WATCH: Athlone woman's surprise encounter with Grammy-winning star Bon Iver

The last thing Athlone native Lauren Kennedy expected when going for a stroll on a cold February morning was to run into one of her favourite musicians.

However, by a stroke of luck, that's exactly what happened.

While out and about on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, Lauren was asked to participate in a video for the Track Star Show, an American music programme known for its viral online clips.

Lauren was asked to listen to an unreleased song and to 'name the artist' to win money. When the headphones were put on she immediately recognised it as the work of Grammy Award-winning recording artist Bon Iver (otherwise known as Justin Vernon).

In the clip, Lauren shared that she was a "big fan" of the musician - but she didn't yet realise that he was standing next to her.

Bon Iver then revealed himself with Lauren erupting with excitement saying, "Oh my God!" The interaction ended with the pair sharing a hug.

Bon Iver is releasing the new album Sable, Fable this Friday, April 11.

Lauren is based in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, having moved to New York in 2019.

You can watch her encounter with Bon Iver here: