Rachel Newton

Singer, harpist and composer Rachel Newton draws on poems and ballads that are hundreds of years old, working them into her contemporary style to create a rich sound that is ambitious, original and unique. Previously awarded Musician of the Year at both the BBC Radio 2 Folk Award and the Scots Trad Music Award, Rachel has had two of her solo albums shortlisted in the Scottish Album of the Year (SAY) Award. She also has a Critics Award for Theatre in Scotland for Best Use of Music and Sound. A skilled collaborator, Rachel is a member of The Furrow Collective, The Lost Words: Spell Songs and more recently a duo project Heal & Harrow with fiddler Lauren MacColl. She has worked across various platforms including theatre and storytelling. To The Awe, Rachel’s latest album, places women at the centre of the narrative, at various stages of life and often marking a coming of age and an acquisition of power. The record is a tribute to the women who have inspired Rachel and is influenced by her recent work around the representation of women in the music industry. 'A striking, pertinent, and entirely enthralling album’ Folk Radio 'One of the standout musicians of her generation…a really distinctive music maker' Mark Radcliffe, BBC Radio 2 'The Sound of Modern Scotland' The Herald 'Haunting and compelling' **** Guardian ‘Breaking new ground as a fresh approach to the tradition’ **** Songlines Magazine