Gabrielle de Val & Robin McAuley | Kiss In A Dragon Night | Live at Firefest 2024

Kiss in a Dragon Night

Live at Firefest 2024 with Robin McAuley

On 13 October 2024, I had the incredible experience of performing at Firefest, held at the Manchester Academy 1. It was already exciting to be part of such a legendary festival, but what made it truly unforgettable was sharing the stage with Robin McAuley to sing Kiss in a Dragon Night together.

This song has had quite a journey. I originally recorded it back in 2011 with my former band The Val, for our album Back. Then, in 2023, I revisited it for my album Kiss in a Dragon Night, released by Escape Music and produced by Khalil Turk. This time, I turned it into a duet – and Robin brought it to life in a way I could have only dreamed of.

We’d joked on social media about how amazing it would be to sing it live together one day. It honestly felt like an impossible dream. But somehow, the stars aligned, and it happened – in front of a fantastic crowd in Manchester.

The energy on stage was something else. I was joined by an incredible band: Gustavo Martín on guitar, José Luis Gallera on bass, Javier "Cozy" Gómez on drums, and Gustavo Di Nobile on keyboards. The connection between all of us – and especially with Robin – made the performance something truly magical.

When I wrote this song back in 2010, I never imagined I’d one day sing it live with the one artist who could truly make it shine alongside me. Life is full of surprises – and this was one I’ll never forget.

The live video was filmed by Bernhard Kellerer & Claudia Kremser, and it means the world to me to be able to share this special moment with you.

Gabrielle de Val