Here are the eight emerging folk artists that we can’t stop listening to right now!
DREUW
‘Nothing’, the latest track by alt-folk artist DREUW, explores how we can turn to broken and failed relationships to try to find our self-worth and in doing so, find our sense of identity slipping away. This is a narrative about breaking away from the belief that you need another person to feel whole and how, in reconnecting with ourselves, we realise that we can feel complete as we are.
Over the course of the track, the momentum builds as DREUW comes to the realisation that we don’t need to search outside of ourselves to feel whole. We don’t need someone else to feel complete because we are wonderful just as we are.
DREUW uses the imagery of the end of winter – the final snowfall and winter skies – to mirror the end of an unhealthy relationship and opens the way for a new, more uplifting phase of life. This is conveyed visually through photography and a stunning music video which is due to be released on Sunday 4th April.
To keep up to date with DREUW’s latest news and music, you can follow him on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Soundcloud and Spotify.
Amy Fitzgerald
London based singer-songwriter, Amy Fitzgerald, has released her captivating second single ‘Falling Star’. It is a stripped back piano ballad which is both nostalgic and melancholic.
The track deals with feeling lost and alone during a period of great uncertainty – “Can anybody see me? Is anybody listening? Can anybody show me the way?” – a feeling that so many will relate to right now.
Amy’s poignant vocals float above the calming piano chords and soothing guitar lines and her bravery in expressing a fear of loneliness reminds us just how important it is to ask for help and support one another.
“I wrote ‘Falling Star’ in lockdown, at a time when I felt very isolated. I think that writing this song helped me to understand how I’d been feeling and start to feel a lot better. The message of this song is that even when you feel totally alone, you never really are, and I hope that it connects with people,” says Amy.
Amy has several more releases planned over the next year so to keep up to date with her latest news and music, you can follow her on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Spotify.
Graham Coe
Indie folk singer-songwriter Graham Coe released his debut single ‘A Moment in Time’ in July 2020 and now he is back with his highly anticipated follow up single ‘Here I Am’.
Coe is a talented songwriter and his latest track is infused with soothing harmonies, yearning folk melodies and a profound sense of vulnerability.
‘Here I Am’ is a choral folk ballad that feels serenely spiritual. The choral harmonies are a nod to Coe’s childhood which was heavily influenced by church music and singing in the idyllic landscape of West Wicklow.
Against the backdrop of enchanting vocal harmonies and a calming acoustic accompaniment, Coe showcases the beautiful tone of his vocals.
Graham has been busy writing and recording and planning to release more original music over the coming year so to keep up to date with his latest news and music, you can follow him on Facebook, Instagram, Soundcloud and Spotify.
Sven Ross
Dutchman Sven Ross was on track to become a primary school teacher when he decided to quit his studies and moved to London in order to immerse himself in the songwriting scene and develop his musical craft.
Now two years on, the Amsterdam-based singer-songwriter has just launched his career with the release of ‘Heart Against the Rocks’, the lead single from his upcoming EP ‘Filled with Gold’.
‘Heart Against The Rocks’ tells a story of diving heart-first into love and the fallout that comes with dealing with the realisation that it is not as beautiful and perfect as you had expected.
Speaking about the meaning behind the track, Sven said: “I set it up as a love story, but to me, it is also a general reminder to keep diving into things, because it is okay to hit your heart sometimes: no one ever found gold without jumping into that river.”
We are very glad that Sven chose to dive into a career as a musician because it has given us this beautiful track full of compelling storytelling, infectious hooks, and emotive vocals.
To keep up to date with Sven’s latest news and music, you can follow him on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Soundcloud and Spotify.
Sleep Walking Animals
Sleep Walking Animals are an indie folk/rock quintet from Manchester, UK. The band is made up of Tom Glynn-Carney (vocals), Joe Etherington (guitar), Jack Brett (bass), Alex Harford (guitar) and Nuwan Hugh Perera (percussion).
Recorded at Abbey Road Studios, London, ‘Wild Folk’ is the second single to be released by SWA in the lead up to their debut EP launch this summer.
The track came to life when the band combined a folk guitar riff by Joe with the poetry of Tom. The poem “was about sacrifice, about death and the sea, vast landscapes and nature”.
‘Wild Folk’ is an accomplished track whose hauntingly heart-felt vocals are layered exquisitely and sit beautifully over the acoustic guitar riffs.
The rise and fall of the enchanting vocals mimic the swell of the sea and the high-pitched background vocals sound like the call of sirens, promising to lure you into an enchanted, dream-like state.
Don’t sleep on this incredibly talented band! Keep up to date with SWA’s latest news and music by following them on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Soundcloud and Spotify.
Liza Weald
Liza Weald is the indie folk-project of the 20-year-old Dutch singer-songwriter Lisa de Bruijn. Last year, she released two singles and now she is back with ‘The Hologram’, the third single of her EP that will be released May 15th.
Liza’s new single follows the story of two lovers who, despite the physical distance between them, feel so deeply connected that their love endures like a hologram.
She hopes her new single will spread the message that love transcends distance and this feels especially relevant given the time we are living through when so many of us are separated from our loved ones.
The song opens with the chimes of a wind gong and then Liza’s vocals come in and take us on a hypnotic journey through the rich soundscape.
The gentle acoustic guitar, rousing trumpet and spell-binding polyphonic vocals sit on top of an electronic foundation of synths and the effect pedals of the trumpet player.
This contrast between the heavy undertones and lighter vibrations is intended to mimic the contrast between night and day, presence and absence.
To keep up to date with Liza’s latest news and music, you can follow her on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Spotify.
Bobbylene
Bobbylene is a folk-pop boyfriend/girlfriend duo made up of Bobby Katz and Marlene McCarthy. They met while they were both studying music at NYU and decided to combine forces and began writing and recording pop- influenced folk music.
With two EPs under their belt, the duo is now back with new single ‘Denver’ – a wistful, indie-folk ballad about a past summer love that draws to a close with the changing of seasons.
The duo’s voices combine perfectly to create gorgeous harmonies that are heartfelt and soothing. Combined with the emotive lyrics and delicate acoustic guitar riffs, the track perfectly captures the bittersweet nature of reminiscing on a lost love that still holds an important place in your heart.
It conveys the highs of love, “Running on love fumes, didn’t need sleep/Couldn’t believe that you wanted me” but also the pain that comes when the relationship ends, “We readied for the great divide/Then you slipped away as fast as summer”.
To keep up to date with Bobbylene’s latest news and music, you can follow them on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Soundcloud and Spotify.
Jonny Morgan
After recording his debut EP ‘A Brief Introduction’ in Nashville, Jonny Morgan, the indie-folk singer-songwriter, spent the majority of 2020 recording his debut album with Miles-Myerscough Harris (Waiting For Smith, Ward Thomas, Stand by Me).
Throughout this year, Jonny plans to release a different track from his upcoming album each month. ‘Fight For Your Love’ is his latest track and the second release from the album.
The track was recorded in Under The Apple Tree studios in rural Oxfordshire on a summer evening in the midst of last year’s July heatwave.
If you listen very closely, you can actually hear a chorus of crickets that were picked up by the room mics as the studio windows stayed open throughout the recording session.
Influenced by artists such as The National, The Lumineers, Hiss Golden Messenger and David Ramirez, Morgan’s new track highlights his talent for writing heartfelt lyrics and setting them to Americana-inflected melodies that are rich with warmth and tenderness. A perfect campfire folk tune!
To keep up to date with Morgan’s latest news and music, you can follow him on Facebook, Instagram, Soundcloud and Spotify.
By Eveline Vouillemin