranberries’ lead vocalist, Dolores O’Riordan.

For many songwriters, they say that one writes what one knows, and Helen O’Shea admits to living in ‘Chaos' for a period of time, before having channeled her emotions into this third single release and second original song from the album.

She explains, “‘Chaos’ describes the inside of a mind full of to-do list items competing with each other, leading to complete overwhelm, but with a resounding note of hope at the end…”, an air of positivity that defines much of her discography.

O’Shea’s longtime producer, Marc Swersky, infuses the single with an atmosphere of modern times - hustle and bustle, distractions and urgency - yet evokes the feel of the 90’s with a nod to the great artists of the Lilith Fair era. The song is enhanced by the technical guitar work of Andrew Carillo (Joan Osbourne & James Maddock), the sublime keys of Rob Clores (The Black Crowes & Jesse Malin) as well as dynamic drums and percussion from Aaron Comess (Spin Doctors).

Upcoming album ‘Songs in the Key of O’ (for release on March 6th 2026) features a talented list of collaborators, including Nathan Bishop, Nicole Scorsone, Brielle Brown, Michelle Moore (Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band - E Street Choir), Fiona Tyndall, Lauren O'Shea and more, with the LP engineered by Jack Daley (Spin Doctors), mixed by Seth Von Paulus (Linda Perry) and mastered by Leon Zervos.

ABOUT HELEN O’SHEA

With the heart of a healer and the grace of grit, Ireland-born, New Jersey-based artist Helen O'Shea is trailblazing a path of hope and possibility, sharing her unguarded story so that others may step fully into their power.

Helen’s journey from medicine to motherhood to music embodies resilience, reinvention, and the power of learning to heal. Blending Americana and Celtic influences into her signature sound, which she calls AmeriCeltiCana, her music and message resonate deeply with women and mothers rediscovering themselves later in life.

Through Helen’s metamorphosis, she holds fiercely to her personal mantra, Turning Tides Make Sturdy Souls, reflecting her belief that life’s challenges—both joyful and painful—are what shape us. Embracing transformation takes courage, and through her music, Helen extends a hand, reminding us that we don’t have to take the first step alone.

Before entering the music world, Helen dedicated years to a distinguished medical career as an obstetrician/gynecologist. She attended medical school at the University College Galway (UCG) Ireland, where she met her husband, Paul O’Shea, PhD. She then spent a number of years as an Assistant Professor in Medical Research and Medical School Teaching at the prestigious McGill University in Montreal, Canada, where she became a leader in perinatal research and medical education. She created Healing in Medicine, a groundbreaking course that taught medical students, residents, and physicians how to handle the complexities of caring for vulnerable patients and their families.

Even as a doctor, Helen’s deepest calling was to be a healer—not just of the body, but of the human spirit. She has been a guiding light for many while quietly navigating her own struggles behind the scenes.

Her return to the US in 2011, where she had lived briefly in the 90s, was rough on her children and coincided with their request that she stop working in medicine and stay home with them after school—an idea which surprised Helen, but which she and her husband fully supported. She explains: “Two days into my new life, without my lifelong identity as Dr. Helen McNamara, I began to settle into life as housewife Helen O'Shea, with great difficulty. It was then that my husband said "You've always wanted to sing - this is your chance.”

Helen rediscovered her life-long passion for music, quickly becoming a dynamic force in the independent music scene, collaborating with two-time Grammy winner Marc Swersky (Joe Cocker, Natalie Cole), winning Best Americana Song for “Sturdy Soul” at the Global Music Awards, and earning nominations for the 2024 Josie Awards and the International Singer-Songwriter Award for Best Duo with Alexander Simone for their collaboration on “Holy Mother”.

ABOUT “SONGS IN THE KEY OF O” - OUT MARCH 6TH 2026

The story behind "Songs In The Key Of O" is a simple one. It is a love letter to two of Helen O’Shea’s biggest influences in music and in life: Sinéad O’Connor and Dolores O’Riordan. Helen grew up in Limerick, Ireland, loving everything about songs and singing, and she longed to make her life all about the beauty of song. However, her darling father had other ideas for his precious oldest daughter, so off Helen went to medical school, closing the door on a singing career firmly behind her. Cut to many years later when Helen's father was tragically killed in a car accident, Helen immediately felt him guiding her back to singing from beyond the grave. Now, she is releasing her third full album "Songs In The Key Of O" - a loving tribute to Sinéad O'Connor and Dolores O'Riordan.

While Helen was in medical school, she had two unforgettable experiences with these two iconic Irish singers that impacted her to this day. The first was Sinéad O'Connor's unforgettable debut on the Irish Late Late Show, when she exploded on the screen with a crew cut and a tank top scream-singing "Mandinka". Helen, along with most of Ireland's young girls, were transfixed by this new vision of Irish womanhood - gentleness and anger, ferocity and determination - with a beautiful voice. Sinéad simply encouraged everyone to be true to themselves

The second of Helen's impactful experiences during her medical school days, was when her brother, Steve, a student at what was then NIHE (now University Of Limerick), came home with a mixtape that included the song "Linger". The stunning voice of Dolores O'Riordan left a lasting impact on Helen - another Limerick girl like herself. Dolores was living the singing dream that Helen longed for, and with a voice unlike any other. When Helen was blessed to begin her singing journey much later in life, she carried with her the influences of all the girl singers she loved, but most of all, her two countrywomen, Sinéad and Dolores, with whom culturally she shares so much more with than just a love of song.

ALBUM RUNNING ORDER:

1. "Caged Birds" - ORIGINAL - Featuring Liam O'Maonlaí

2. "Rock And Roll Angel" - ORIGINAL - Featuring Barry Murphy

3. "Chaos" - ORIGINAL

4. "Dense Water Deeper Down" - COVER (Sinéad O’Connor) - Featuring Brielle Brown, Sharon Lasher, Fiona Tyndall, Jo Wymer - OUT NOW, check out the video below!

5. "Dreaming My Dreams" - COVER (Dolores O’Riordan)

6. "If U Ever" - COVER (Sinéad O’Connor) - Featuring James Maddock

7. "Saving Grace" - COVER (Dolores O’Riordan)

8. "Last Day Of Our Acquaintance" - COVER (Sinéad O’Connor) - Featuring Brad Butcher

9. "Lost" - COVER (Dolores O’Riordan)

10. "Unbecoming (KO Version)" - ORIGINAL - Featuring Fiona Tyndall

11. "Shine" - ORIGINAL - Featuring Michelle Moore

12. "There Will Be Days" - ORIGINAL - Featuring Caroline Carlile and The Carlile Family Band