Carlow’s Brian enjoys his night at the Grammys
Sharp dressed man: Brian Shiel attending the recent Grammy Awards in Los Angeles
A CARLOW music producer has marked a major career milestone after attending the 68th Grammy Awards in Los Angeles as an official voting member of the Recording Academy.
Brian Sheil attended the prestigious music awards ceremony last weekend, representing his hometown on the global stage in what has been described as an historic first for the county.
Brian, who works as a producer and mixer, was invited to join the Recording Academy as a voting member in recognition of his professional contributions to the global music industry. The role placed him among a select group of music professionals who help decide music’s most prestigious awards.
As a Grammy voting member, he participated in the nomination and final voting process for this year’s awards, helping to decide both nominees and winners across major categories, including record of the year, song of the year and album of the year, as well as genre-specific awards.
“It’s hard to put into words,” Brian told . “I started out just trying to make records sound better in small rooms back home and now I’m part of the process that recognises the best music in the world. It’s a huge honour to represent where I’m from on a global stage.”
The Carlow native, who grew up in Woodgrove, said the experience brought back early memories in the town.
“I still remember watching the awards for the first time in my playroom as a ten-year-old kid and thinking I wanted to be there one day,” he said. “And 25 years later, you’re no longer watching â you’re in the room.
“When you’re just a kid from Woodgrove cycling around the block with Celine Dion playing on your headphones, it’s something you never imagine happening.”
Mr Sheil said personal highlights from the night included standout performances by Bruno Mars and British soul artist Olivia Dean, as well as witnessing South African artist Tyla’s reaction when she realised she had won during the premiere ceremony.
He also praised Grammy Week events, describing the chance to see Afrobeats artists perform live as “incredible” and a reflection of the genre’s growing global influence.
