Jess Kavanagh

Jess Kavanagh (born 1986), also known as Jess Kav, is an Irish musician and activist based in Dublin. She was the lead singer of the musical band BARQ until 2020. Formerly, she was a touring member of The Waterboys and a backing vocalist for the Irish musician Hozier.

Early life and education
Kavanagh grew up in Beaumont, Dublin. Her mother, Liz Kavanagh, was a feminist who played alongside several female vocalists, including Joan Baez and Bonnie Raitt. Kavanagh's father, who died when she was 13, was intermittently part of her life.

She studied at The Institute of Contemporary Music Performance, and studied English, media and cultural studies at the Dún Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology.

Career
Kavanagh first joined as a backing vocalist for a band called Creamy Goodness. BARQ's single "Bear" was a tribute to her mother.