Her music has led to much success, critical praise, airplay and award nominations in her native Ireland and, more recently, in the United States. Hannigan is best known for having accompanied the highly successful singer-songwriter Damien Rice. Since leaving him, she has begun her own career, with her 2008 debut album Sea Sew spawning the hit single "Lille", a Choice Music Prize nomination, two Meteor Music Awards nominations and a Mercury Prize nomination. There has also been praise from fellow musicians and, in recent times, Jools Holland of the United Kingdom and US television hosts Jay Leno and Stephen Colbert, the latter of whom is not renowned for his endorsement of musicians.
She is known for aiding charities such as Oxfam and her "Some Surprise" duet with Gary Lightbody featured on the US television series Grey's Anatomy. As part of an advertising campaign for fair trade the singer permitted herself be covered in melted chocolate. Hannigan has performed and been associated with musicians such as Cathy Davey, Mic Christopher, Mick Flannery, David Kitt and members of Snow Patrol, The Frames and Bell X1 and has performed at the Glastonbury Festival both as a solo artist and alongside Damien Rice.
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