Honouring Sinead O’Connor on her 2nd Anniversary: Helen O’Shea Shares Rendition of “Dense Water Deeper Down”
Helen O’Shea Shares Rendition of Sinead O’Connor’s
“Dense Water Deeper Down”
To Mark 2nd Anniversary of Passing
Produced by Marc Swersky and featuring Andrew Carillo (Joan Osbourne), Rob Clores (The Black Crowes), Aaron Comess (Spin Doctors), Brielle Brown, Sharon Lasher, Fiona Tyndall & Jo Wymer.
From Upcoming Tribute Album ‘Songs in the Key of O’
A Homage to Sinéad O’Connor & Dolores O’Riordan
With Love from Helen O’Shea
With the heart of a healer and the grace of grit, Ireland-born, New Jersey-based artist Helen O'Shea is trailblazing a path of hope and possibility, sharing her unguarded story so that others may step fully into their power.
Helen’s journey from medicine, to motherhood and to music embodies resilience, reinvention, and the power of learning to heal. Blending Americana and Celtic influences into her signature sound, which she calls AmeriCeltiCana, her music and message resonate deeply with women and mothers rediscovering themselves later in life.
Through Helen’s metamorphosis, she holds fiercely to her personal mantra, Turning Tides Make Sturdy Souls, reflecting her belief that life’s challenges—both joyful and painful—are what shape us. Embracing transformation takes courage, and through her music, Helen extends a hand, reminding us that we don’t have to take the first step alone.
Before entering the music world, Helen dedicated years to a distinguished medical career as an obstetrician/gynecologist. She attended medical school at the University College Galway (UCG) Ireland, where she met her husband, Paul O’Shea, PhD. She then spent a number of years as an Assistant Professor in Medical Research and Medical School Teaching at the prestigious McGill University in Montreal, Canada, where she became a leader in perinatal research and medical education. She created Healing in Medicine, a groundbreaking course that taught medical students, residents, and physicians how to handle the complexities of caring for vulnerable patients and their families.
Even as a doctor, Helen’s deepest calling was to be a healer—not just of the body, but of the human spirit. She has been a guiding light for many while quietly navigating her own struggles behind the scenes.
Her return to the USA in 2011, where she had lived briefly in the 90s, was rough on her children and coincided with their request that she stop working in medicine and stay home with them after school—an idea which surprised Helen, but which she and her husband fully supported. She explains: “Two days into my new life, without my lifelong identity as Dr. Helen McNamara, I began to settle into life as housewife Helen O'Shea, with great difficulty. It was then that my husband said "You've always wanted to sing - this is your chance.”
Helen rediscovered her life-long passion for music, quickly becoming a dynamic force in the independent music scene, collaborating with two-time Grammy winner Marc Swersky (Joe Cocker, Natalie Cole), winning Best Americana Song for “Sturdy Soul” at the Global Music Awards, and earning nominations for the 2024 Josie Awards and the International Singer-Songwriter Award for Best Duo with Alexander Simone for their collaboration on “Holy Mother”.
‘DENSE WATER DEEPER DOWN’
‘Dense Water Deeper Down’ is the first single release from O’Shea’s forthcoming album ‘Songs In The Key Of O’, due for release on March 6th 2026.
Coinciding with the anniversary of Sineád O’Connor’s passing (July 26th), the single was selected after Helen undertook extensive research into the late singer’s catalogue for this special album project, sourcing three songs that resonated with her most deeply.
Sinéad O'Connor's debut on Ireland’s Late Late Show had a profound impact on Helen during her time in medical school, when the young singer exploded on the screen with a crew cut and a tank top scream singing "Mandinka". Helen, as well as many Irish girls, were transfixed by this new vision of womanhood - gentleness and anger, ferocity and determination - with a beautiful voice. Sinéad O'Connor encouraged a new generation of Irish youth to be true to themselves like never before.
Taken from O’Connor’s 2014 album ‘I’m Not Bossy, I’m The Boss’, ‘Dense Water Deeper Down’ inspired Helen's producer, Marc Swersky, to gather the best local singers - Brielle Brown, Sharon Lasher, Fiona Tyndall and Jo Wymer - into the studio to create the special Jersey Girls tribute to Sinéad ; lightness, frivolity and deep respect shining throughout.
Produced by two-time Grammy Winner Marc Swersky (Joe Cocker, NoShows, Little Stranger), the song and full album was engineered by Jack Daley (Spin Doctors) at Dug Deep Production in Asbury Park, NJ, mixed by Seth Von Paulus (Linda Perry) and mastered by Leon Zervos. The album features throughout Aaron Comes (Spin Doctors), Rob Clores (The Black Crowes, Jesse Malin), Andrew Carillo (Joan Osbourne, James Maddock) and Marc Swersky (Joe Cocker, NoShows, Little Stranger) as well as strings on selected tracks from Nathan Bishop and Nicole Scorsone and harmonica from Jay Carlile (The Carlile Family Band, Wynonna Judd Band & Brother Of Brandi Carlile). Featured vocalists on the album include Liam Ó Maonlaí (Hot House Flowers), Barry Murphy (Hermitage Green), James Maddock (Wood), Brad Butcher, Michelle Moore (Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band - E Street Choir), Caroline Carlile (The Carlile Family Band and niece Of Brandi Carlile), Brielle Brown, Sharon Lasher, Fiona Tyndall and Jo Wymer.
SONG CREDITS:
Writer: Sinéad O'Connor
Producer: Marc Swersky
Vocals: Helen O'Shea, Brielle Brown, Sharon Lasher, Fiona Tyndall, Jo Wymer
BGVs: Helen O'Shea, Brielle Brown, Sharon Lasher, Fiona Tyndall, Jo Wymer
Acoustic & Bass Guitars: Marc Swersky
Electric Guitars & Mandolin: Andrew Carillo
Piano/Keys/Accordion: Rob Clores
Drums/Percussion: Aaron Comess
Engineer: Jack Daley
Mixing: Seth Von Paulus
Mastering: Leon Zervos
ABOUT HELEN O’SHEA
With the heart of a healer and the grace of grit, Ireland-born, New Jersey-based Americana artist Helen O'Shea is trailblazing a path of hope and possibility, sharing her unguarded story so that others may step fully into their power. Helen’s journey from medicine to motherhood to music embodies resilience, reinvention, and the power of learning to heal. Blending Americana and Celtic influences into her signature sound, which she calls AmeriCeltiCana, her music and message resonate deeply with women and mothers rediscovering themselves later in life. Helen is set to release a series of singles leading up to her third full-length album, ‘Songs in the Key of O’, a dedication to Sinead O’Connor & Dolores O'Riordan, produced and co-written by two-time Grammy winner Marc Swersky. Recorded at Dug Deep Production in Asbury Park, the album features collaborations with The Carlile Family Band, Michelle Moore from the legendary E Street Band, Liam Ó Maonlaí from Hothouse Flowers, Barry Murphy from Hermitage Green, and singer-songwriters James Maddock and Brad Butcher. Through Helen’s metamorphosis, she holds fiercely to her personal mantra, Turning Tides Make Sturdy Souls, reflecting her belief that life’s challenges—both joyful and painful—are what shape us. Embracing transformation takes courage, and through her music, Helen extends a hand, reminding us that we don’t have to take the first step alone.
ABOUT BRIELLE BROWN
Brielle Brown is a 20+ year entertainment industry veteran whose work bridges artistry, activism, and education. Rooted in Americana, folk, and blues, her music blends poetic lyricism with unfiltered depth-echoing her belief that art isn't a luxury but a vital thread in human connection. Brielle has worked as a songwriter, creative director, and producer, helping develop artists who have graced stages like American Idol and The Voice. She's collaborated with artists such as Ewie McKinney, Remy Bond, UNNA X, Jacquie Lee, and Noshows. Her multidisciplinary work has been featured on MTV, VH1, ESPN, ABC, The Huffington Post, USA Today, and more. Brielle previously worked as a music therapist specializing in care for neurodivergent youth and serves on the Steering Committee for the Louis Armstrong Center for Music and Medicine. She recently completed a moral leadership-based fellowship with The Witness Institute and has been a Grammy U mentor. Whether in the studio, classroom or behind the scenes, Brielle Brown makes art a force for healing and change. She currently resides in Monmouth County, NJ with her husband and twin children.
ABOUT FIONA TYNDALL
Fiona Tyndall originally hails from County Clare, Ireland, and has been singing music of the Irish/Celtic tradition all her life. She has also lived in Boston MA and Princeton NJ, and now splits her time between both countries. Her deep love of traditional Irish music resulted in her first album, Deirin De, which blended traditional Irish language lyrics with innovative musical and vocal arrangements. In 2022, Fiona released New Frontiers, a collection of songs from County Cork singer-songwriter, Jimmy MacCarthy which blended her unique vocal talent with creative vocal and instrumental treatment, with some of Ireland’s top musicians, including Sean Whelan, James Blenerhassett, Tim Edey and Liam Bradley.
In 2024, Fiona completed a teaching certification associated with the Royal Irish Academy. She runs workshops in folk and traditional song/singing. Building on its success, Fiona started a monthly Singing Circle for acapella folk singers and many of her students attend – Fiona takes great pride in helping to build this community of singers as they perform at various trad sessions.
Fiona regularly entertains growing audiences with live gigs across NJ and PA, and headlines a monthly residency with her band, at the Dubliner on The Delaware, New Hope PA. Fiona plays Bodhran and recently took up tin whistle which she plays at traditional sessions. 2025 sees the release of her brand-new album ‘Einin and Cheoil’ - a collection of traditional Irish songs with unique and complex vocal and instrumental arrangements, with excellent pre-launch reviews from McGig Music, Hot Press, Niamh Parsons, Tim Dennehy and more.
ABOUT JO WYMER
Jo Wymer currently hails from Freehold, New Jersey, and is a two-time JAM AWARD winner, a one-time AMA award winner, and a two-time NAPW WOMAN OF THE YEAR award winner (2013 and 2014).
ABOUT SHARON LASHER
Sharon "Pipes" Lasher: This songstress brings a sultry sizzle to the stage with rich vocals that are both powerful and passionate. Sharon "Pipes" Lasher can be heard belting out gritty done-me-wrong rockin' blues, blending sweet harmonies to make a melody come alive, or melting your heart as she makes you feel she is singing that love song just for you.
"Pipes" leads Lasher & The Flashers Band, a world class bluesy rock revival from Smokey Robinson to Bonnie Raitt. Her "Raitt/Ronstadt Retrospective" is selling out shows on the east coast and Lasher's newest show, "NOLA Blues" features the flavor of New Orleans style horns to romping blues standards and deep cuts.
