Single reviewsThe Other Side Reviews

Luke Cosgrave – She’s A Mystery To Me (2026)

For singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Luke Cosgrave, music has always been around. At age 5, he was playing the violin, and by 15, he was performing with the Dublin Youth Orchestra – a zealous earnestness fuelling his passion to create and play music. Extensive touring with Wexford Symphonia and Cork Symphony Orchestra attuned Cosgrave to performing, and an instinctive confidence flowed from his violin. Yet, while trained in classical music, the Irish musician has always leaned toward rock, folk, and improvisation with influences ranging from AC/DC to U2, Guns N’ Roses, and even Bob Dylan. Today, we listen to the seasoned session musician with his latest single, ‘She’s A Mystery To Me’.

The first solo single since 2023 – or at least according to Spotify – Cosgrave tackles the Roy Orbison hit, ‘She’s A Mystery To Me’. I’ve always known the song as sung by Orbison, but I had no idea it was penned by Bono and The Edge. A song of love, yearning, intrigue and the “…quiet obsession one feels for someone enigmatic, someone captivating but unknowable”, ‘She’s A Mystery To Me’ weaves the veil of mystery and longing to engulf you in a sonic tapestry. So, how does Cosgrave do with this track?

While there is not a great difference regarding the tone of the tracks, Cosgrave’s version of ‘She’s A Mystery To Me’ seemingly leans further toward an Irish folk vibe. Drums beat in the background, with a guitar making a brief appearance, met by a smooth piano, the single is easy on the ears. The thing is, while the guitar-drums-piano tone exists, it is the percussion that stands out with tambourine twinkles. All melded in a melodic concoction, Cosgrave’s cover is mellifluous, laidback, tranquil, and beautifully gentle.

An intriguing and enjoyable arrangement, this ‘She’s A Mystery To Me’ is a breath of fresh air on a mundane Wednesday afternoon, but it is not the instrumentation nor the lyricism that makes the song. For me, the song is all about Cosgrave’s rich vocals washed with his Irish accent. The inflexion is not only charming, but gives an intimacy to the track missing from Orbison’s original.

So, has Cosgrave done the Orbison song justice? In my opinion, he definitely has! 



Find out more about Luke Cosgrave on his Instagram, Soundcloud and Spotify.

This artist was sent to us by Jawdropper Music.


Listen to more folk music on The Other Side Reviews Folk playlist:

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