Rían (ft Charlene) – Divide of Ten (2026)
First setting foot into the Irish music scene two years ago, singer-songwriter Rían began earning a loyal following with his debut single, ‘The Gift Of Freedom’. The track turned heads among curators, appearing on numerous national radio stations and earning critical acclaim. Last year, he reimagined Rita Coolidge’s ‘We’re All Alone’, showcasing innovation and authenticity, bringing yesteryear to modern-day audiences. Today, we’re introduced to the Irish musician with his latest single, ‘Divide of Ten’. Join us, won’t you?
Joined by 1980’s pop legend Charlene, ‘Divide of Ten’ shifts from the jazzy ‘We’re All Alone’ to a stark, organic folk-driven few minutes of music. Warm, comforting, and the song that wraps around you with gentle charm, ‘Divide of Ten’ harmonically binds steady drums, a strumming guitar, and a piano. The song has a particular Irish slant with a fiddle weaving into the melody, and it’s this that presents the smile-inducing, absolute need to sway along.
Melodically, the arrangement is… well, the deep sigh of relief to calm any storm. Rían’s vocals have an odd lilt to them that is difficult to describe. The execution is intriguing as he seemingly whispers while singing with rich, confident tones. Charlene adds her soulful vocals to ‘Divide of Ten’, but it’s Rían that leads this side of things.
Almost like a conversation, ‘Divide of Ten’ is a soft word but stems from a profound place. Looking at the timeless themes of loss, love and family, Rían shares, “This song has sat with me for so long that it has become a part of me. I wrote it about a family divided by the loss of their mother and the pain they felt in one another.”
When I headed over to Rían’s Spotify, I couldn’t help playing ‘We’re All Alone’… repeatedly. One of my favourite songs, whether it’s Rita Coolidge or Boz Scaggs singing, it’s difficult to hold a candle to either of them. Rían, however, adds a different slant to the track, making his version, in a word, beautiful. When it comes to ‘Divide of Ten’, he remains beautiful. Highly recommended, and I’m so eager to hear more from Rían.
Find out more about Rían on his Facebook, Instagram and Spotify.
Listen to more folk music on The Other Side Reviews Folk playlist:
