Irish artist Ae Mak (Aoife McCann) has released a new cover of Bob Dylan’s “Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright”, ahead of her debut album Folk Songs For Mama & Papa, which is set for release this Friday via Spacer Records.
The stripped-back version of the song is presented as a central influence on the upcoming record, which marks a shift towards a more direct and acoustic sound. Ae Mak has described the track as both a personal favourite and a key reference point in how she approaches vocal performance and songwriting.
In a statement, she said she often performed “Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright” during informal sessions and live settings while developing the album. She highlighted its emotional range and lyrical themes, including reflection, separation and moving forward from past relationships. The original Dylan line “you just kinda wasted my precious time” is also referenced in her comments on its personal impact.
Ae Mak also noted the influence of her family’s connection to Dylan’s music, describing how listening to him with her father shaped her early appreciation of folk songwriting and storytelling.
Folk Songs For Mama & Papa is described as a more stripped-back and intimate record compared with her previous work. The album draws on folk and baroque pop influences, with inspiration from artists including Björk, Judee Sill, Aldous Harding and Paul Simon.
The record was written during a period of personal difficulty while the artist was living in Berlin, with early demos later developed in collaboration with producer Brían Mac Gloinn of Ye Vagabonds. Recording sessions also took place in locations including a farmhouse in County Louth and her family home in the Cooley Mountains, alongside musicians Cian Hanley and Kevin Corcoran.
The album focuses on voice-led arrangements and minimal production, reflecting a move away from more experimental pop styles in favour of a direct, acoustic approach.
Folk Songs For Mama & Papa will be released on 29 May 2026. A series of in-store performances and Irish tour dates are scheduled around the launch, including events in Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Tipperary, as well as festival appearances at Beyond the Pale.
TOUR DATES 2026:
May 29th – Spindizzy Dublin 5:30pm (Instore record release show)
May 30th – Music Zone Cork 1pm (Instore record release show)
May 30th – Steamboat Limerick 5pm (Instore record release show)
May 31st – When Next We Meet, Raheen House, Co. Tipperary
June 12th + 13th – Beyond the Pale
July 23rd -Workman’s, Dublin