11-Year-Old Irish Rapper Sophia McNamara Stunned by Viral Success of 'The Spark'

Sophia McNamara, an 11-year-old Irish schoolgirl known by her stage name Miss Sombrero, has been catapulted into the limelight as part of the tween rap group Rhyme Island. The group's song 'The Spark' has racked up over 8 million views online, earning the title of 'song of the summer.'

The song was released ahead of Ireland's national day of children's creativity, Cruinniú na nÓg, on June 15, and has since taken the internet by storm. Rhyme Island, composed of 30 children aged 9-12 from the outskirts of Cork, was created by the non-profit creative hub Kabin Studio and the government initiative Creative Ireland.

Sophia McNamara expressed her astonishment at the song's success, saying, 'There are so many people watching it, I am in shock, my brain is like 'wha!' Famous people have commented on it – it's been unreal.'

Garry McCarthy, the creative director of Kabin Studio, shared his surprise at the overwhelming response, stating, 'We knew it was a belter and the video was class. We knew it would get a bit of traction locally or nationally but weren’t expecting this. This is crazy.'

The music video for 'The Spark' was filmed in a single day and features children dancing on a bus, running through the streets, and dancing in a club. The song opens with the lyric, *'Think you can stop what we do? I doubt it,'* and includes lines such as, *'We got the energy, we'll tell you all about it. I searched for my passion and I found it. * Sophia herself raps the first verse, saying, *'Making bangers at a young age, my pen setting fire to the page, I'm gonna show you how to rock that stage. '*

The video caught the attention of author and Observer columnist Séamas O'Reilly, who shared it with his 97,000 followers, leading to over 75,000 'likes' and 8 million views. Fans have praised the song, with some suggesting it should have been Ireland's Eurovision entry.

The song's development involved young performers living at a refugee center in Lisdoonvarna, County Clare, who finished the song with the Kabin Studio team. This collaboration highlights the inclusive nature of the project, bringing together local children and refugees through music.

Cruinniú na nÓg, Ireland's national day of children's creativity, aims to promote creativity and inclusivity among young people. This year, the event featured over 1,000 free activities for children and teenagers across Ireland, encouraging them to explore their creative potential.

Sophia McNamara and Rhyme Island's unexpected viral success with 'The Spark' showcases the power of youth creativity and the impact of inclusive artistic projects. The song's growing popularity showcases the talent and energy of young performers in Ireland.

Key Takeaways

• 11-year-old Sophia McNamara's rap group Rhyme Island's song "The Spark" gets 8 million views.
• Rhyme Island is a 30-member tween rap group from Cork, created by Kabin Studio and Creative Ireland.
• The song was released for Ireland's national day of children's creativity, Cruinniú na nÓg.
• The music video features kids dancing and rapping, promoting inclusivity and creativity.
• The song's viral success showcases the power of youth creativity and inclusive artistic projects.