Rebecca Richards – New Yesterdays

As the year begins to wind down, so the release of Rebecca Richards’ EP feels timely. ‘New Yesterdays’ is a slow-tempo, ballad-based set of tracks that mark the turn into a season of reflection. Each of the six songs on the record feel like Autumn leaves: shaded with different-coloured emotions that emerge at relationships’ end.Continue reading “Rebecca Richards – New Yesterdays”

Cara Hammond – Borderlines Hometown Show

To mark the release of her latest EP, Cara Hammond is undertaking her first headline tour. And it could not have gone any better in her hometown of Wrexham. The singer-songwriter was supported with gusto and grace by an almost sell-out crowd, huddled together in the performance space of Tŷ Pawb. Short but sweet, herContinue reading “Cara Hammond – Borderlines Hometown Show”

Megan Lee – Origin

There are few who do Trad Country better in Britain than Megan Lee. The Welsh singer-songwriter sprinkles modern sensibilities over a concoction of fairly typical Country sounds on debut EP ‘Origin’. Opening track ‘Light of the Moon’ contains a sprinkling of pop; ‘Hey Danielle’ a silky electric guitar finish; and ‘Now You’re Gone’ an electro-beat.Continue reading “Megan Lee – Origin”

Caitlin Mae – Seasons Change

‘Seasons Change’, the new EP from Caitlin Mae, is a real paradox. For beneath the punchy chords and punkish vocals lie themes of loneliness and lost loves. Her style is more akin to the heavy metal genre; yet though she borrows elements of it, she shares her vulnerabilities through the familiar sound of Country-Rock. PopContinue reading “Caitlin Mae – Seasons Change”

Edie Bens – Poster Child

Following her debut EP ‘Playing Pretend’, Edie Bens turns up the tempo and increases the pop on new single ‘Poster Child’. The Welsh singer-songwriter returns with another tale of broken love, this time dissecting the returning ex whose life is a shadow of their former self. Bens tells the story with her usual frank honestyContinue reading “Edie Bens – Poster Child”

Jodie Marie – Polar Night

Three weeks in the Arctic Circle has certainly left its mark on Jodie Marie. The Welsh singer-songwriter’s new EP shivers with the cold fjord breeze and echoes the icy terrain of Norway’s northern tip. Yet there is also a log-fire intimacy and crunching of soft snow in its sound. It evokes a wild landscape ofContinue reading “Jodie Marie – Polar Night”

Bryony Sier – Picture Not So Perfect

Bryony Sier has entered early into the festive season with a faithful adaptation of a Christmas novella. ‘Picture Not So Perfect’ is titled after Stephanie O’Neil’s debut publication, and retells the story of protagonist Holly in charming detail. It is essentially a love story in which Holly, after losing her mother at a young ageContinue reading “Bryony Sier – Picture Not So Perfect”

The Goudies – Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (Cover)

One of the unexpected highlights at this year’s British Country Music Festival was a cover of the theme tune to classic sitcom ‘The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’. Wales-based duo The Goudies fashioned a completely new take on this beloved song, with surprisingly successful results. Its popularity with live audiences is perhaps one of the reasonsContinue reading “The Goudies – Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (Cover)”

Elin Grace – Bee Without Wings

One of the most exciting talents coming through this year’s Forté project is surely 18-year-old Elin Grace. The singer-songwriter from Mid Wales has just released an EP of sheer brilliance. ‘Bee Without Wings’ may only be her debut release but it demonstrates a maturity far beyond her years. Lyrically complex, sonically fascinating, vocally mesmerising, theContinue reading “Elin Grace – Bee Without Wings”

Rona Mac – Shades of Ham EP

Rona Mac describes the pink cover of her latest EP ‘Shades of Ham’ as a dichotomy. It is a colour, she says, that is both “fierce, bold and strong as well as delicate, floral and soft”. It seems a particularly fitting description for an artist who finds strength in vulnerability. But it also captures somethingContinue reading “Rona Mac – Shades of Ham EP”