All-Ireland minor winner hangs up football boots after signing to LA record label

A former All-Ireland minor medal winner from Castledawson has hung up his football boots for good in a bid to pursue his music career in the US.

Singer-songwriter Lee Brady was recently signed up by Pulse, an American record label based in Los Angeles, and has just released his first single.

The 21 year-old, a former Derry minor and Bellaghy Wolfe Tones footballer, has had a lot of success on the field in recent years and now he hopes to emulate this in his musical career.

Lee, a former pupil of St Patrick’s College, Maghera, where he won a MacRory title, says he began singing and playing music from a young age.

His dad taught him how to play the guitar and he learned how to play the piano himself by watching YouTube videos, however football always took priority with Lee.

“I was always football on the brain and put it over everything,” said Lee, who also won an All-Star in the same year as his team’s All-Ireland win.

“I feel every child’s dream is to win an All-Ireland in football, and then when I won one, I thought ‘what do I do now?’ as I had won everything I wanted to win in football.

“I had always been playing away at music in the background but I didn’t really want anyone knowing, but about two and a half years ago I started taking it seriously, and here I am.”

Lee, who previously worked in engineering with local firm FP McCann, caught the attention of music moguls in America when he uploaded a few videos of his performances on TikTok.

“A couple of my videos on TikTok went viral and people started reaching out to me. I had so many managers get in touch with me and I narrowed it down to these guys who I am with now,” he explained.

“They flew me and my mum, Jacqueline, out to Florida for the first time to have a conversation and meet with them. I signed with them out there. Ever since, I have been back and forth to Nashville, LA, Florida and London to write and record – it’s just been non-stop. I’m loving it all so far – you are busy but it’s a dream come true.”

Since signing with the record label, Lee has played in the famous Bluebird Cafe in Nashville, an experience he has described as ‘cool’, and just last month he released his debut single ‘Heed the Call’.

The south Derry man, who writes his own songs, plans to release his second single early in the New Year and a four track EP in the spring.

Influenced by artists such as Zach Bryan, Lee says every song he writes is ‘based on a life experience’.

“In everything I have written, there is always a part of me in it – it’s very heartfelt. Zach Bryan is actually the reason I wrote my first song but I’m also inspired by Hosier, Benson Boone and guys like that,” he said.

While Lee is well on his way to breaking into the music industry in America, he has his sights firmly set on performing in stadiums and arenas around the world.

“I want to be the biggest in Ireland – in my head that’s just a given, I’m not stopping until I reach that,” he continued.

“I think people maybe find it hard to break into the US but I feel I am doing that because half of my audience is from the US already.

“My dream is to do stadiums and arena tours one day. That’s what everyone wants to do, it’s the ultimate dream.”

You can keep up-to-date with Lee’s music on Instagram or on TikTok.