As a part of the Irish-American folk group Solas, Karan Casey defined herself as one of the genre's best, joining the distinguished ranks of fellow female singer/songwriters such as Maire Brennan (Clannad), Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh (Altan), Sharon Shannon, and Karen Matheson (Capercaillie). After leaving Solas in 1999, Casey enjoyed a successful solo career, issuing a string of acclaimed efforts like Distant Shore (2003), Ships in the Forest (2008), and Hieroglyphs That Tell the Tale (2018) that stand at the nexus of contemporary and traditional folk music.