SexyTadhg rips off the mask — sobs in a leather trench as new strip‑back ballad wins a standing ovation

Photo credit : Kate Lawlor

SexyTadhg strips back the spectacle: raw piano single «Never Been Loved in the Daylight» sparks tears, a standing ovation and queer catharsis.

Irish Breakout Star SexyTadhg Drops Heartfelt New Single «Never Been Loved in the Daylight»

The big reveal

Ireland’s theatrical queer powerhouse SexyTadhg (pronounced Sexy-Tie-g) has swapped brass and bravado for a bare-bones confession. Their new single «Never Been Loved in the Daylight» arrives as a live-recorded piano-and-vocal gem that lays their vulnerability out in the open.

What happened on the record

Gone are the big-band fireworks of the Sexy EP; this song is intimate, fragile, and immediate. Recorded live and produced by Daniel De Burca with mixing and mastering by Alex Borwick, the track strips everything back so SexyTadhg’s voice and songwriting sit front and centre. The result is one of their most affecting moments yet.

Why it matters

SexyTadhg says the song came from deep pandemic reflection — time spent back in their childhood bedroom led to an aching, resonant lyric: «I’ve never been loved in the daylight, the sun always scares them away». That line, they reveal, hit like «an emotional shotgun», sparking an afternoon of open-mouth crying and a finished set of lyrics by the river Barrow the next morning.

Live moment that changed everything

The single found its audience in cabaret: nervous debut, leather trench coat, duct tape and all. After performing it at a Dublin Cabaregg night, SexyTadhg was swept up in a «roaring applause» and standing ovation that they describe as healing. Every performance since, they say, feels like proof that loneliness can be shared — and eased.

The broader picture

This single builds on the momentum from the September release of their debut EP «Sexy», which fused theatrical soul, big-band jazz and pop and won praise from national radio, press and TV. SexyTadhg has been a live phenomenon too — selling out headline shows, playing major festivals and touring the UK supporting The Mary Wallopers.

Final note

«Never Been Loved in the Daylight» is tender, brave and quietly triumphant — a reminder that stepping away from spectacle can sometimes reveal the truest kind of power. Keep an ear out: this is the next chapter in a career that’s only getting louder by getting softer.