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Portuguese-Swedish Chordophone Collective, Lusitanian Ghosts use ancient Portuguese folk instruments, the Violas Amarantina, Braguesa, Campaniça, Terceira, to write contemporary songs written from a humanist singer-songwriter perspective. Founded by Portuguese-Canadian singer-songwriter Neil Leyton along with Swedish singer-songwriter Mikael Lundin aka Micke Ghost, Lusitanian Ghosts also feature João Sousa on drums, Janne Olson on bass, and chordophone players ToZé Bexiga on the Campaniça and Abel Beja on the Terceira.
The miles we travel make up the stories we tell. The soles of your favorite boots or the tread on your prized car’s tires soak up the experiences and wisdom of the road under your feet. Born in New England, based in Bozeman Montana, singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Madeline Hawthorne pens the kind of tunes you listen to on a cross-country trek to start anew or in the dead of night when you just need a reminder that somebody’s listening. In this respect, her 2024 independent album, Tales From Late Nights & Long Drives, serves as a fitting soundtrack to life’s trip. “It’s the perfect road trip record,” she affirms. “It was mostly written while I was on tour. If the songs were written at home in Montana, I took inspiration from journal entries and memories of my travels. This is me stepping onto the stage with more miles under my boots. I’m giving into the moment and the melody to tell a story. It’s like eleven different versions of me—a woman I could have been, a woman I perhaps thought I was, and a woman I hope to be someday.”
The L.A.-based Filipino American indie folk artist, Malena Cadiz is a lady of the canyon waylaid at a suburban strip mall, acutely aware of how romance shines through even in the moments of grit and desolation. She has released three studio albums & toured the U.S. and Europe. Her work has been featured on "Nancy Drew" (CW), "Lucifer" (Netflix), "REBEL" (ABC) and “BULL” (CBS). NPR compared her to "an earthbound Joanna Newsom, Cadiz has a voice that grabs you within seconds," and her work has been praised by Under The Radar, The Fader, PASTE, Vogue.com, Stereogum and Consequence of Sound.
Known for her deftly acrobatic vocals and powerful storytelling, Mallory Chipman is the rising light of Canada's indie folk-rock scene. Having solidified her reputation across the globe performing in Europe, Asia, and North America, Chipman's tour history and prolific catalogue have solidified her remarkable reputation and garnered comparison to Sarah McLachlan and Feist.
Mama’s Broke is a unique and powerful folk duo that both honours and defies tradition with their original compositions. Two strong voices blend to create haunting harmonies, while they artfully juggle fiddle, banjo, guitar and mandolin, and incorporate traditional dance and foot percussion as part of their performance.
Mar Pujol is a 25-year-old singer-songwriter from Barcelona, Catalonia. A Mediterranean stylistic trace can be sensed in her music, which is often laid on a restful pop, and folk support. An earthly and ethereal proposal driven by the simplicity and rawness of a voice and a classical guitar.
Louisiana native and ninth-generation Creole artist Marcella Simien was practically born on stage. Simien’s career includes collaborations on notable projects, including her contribution to the GRAMMY-winning Dockside Sessions and involvement in Disney Park’s Tiana’s Bayou Adventure amusement ride.Marcella’s sound is an evolution from her former project, Marcella & Her Lovers, where she pioneered “Psychedelic Swamp Soul Music”—a fusion of Memphis soul and New Orleans funk.
Marta Pereira da Costa is the World’s first woman to play Portuguese Guitar professionally in Fado. The Portuguese guitar is well associated with Fado, and Marta, not forgetting her roots and tradition, risked new sounds and gives her instrument a voice in the world of Jazz, World Music and Portuguese Music. In 2014 she was distinguished by the Amália Rodrigues Foundation with the “Instrumentalist Award”.
"Americana Queen" (Vice/Noisey) Mary Bragg has been heralded by Rolling Stone and NPR for her “gorgeously crafted and executed songs.” Nashville-based and originally from Swainsboro, Georgia, Bragg’s “exquisite vocal performances” (Folk Alley) pair well with her “refined, sumptuously melancholy take on Southern storytelling” (World Cafe). Her latest EP, Tie Me to You, follows her 2022 self-titled album which catalogues the painful yet relieving story of her coming out. “As we listen, we live her pain alongside her. We feel with her the tentativeness of moving forward, acknowledging regret, and grasping hope.” (Folk Alley)
Maryna Krut (pronounced “kroot”) is a Ukrainian singer and virtuoso of the bandura, a stringed instrument unique to Ukraine that looks and sounds like a hybrid of lute and harp. At 28, Maryna Krut is an assured performing artist; her compelling, soulful performances evoke both folk traditions and modern sensibilities, with pop and jazz flourishes. A Eurovision finalist, she often represents Ukraine at official events and performs for soldiers in the current war zone, and she has appeared at the Edinburgh International Culture Summit, Andalucia Big Festival, Montreal Ukrainian Festival, and on other international stages.
Singer/Songwriter Max Gomez grew up in Taos, New Mexico, where he fell under the influence of country blues early on and developed a songwriting style that was uniquely his. He received critical acclaim upon the release of his debut album Rule The World (2013, New West Records); and his subsequent EP, Me and Joe (2017, Brigadoon Records), contained a freshly minted classic, “Make It Me,” which has gained over 4 million listeners on Spotify alone. As a budding performer, Max apprenticed in the rarefied musical micro-climate of northern New Mexico, where troubadours like Michael Martin Murphey and Ray Wylie Hubbard helped foster a Western folk sound both cosmic and country. He has shared billing on hundreds of stages with stalwarts like James McMurtry, Buddy Miller, John Hiatt, Patty Griffin, Tommy James & The Shondells, Chris Isaak, Jeff Beck, and Johnny Depp. Judging by the company he keeps, Gomez is poised to emerge as a prominent voice of Americana’s next generation. The forthcoming album, Memory Mountain, will release the fall of 2024.
Medusa Quartet is reimagining the Western string quartet. By inviting back forgotten fiddles from all over the globe, Medusa tempts us to redefine what is beautiful. Through their personal narratives the band tells the story of bringing back what has been cast out. Marta Solek and Saskia Tomkins resurrect the Suka, the Plock fiddle, and the Nyckelharpa - near-forgotten traditional folk fiddles with disreputable connotations that were rejected for centuries in their home countries of Poland and Sweden. Their immediate and electrifying connection is transmuted through a common string language, a love of enigmatic and obscure folk fiddles, and their personal stories of navigating society’s liminal spaces.
Multi-award winning singer songwriter Mel Parsons is one of New Zealand’s most beloved touring acts. The 2020 Folk Artist of the Year is most at home on stage - her live shows are tight and compelling, with spellbinding harmonies and killer hooks entrancing from the first note. “Immaculate renditions of immaculate songs…Mel Parsons and her band are world class” - music.net "Sabotage is pure triumph" - Rolling Stone AU 4 stars.
Award-winning flutist and bansuri player, Lara Wong and flamenco guitarist, Melón Jiménez, make flamenco their universal musical language to traverse musical territories. Their music ebbs and flows with elegance and emotive power, as they fuse the soul of flamenco with the inventive spirit of jazz and the rhythmic improvisations of Indian music. In a dynamic and constant dialogue between cultures, Melon & Lara takes audiences on a musical journey of dynamic compositions and vivid improvisation. Dazzling flamenco guitar riffs, mystical bansuri melodies, and colourful flute improvisations come together in this truly singular musical voyage.
New Orleans native Mia Borders is a renowned singer-songwriter who has captivated audiences with her soulful voice and electrifying performances. Her critically acclaimed releases showcase powerful vocals, thoughtful songwriting, and a dynamic presence. Her catalogue includes three EPs, six LPs, and five singles - all released under her label, Blaxican Records.
Mia Kelly is a singer-songwriter from Gatineau, Quebec, who writes and performs in both French and English. Kelly enthralls listeners with a distinctive blend of Folk, Rock, and Blues and is making her mark in the Canadian folk music scene. Recently awarded Young Performer of the Year and Emerging Artist of the Year at the 2024 Canadian Folk Music Awards, Kelly is swiftly gaining recognition as a poetic lyricist with a powerful and versatile voice. With her knack for adapting the stories of the people she has connected with in her life, Mia is an imaginative storyteller who channels her raw and vulnerable emotions through her expertly crafted songs. Her 2022 debut album, Garden Through the War, explored themes of resilience and growth that follow hardship. The album received recognition from the SOCAN Foundation. Kelly was awarded the Emerging Artist of the Year by Culture Outaouais, and represented Canada as a finalist at the 2023 Jeux De La Francophonie in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Mikhail Laxton is an Indigenous Australian Artist , now a Permanent Resident of Canada. His full-length debut album "Mikhail Laxton" released world-wide in August 2023 and received substantial Press and Radio Airplay across the world. A little Amos Lee, a little Chris Stapleton mixed in for good measure!
Mimi O’Bonsawin is a contemporary roots singer-songwriter Born in Northeastern Ontario. Through her rhythm and story-driven songs, Mimi embraces the beauty of the land, all the while yielding to her Franco-Ontarian and Abenaki roots (Odanak First-Nation). The ethereal quality of her music whisks you away with uplifting melodies and introspective lyrics that weave pop sensibilities with acoustic instruments. The layers of percussion and surprising harmonies make you feel the music rather than just hear it.
Latin Grammy winning, multiple Latin Grammy and Grammy nominee vocalist, musician, composer, producer, arranger and founder of Flor de Toloache – NY’s only all women mariachi. Mireya embodies all of her musical influences whether classical, mariachi, salsa, merengue or hip-hop, always creating a unique and refreshing sound. Her versatility, natural improvisational skills and beautiful tone has made her one of the top Latin artists in New York City.
Mountain Grass Unit consists of three Birmingham pickers, Drury Anderson (mandolin and vocals), Luke Black (acoustic guitar and banjo), and Sam Wilson (upright bass). Mountain Grass Unit has played music festivals, private functions and multiple music venues, playing bluegrass tunes and adding a bluegrass touch to country, jazz, funk, rock, and even metal.
The multiple award-winning singer Mélisande revisits her repertoire with a traditional Québécois sound on the album Rembobine (Rewind), surrounded by four seasoned musicians. With her infectious energy and engaging stage presence, Mélisande gets the crowd dancing and singing wherever she goes!
Political, outspoken and passionate, Nano Stern is praised by folk legend Joan Baez as “the best young Chilean songwriter of his generation”. Armed with his virtuoso guitar and his staggering vocals, Stern is skilled across a range of instruments and languages and unites his talents to create a sound both utterly fresh and relevant. His performances take you on a journey in which the folk roots from his native Chile are combined with contemporary sounds to create a unique musical experience.
Moody Melbourne creator, Nat Vazer, is known for her haunting stories and sonic landscapes that weave between indie-rock and dream-pop, building on the folk tradition of storytelling through song. Latest album 'Strange Adrenaline' has been nominated for Best Independent Pop Album 2024 at the AIR Awards, debuted at #15 on the ARIA charts and nominated for the 2023 Australian Music Prize. This past year has seen Vazer perform at SXSW Austin, New Colossus Festival (New York City), WFNM in Los Angeles, and Brisbane’s iconic BIGSOUND. She has also supported #1 Dads, Vacations, Last Dinosaurs, The Magic Numbers, Ian Moss (Cold Chisel), Lime Cordiale and has joined the festival line ups of Kyneton Music Festival, St Kilda Festival, Changes and more. Latest singles ‘Strange Adrenaline’, ‘Rumours’ and ‘Born’ - as premiered on Los Angeles’ KCRW, Triple J and Under The Radar - are a snapshot of the new sophomore record, with early comparisons to the likes of BoyGenius, Mitski, Big Thief, Phoebe Bridgers, Julia Jacklin, Julien Baker, Snail Mail & Alex G. The new ‘Strange Adrenaline’ brings Vazer into the dawn of a new era, delving deeper into the kaleidoscopic sounds and heart-stopping stories of the young songwriter and her expanding ritual of building worlds through song.
Progressive Americana group Nefesh Mountain Band has been one of the formative boundary-pushing ensembles in roots music, blurring lines between Bluegrass, Jazz and Blues with a masterful hand as songwriters and instrumentalists alike. Their music embodies their wild nature and unbridled free spirits, bridging compositional prowess with deft instrumentals & jams.
Joe Newberry and April Verch showcase tunes, ballads, step dancing, and original songs by way of Canada's Ottawa Valley and the Ozarks. With beautiful harmony singing, breathtaking instrumentals, and exquisite dancing, these two singular musicians hit the stage in perfect rhythm, making audiences remember why this music existed in the first place.
Niamh Bury is one of the most exciting new voices on the Irish folk scene, nominated for ‘Best Emerging Artist at the RTE Folk Awards in her first few months out. Her debut album, Yellow Roses released March 2024 quickly stirred hearts and received wide critical acclaim, with Irish Times christening her Ireland’s "most interesting new star" and Mojo magazine quoted “prepare to be transported". Bury’s richly-textured folk sound and expressionistic storytelling has led her to share stages with Ye Vagabonds, Dermot Kennedy, Martin Hayes - she’s a folk act on the rise, and not to be missed. Bury’s debut album ‘Yellow Roses’ centres around ideas of womanhood, folklore and memory. She has recorded her work with RTE Concert Orchestra and is one of the first artists in two decades to sign with Ireland’s most culturally important label, Claddagh Records – confirming her position as a vital new voice in Irish folk. Strongly rooted in the Irish folk scene, she is a chief organiser of the iconic traditional singing session ‘The Night Before Larry Got Stretched’, whose founders include members of Lankum and Landless. Bury has undertaken residencies at Greywood Arts Centre in Co. Cork (2021/2023), The Tyrone Guthrie Centre at Annaghmakerrig (2023) and Dranouter Centrum in Flanders, Belgium (2023), and just completed a very successful debut headline Irish and English tour with sold out shows in Belfast, Kilkenny, Norwich and Dublin - selling out Main Room Whelan's. An impressive feat for an artists first ever tour!
OMIRI is one of the most original projects to reinvent Portuguese music. To reinvent tradition, nothing better than bringing the real players of Portuguese culture to the show itself; musicians and soundscapes from all over Portugal playing and singing as if they were part of the same universe. Not in flesh and blood but in sound and image, with video field recordings manipulated in order to serve as a musical base for Vasco Ribeiro Casais's composition and improvisation. OMIRI is, above all, remix, the culture of the 21st century, mixing in one show already forgotten musical practices, making them permeable and accessible to the culture of our day, synchronising forms and music of Portuguese rural tradition with the language of the urban culture.
Hailing from the deep south of regional Australia, Oceanique combines close harmonies, wonder and warm melodies leaving you with the feeling of staring up at a big blue country sky. Twin sisters Maddy and Jess craft music rich in the folk storytelling tradition with seamless blood harmonies and reflective lyrics.
Awarded numerous awards (JUNO, CFMA…), Oktopus is a major presence on the Canadian world music scene, with over 250 performances to its credit at home and abroad. The group is primarily devoted to klezmer distinguished by a novel approach that incorporates various components of the classical and Quebecois repertoire, with some jazz and Balkan accents. The eight virtuoso musicians offer festive, high-energy performances, at once melancholic and profound, sprinkled with humour and spiced with narrative, in which original compositions and finely crafted arrangements combine with improvisation. Its members’ complicity, shared passion, and hard work are what makes each of their performances so memorable—whether on stage, in the street, on a ship, in a hot air balloon or in your living room, Oktopus is simply… spectentacular!
Olive Klug's debut LP ranges from a playful Americana romp about “watching all the rules disintegrate” to folk-punk anthem “Coming of Age”, which somehow manages to reference both pop singer Taylor Swift and existential philosopher Kierkegaard in one song, to “Parched”’s haunting modern ballad about a doomed relationship, to an indie rock closer about learning to take up space as a person with a marginalized identity. Through this no-holds-barred documentation of the struggles of their early adulthood, Klug embraces all their inner contradictions with reckless abandon. 2024 finds Olive in Nashville, attempting to stabilize after a 3-year whirlwind of viral niche internet-fame, nonstop touring, and music industry naïveté. Olive’s social work background grounds them in community, a word they keep coming back to when ego proves unfulfilling. After attending Folk Alliance International for the last two years, Olive is excited to solidify themselves as a fixture of the greater folk community and return to what inspires them the most about music; the catharsis and social change that is possible when people come together and share themselves through song.
Komahcheet is a multidisciplinary creative whose work spans within spaces of music, visual media and immersive art experiences. Collectively intertwining a multitude of soundscapes in studio and often integrating alternative art pop and experimental indie-tronica live, Olivia has worked with top brands Instagram, Ableton, Walrus Audio, Beatclub, Brooks Running, Square Register, PBS and many more with original music being married to films screened on Netflix, Shudder TV and film festivals worldwide.
RTE Folk Awards nominee Padraig Jack will release his second album in Autumn 2024. A native of the the Aran islands in the Irish speaking Gaeltacht, a place that has produced the writers Liam O’Flaithearta, Máirtín Ó’Direáin and Breandán Ó’hEithir, Padraig is proudly bilingual both as a conversationalist and a songwriter and writes and sings meaningful songs on guitar and piano in Irish Gaelic and English. With influences from James Taylor and The Eagles to Van Morrison, Sinead O’Connor and Richard Thompson, Padraig appreciates strong songwriting with a distinct point of view. Padraig Jack provides a totally engaging performance which comprises a series of moments which are supported by his disarming charm, whit, perspectives on society, Irish history and of course top quality songs in both English and Irish. Padraig delivers his well crafted songs with a quality voice and is supported by a band which included Anthony Thistlethwaite of the Saw Doctors (founding member of The Waterboys no less). Audiences are guided through his set with appropriate background stories of his songs which provide extra context but also really show who the artist is and make it an thoroughly intimate show. Having demonstrated his songwriting bona fides with his critically acclaimed debut ‘Making Sand’ (named ‘RTE Album of the Week’) and garnered an RTE Folk Award nomination for ‘Best Original Song’ (Making Sand), Padraig again teams up with producer John Reynolds (Sinead O’Connor, Damien Dempsey) and his occasional co-writing partner Barry Ronan as well as Anthony Thistlethwaite.
Pete Muller has spent much of his adult life walking a tightrope between two different vastly different worlds. “One part of me is a very practical, analytical thinker,” says the gifted singer/songwriter and innovative business leader, “and the other is this creative artist who can’t help but express what’s going on in his soul. For a long time, I thought I had to choose between the two, but I’ve realized that I can love both sides of myself, that it’s AND, not OR.”
Canadian-American songwriter Rachael Kilgour presents her heartfelt new release, My Father Loved Me. The album was recorded in her late father’s native Ontario and was produced by JUNO-award winning and Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Rose Cousins. In the spare and often gutting language for which she is known, Kilgour gives us a complex portrait of a man seen through his daughter’s eyes. The record poses questions about belonging, inheritance, and grief and triumphantly affirms the value of one ordinary working man’s life. On stage Kilgour expertly balances her poignant, literate songs with a quick wit, landing somewhere between a comedy special and a funeral. Listeners can expect to laugh, weep, and reflect on their own relationships with fatherhood, mortality and grief. Kilgour was the 2015 Grand Prize Winner of the NewSong Music Competition and a 2017 Kerrville New Folk Contest Winner, and has been featured at NYC’s Lincoln Center and The Kennedy Center in Washington DC. Her oft-noted “unapologetic lyrics” (Rolling Stone) and “master crafted indie folk” sensibilities (Billboard) are on full display in this latest collection of delicately woven songs.
RACHAEL SAGE & THE SEQUINS, led by singer-songwriter/multi-instrumentalist, poet and visual artist Rachael Sage, have shared stages with Ani DiFranco, Rufus Wainwright, Shawn Colvin, and duet partner Judy Collins. Fueled by vibrant storytelling, innovative creativity and social activism, Sage and her band have toured globally from Japan to Berlin.
Rachel Maxann is a performer who loves to bend genres with her style. In her lifetime she has traveled around the world singing, creating memories that inspire her songwriting. Each new space has allowed her to grow while experimenting with different styles of the culture. Rachel has been happy to create roots in Memphis and continues to share her musical tapestry of goth-folk, blues, soul and rock.
Rafael Witt is a Singer-Songwriter from Brazil, who captures the essence of American and English Folk and Pop Music and mixes it with the Brazilian multicultural essence. Rafael is a multi instrumentalist and a polyglot. Has successfully toured Brazil and Europe and soon will release his debut album. Aiming on an international career, his lyrics are mostly in English and he's gathered a great following in Brazil, South America and Europe. North America is yet to be explored!
Award-winning Indie-folk band Ranagri draw crowds from around the world with their captivating live performances and exceptional musicianship. Their anthemic, cinematic storytelling and instrumentals has touched audience across the UK and Europe, from Cambridge Folk Festival to Cropredy, Montelago Festival (Italy), Ibiza, Germany and Portugal. They have 3 highly acclaimed albums on Stockfisch Records.
"RETIMBRAR is a vigorous movement performed by an 8-piece collective, based in Porto. Inspired by the country's musical traditions, TugaBeat is the name they give to their sound - Portuguese beats and songs, made new. Deeply rooted in the diversity of national folklore, popular poetry and orality, chanting and percussive elements."
Ron Sexsmith has built a steadfast reputation with critics and with some of his own songwriting hero’s (Elton John, Ray Davies, John Prine, Gordon Lightfoot, Leonard Cohen and Paul McCartney) for his characteristically honest, sensitive, and enduring approach to the songwriting craft. Ron has released albums on a consistent basis since 1995 and has recorded with noted producers Mitchell Froom, Daniel Lanois, Steve Earle, Jim Scott, Don Kerr, Brad Jones, Bob Rock, and Martin Terefe. His extensive song and album catalog has garnered Sexsmith a substantive cult following and an international touring career. His early years of touring included opening for established artists such as, John Hiatt, Elvis Costello, Sarah McLaughlin, Squeeze, Aimee Mann, Coldplay, Nick Lowe, John Prine, Lucinda Williams and many others. His songs as well, have been covered by the likes of Rod Stewart, Nick Lowe, Emmy Lou Harris, Feist, and Michael Buble to name a few. In the past few decades as a headlining artist, Ron has performed at some of the most prestigious venues in the world, such as Massey Hall, Royal Albert Hall, and Carnegie Hall. In 2017, Ron penned his first novel ‘Deer Life, A Fairy Tale’ published worldwide by Dundurn Press Limited. He has written a ‘yet to be released’ complete musical score to accompany the tale, for his vision to bring the story to the stage as musical theatre or adapt to film. Ron currently lives in Perth County, Ontario with his wife, his piano, and his vinyl record collection and continues to be inspired to write, record and perform live worldwide.
JUNO Award Nominees, Rum Ragged, take a bold approach to the distinct folk music of their home, the Eastern Canadian island of Newfoundland. With a reverence for their roots and a creative, contemporary edge, this young band has quickly become known as the finest performers of their great, living, musical tradition. Boasting bouzouki, fiddle, bodhran, banjo, guitar, and button accordion, these new champions of East Coast music enliven and enlighten audiences with their signature brand of Newfoundland folk. Always honest, thought-provoking, and often humorous, it’s Rum Ragged’s live show that makes them a fast favourite with any audience. Their combination of striking vocal harmonies, staggering musicianship, and captivating storytelling gives concert-goers an experience they won’t soon forget. Since their inception in 2016, Rum Ragged has maintained a rigorous tour schedule, performing at some of the world’s premier folk, celtic and roots venues all while managing to record four acclaimed, award-winning studio albums. Rum Ragged is not your run-of-the-mill folk band, they are the genuine article.
Sam Robbins is often described as an "old soul singer songwriter." A nationally touring musician whose music evokes classic singer songwriters like James Taylor and Jackson Browne, Sam adds a modern, upbeat edge to the storyteller troubadour persona. An avid performer, he has gained recognition from extensive national touring, as one of the six 2021 winners of the Kerrville Folk Festival New Folk competition, and as one of the four Falcon Ridge Folk Festival’s “Most Wanted” in 2023. Leading songwriting workshops and exciting performances across the country, Sam Robbins has gained a reputation as one of the brightest rising stars in the national folk music community.
Sara Curruchich is a Guatemalan singer-songwriter and Maya Kaqchikel activist. Known for blending traditional Maya music with contemporary genres, through her art she amplifies and emanates joy and dignity, while addressing issues of social justice, the connection to historical memory, the uplifting of indigenous women's voices, and the preservation of indigenous languages.
GRAMMY Award – nominated artist SaulPaul has garnered an international reputation as a musician with a message. Part rapper/part singer-songwriter, SaulPaul is an entertaining artist who blends his voice, his guitar, and his loop pedal to create a live show that is nothing less than an experience. SaulPaul shares his art with his heart and has been inspiring audiences through his music. From performing at three TEDx Talks, five Super Bowls, America’s Got Talent, SXSW, the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and Austin City Limits, SaulPaul has performed nationally and internationally in theaters, concert venues and festivals across the country.
Sauljaljui is an indigenous vocalist from southern Taiwan, known for her heartfelt renditions of traditional Paiwan indigenous melodies and Hengchun folk songs. Accompanied by the Moon Lute, she blends these ancient tunes with world music influences, creating a distinctive style marked by her captivating vocals. Both of Sauljaljui's albums have been nominated for Golden Melody Awards, highlighting her talent and dedication to preserving cultural heritage through music. She has performed at renowned festivals worldwide and collaborated with international artists like Deep Forest and Daniel Ho, all while staying true to her philosophy of 'Finding A Way Home Through Music.'
Memphis-based singer-songwriter, Savannah Brister, has a stunning way of grabbing her audience’s attention and commanding the hearts of everyone who hears her. With her powerful vocals and emotional songwriting, she resonates with everyone in the crowd and makes them feel welcome with her quirky personality. She got a chance to be a part of NBC’s show, ’The Voice’ at the beginning of 2019 and scored a spot on John Legend’s team. Her other accomplishments include winning an HMMA award for her song, “Dear World” and amassing multiple awards for her single, “Feelings.” Don’t miss out on hearing this young performer share her heart and soul; she will be sure to leave you wanting more.
7th generation ballad singer, storyteller and musician Sheila Kay Adams is a national treasure. A native of a rural Appalachian mountain community renowned for its unbroken tradition of unaccompanied ballad singing, her artistry conveys a powerful sense of family and place. The audience is invited to a front porch experience, hearing the songs and stories that are guaranteed to transport the listener to a different time and place.
At 3 million+ streams across all platforms, Montreal-based queer, trans non-binary, Indigenous pop singer/songwriter, Siibii, has emerged onto the national music scene with their stunning vocals, catchy acoustic pop melodies and a growing catalogue that has been capturing audiences at a rapid pace.
Skye Consort & Emma Björling perform trans-Atlantic arrangements of songs and tunes from Sweden, Norway, Ireland, Scotland, England, Québec, Acadia, the USA, as well as original compositions. Each musician brings their own individual interpretation to these traditions to create an extraordinary collaboration, consisting of voices, fiddle, nyckelharpa, cello, bouzouki, banjo, and percussion. Together they produce an assortment of whirling polskas, moving reels, passionate love songs, and breathtaking hymns and songs.
Stefan was born and raised around Fort Worth, Texas, and has been performing for 30 years across the United States and Europe. Stefan's sound is a rustic and approachable blend of Americana, folk, and roots. Audiences comment that his lyrics are stark and sincere, with a dynamic and distinctive voice.
Described by Nashville Scene as the artist “carrying the banner for a new generation of folk musicians”, Stella’s goal is to bring folk music to a new generation. She recently made history as the youngest performer at this year’s Tin Pan South. This past year has been a breakthrough for Stella. In the past six months, Stella scored her first #1 song with “Dear Future Me”, was invited to perform a showcase at Showing Roots, Ireland’s Folk Conference, finished a sold-out tour of the UK, where she was the youngest performer in history to headline multiple venues, sold out Nashville’s legendary Bluebird Cafe, was invited to perform in the prestigious Song Suffragettes showcase, was featured on WSM Radio’s “Coffee, Country, and Cody” with Kelly Sutton and Bill Cody, FOX’s “Rock and Review”, CBS’s “Talk of the Town”, and NBC’s “Today in Nashville” to promote her new EP. Stella’s EP was named one of the “Best Albums of 2024” by No Depression. The lead single off the EP, “Two Faced”, which shot to #2 on the NACC Folk Charts, is the only standalone single to reach this milestone.
It might’ve even been last night, but Steve Poltz just played the greatest show of his life. Guess what? The next show will be even greater, making that show the greatest show of his life. Are you starting to notice a trend? He isn’t shy about it either. Even after most likely thousands of shows (but who’s counting?), he hits the stage with the same amount of energy and always makes sure to declare, “This is the greatest show of my life.” It’s why he’s quietly emerged as the kind of live phenomenon celebrated passionately by a diehard fanbase worldwide and renowned as a festival favorite everywhere from Bluesfest in Byron Bay and High Sierra Music Festival in California and Telluride Bluegrass Festival in Colorado to Cayamo Cruise (where he actually got married). It’s why his music has crept into pop culture via collaborations with everyone from Jewel and Billy Strings to Molly Tuttle, Sierra Hull, Nicki Bluhm, Oliver Wood, and even the late Mojo Nixon. It’s why after over a dozen albums, he’s still creatively firing on all cylinders and critically acclaimed by the likes of Rolling Stone, Associated Press, Billboard, and many more. Nevertheless, the next gig will be the greatest show for him (and maybe for you too)…
BILLBOARD-charting Sultans of String is a fiercely independent band that has always tried to lift up those around them and has exposed many of their collaborators and special guests to new audiences at their shows, including at JUNOfest, NYC’s legendary Birdland Jazz Club, Celtic Connections Festival, and London’s Trafalgar Square. Led by Queen’s Diamond Jubilee recipient McKhool, these 3x JUNO Award nominees and 6x CFMA winners have collaborated with orchestras across North America and have played live on CBC’s Canada Live, BBC TV, Irish National Radio, and SiriusXM in Washington. They have recorded and performed with such diverse luminaries as Paddy Moloney & The Chieftains, Sweet Honey in The Rock, Richard Bona, Alex Cuba, Ruben Blades, Benoit Bourque, and Béla Fleck. Their work during the pandemic on The Refuge Project amplified the voices of new immigrants and refugees, earning them CFMAs and Best Musical Film at the Cannes World Film Festival. Sultans of String have just released an epic album, in the spirit of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 94 Calls to Action and Final Report that calls for Indigenous and non-Indigenous artists to work together to find a path forward. Called WALKING THROUGH THE FIRE, this trail-blazing album and live concert is a powerful collection of collaborations between the roots group and First Nations, Métis, and Inuit artists from across Turtle Island.
A son of the melancholic eastern fjords and the seldom seen north of Iceland, the gruff, yet gentle Troubadour Svavar Knútur has in recent years blossomed into a serene and sublime singer and songwriter. , In perfect harmony with his vocation as a lifelong nonconformist, Svavar Knútur strives to dismantle myths and post-colonial gentle-savage stereotypes about his “elfish and magical” people and country, seeking a deeper truth through the exploration of language and melody. Knutur's songs of misery and redemption aim to deliver a healthy dose of hope in the midst of despair. Drawing upon a wide range of influences, Svavar Knutur's most governing ones are without doubt Nick Drake, Will Oldham (Bonnie Prince Billy) and Kris Kristofferson, although such artists as Leonard Cohen, Cat Stevens, Joni MItchell, Nick Cave and many more singer/songwriters have contributed to the troubadour's development. Svavar has released five solo albums over his career, featuring collaborations with Czech singer/songwriter Marketa Irglóvá, Norwegian singer Helene Bøksle, English folk legend Lucy Ward and Canadian folkies Adyn Townes and Irish Mythen, along with some Icelandic fellow artists. Svavar Knútur’s albums have resonated well with his steadily growing of community. In 2024, Svavar Knútur finished his Ahoy album, with the release of Ahoy! side B, the counterpart of Ahoy! side A, released in 2018s. An eclectic mix of songs, all exposing different sides of Svavar's sometimes mercurial, but ever loving attitude to life and the world. Side A landed Svavar Knútur two nominations for the Icelandic Music Awards, one for Best album and one for Singer of the year. The Ahoy! full LP is also the final chapter of a 15 year project, exploring the vastness of grief. Svavar Knútur’s album art has been a collaboration with his young daughter Dagbjört Lilja, an ever developing series of portraits of the artist, exploring the stages of the journey.
TE KAAHU is an award-winning alt folk project from New Zealand. TE KAAHU's signature sound sees angelic vocals and harmonies front and centre, wrapped in a warm nostalgic instrumentation that nods to a bygone era. Lyrically the messages are of love, peace, healing, and hope and audiences can expect to be taken to soaring heights and devastating depths. TE KAAHU’s critically debut album won the prestigious Taite Prize for ‘Best Independent Debut’ in 2023 and has been nominated for every major music award in NZ. Although delivered entirely the Māori language, TE KAAHU is living proof that music is truly an international language. The band has toured extensively throughout NZ and has also performed at Calgary Folk Festival, Folk on the Rocks in Yellowknife, and Lightning In A Bottle in California.
With the rise of Americana in the UK, these seasoned performers have come together to create Blŵgras, uniquely their own, with influences from Wales, Scotland, England and Canada. Taff Rapids bring their skills around the mic in Bluegrass tradition, with modern progression, quick dynamic pickin', English & Welsh Language and lush harmonies. With an album coming out in 2024, and touring through Europe and the UK to back it, these 4 are making waves everywhere they go. Last years attendance of the IBMA in North Caroline and a tour in Canada showed the demand for the band in North America, and they have plans for upcoming tours to bring them back. They started the band to bring bluegrass sounds to the pubs of Wales, and to this day host the capitals ONLY regular bluegrass event - Stringband Sundays at a Welsh Brewery.
As fiddle player for the Avett Brothers, Grammy-winning founder of The Duhks, accompanist for Mary Gauthier and as a session player, Tania Elizabeth has spent two decades shaping the arc of modern-day roots music. Her new album, Storm Season, weaves the themes of activism into the music, continuing the folk tradition of protest songs but in a lush new format, her multi-instrumentalist chops combined with masterful performances by her collaborators. On a record stacked with appearances by roots-music luminaries, though, it’s Tania Elizabeth’s star that shines the brightest. She writes honestly and poignantly about the bad weather in her life, ultimately finding comfort in her own resilience. It’s the sound of a lifelong musician who’s making a return to centerstage, armed with the most compelling music of her career.
Canadian singer/songwriter Tara MacLean is an internationally renowned and award winning recording and touring artist. She’s written and recorded 8 solo albums and two with her band Shaye. She recently received the Senate of Canada medal for her work in her community as well as the SOCAN songwriter of the year award. She released her first book in 2023, Song of the Sparrow with HarperCollins, as well as the corresponding soundtrack. It was an instant best seller. A playwright, author, poet and a mother to her three girls, Tara resides in her home province of PEI and Salt Spring Island BC.
Bad ideas, hairy dogs, crumbling factories, fast food, questionable tattoos - all are fair game for award-winning Nova Scotian funeral director-turned-songwriter Terra Spencer. Raised on the mud banks of the Avon River, she charms audiences with her butterscotch voice, crackling wit, and wood-paneled warmth. Every show is a knee-to-knee conversation with a natural storyteller.
A bluegrass powerhouse featuring rich vocal harmonies, killer picking, and a fun-loving, down-to-earth stage presence, The Barrel Boys are a unique staple of Canadian roots music. Informed by the deep traditions of bluegrass, country, old-time, and Americana, The Boys have crafted their unmistakable sound into a joyful and deeply soulful musical experience.
The Brother Brothers are the indie folk duo of Adam and David Moss. The identical twins were born and raised in Peoria, Illinois and originally based in Brooklyn, but have been ultimately and profoundly shaped by a life surrounded by travel and the web of community worldwide. They are the kind of people who have a story about everything, and moreso, one you might genuinely like to hear. They released their newest album, The January Album, in April of 2024
The Cody Sisters band is the very heart of contemporary acoustic Folk and Bluegrass music in Colorado, the United States and the UK. Their propulsive instrumental solos and warm harmonies combine to grip the listener. Along with their bass player Will Pavilonis, sisters Megan (guitar, mandolin, vocals) and Maddie (guitar, banjo, vocals) have forged a new sound that has no equivalent match in the acoustic world today.
JUNO Award-winners, The East Pointers, are redefining the ever-evolving genre – modern folk – with dancefloor-shaking, ceiling-rattling, electro-trad breakdowns, and a glorious combination of folk, pop, and dance music. Already internationally acknowledged as musical trailblazers, their latest EPs House Of Dreams and Safe In Sound capture the furious energy of their live shows and push the boundaries of East Coast folk while lighting a path for a new generation of music lovers.
Is it bluegrass? Not usually. Old-time? Occasionally. Is it Celtic? Can’t quite say that. Is it Folk? Americana? Jazz? Singer-songwriter? None of the above, but members of the Paws have deep ties to all of these traditions and blend their elements effortlessly to serve whatever musical idea is being presented.
The Fugitives are an acoustic folk-roots group based out of Vancouver, headed by songwriters Adrian Glynn and Brendan McLeod. They’re joined by banjo player Chris Suen (Viper Central) and violinist Carly Frey (The Coal Porters). Over their first six albums, they’ve amassed a JUNO nomination, numerous CFMA and WCMA nominations, and toured extensively through Canada, Europe, and the UK. Performance highlights include most major Canadian folk festivals, a slot at Glastonbury, and a tour opening for Buffy Sainte-Marie. In 2020, the band created “Ridge”, a WW1-centered theatre show, which was named a Globe & Mail “Top Arts Pick of the Year”, and has toured to over 30 theatres across Canada. The band has earned a reputation for unforgettable live shows, brimming with complex harmonies, infectious storytelling and top-notch musicianship. As the CBC has it: “This show is simply brilliant.”
Transatlantic folk band The Magpies are quickly becoming one of the most exciting acts on the UK roots scene. Combining sublime harmonies with exquisite musicianship and songwriting, Bella Gaffney (banjo, vocals), Holly Brandon (fiddle, vocals) and Ellie Gowers (guitar, vocals) effortlessly meld Anglo and American traditions. Their latest album - Undertow - has been exceptionally well -received, garnering a quarter of a million streams on Spotify, a place in the Official Folk Chart Top 40 and a live session on BBC Radio 2. The trio have toured extensively, with UK festival highlights including Glastonbury, Cambridge and Shambala and internationally in USA, Canada and Europe. ‘Effervescent’ - The Sunday Times ‘Great players’ - BBC Radio 2
At the heart of great songwriting is great storytelling. For The North Sound, songs are a declaration of joy, a hallmark of yearning, and a tender tale of honesty. Yet amidst the rawness, trials and tribulations, there are notes of hope and happiness. This is the duo at their best: Sharing stories in the way they know how.
The Once is a modern indie folk trio from Newfoundland. They have collected a trio of Canadian folk Music Awards, numerous ECMA awards, were named Artist of the Year by the Newfoundland & Labrador Arts Council and have earned not one, but two JUNO nominations for best Roots/Traditional album.
With soaring harmonies, The Pairs share stories of life’s hope, hilarity, and hardship. Their quirky stage presence and unbottled chemistry quickly connect them with their audience. The line between the stage and the crowd becomes blurred as if we’ve all pulled up a seat around their family’s lively kitchen table.
Go see a live show with The Pinkerton Raid, and songwriter Jesse James DeConto might share stories about the history and architecture of his native New England, or forest legends from the Nordic region, or Broadway-showtunes-turned-football-fight-songs from Liverpool. It’s all quite beatnik and granola, steeped in the mysticism of STAR WARS and Celtic lore, the existentialism of Kerouac, the naturalism of THE LORD OF THE RINGS, Standing Rock and Laurel Canyon, and the liberation politics of Woody Guthrie, Karl Marx and Black Lives Matter. There is a fair number of songs about trees. “A fine blend of Beatles-esque dreamy folk,” says AMERICANA HIGHWAYS. The band has opened for Illiterate Light, The Ballroom Thieves, TopHouse, Eliot Bronson, Driftwood, The Collection and Noah Gundersen. They’ve slotted at festivals like Shakori Hills, Albino Skunk, Beacon Bonfire and AVL Fest with artists such as River Whyless, Sunny War, Watchhouse, Amythyst Kiah and Tall Heights.
For his entire life, singer/songwriter Thunderstorm Artis has stayed devoted to making music that strengthens the heart and awakens the soul. A multi-instrumentalist who got his start playing in a band with his 10 siblings as a little kid, the 28-year-old Hawaii native has since brought his warm yet powerful vocals and vibrant musicality to such endeavors as touring with Zac Brown, Train, Jack Johnson, Jewel, and sharing stages with Artists like John Legend, and the Blues Travelers. After years of refining his craft and carving out his singular identity as an artist, the Nashville-based musician has created his most captivating work to date: a genre-bending batch of songs built on both emotionally raw storytelling and incisivesoul-searching, offering much-needed insight into living with hope even in the darkest of times. Born into an exceptionally musical family—his father Ron was a Motown session player who performed on iconic tracks like Michael Jackson’s “Thriller,” while his mother Victoria toured as a backup singer for the likes of Lena Horne. Artis grew up in Oahu and started playing drums at age nine, later taking up piano, guitar, and harmonica. Although he’d dabbled in songwriting throughout his childhood, he found a whole new sense of artistic purpose after using music to cope with the sudden death of his father. “Once I started really focusing on songwriting, I realized my music could bring healing not only to me, but to other people in pain,” says Artis, who was 13 when his father passed away. Raised on everything from jazz to country to classic soul singers like Sam Cooke and Marvin Gaye, he immersed himself in sharpening his songcraft and in 2018, Artis next emerged as a finalist on NBC’s “The Voice” in 2020,
Tulua are an young traditional Irish music band hailing from Ireland. Since their establishment in 2019 they have garnered a strong following, and before their album release in 2023 they managed to play at some of the biggest festivals in the world including Milwaukee Irish Fest, la Crosse Irish Fest, CastleFest Holland and TempleBar Tradfest. Since their album release they are becoming one of Ireland's finest emerging traditional music band.
Singer-songwriter and fingerstyle guitar player, Tyler Ramsey, refined his sound while living in the North Carolina mountains, inspired by local folk music and country-blues musicians. He became more widely known for his 10-year run as lead guitarist of Band of Horses and has also released 5 solo albums.
Vienna Teng’s adventurous chamber-folk songwriting has drawn praise from the likes of NPR and David Byrne, and garnered a loyal following across North America, Europe and beyond. Currently she also organizes music fans to take action on climate, in collaboration with groups like Climate Changemakers and Music Declares Emergency.