Musicians

Karine Polwart
Robert Macfarlane picked out Karine’s script for her award winning show ‘Wind Resistance’ for The Guardian’s 'Best Books of 2017'. The appreciation of each other’s work is mutual and, naturally, we were eager for her to be a part of Spell Songs and overjoyed when she accepted our invitation.

Karine Polwart is a Scottish writer, musician, and storyteller whose work evokes a richness of place, hidden histories, scientific curiosity and folklore. Across multi-artist collaborations and intimate solo performances, poetic essays and picture books, award-winning theatre projects and radio documentaries, she conjures the beauty and magic, the sorrow, injustice and darkness of the world out of the corner of her eye, with lyricism and tenderness.

Trees, rocks and wellsprings speak. Birds flit in and out the margins. And remarkable stories from overlooked places illuminate the complexities of the wider world and our fragile and contested times.  

As a writer, Karine is a Dr Gavin Wallace Fellow for 2025-26 via the Fruitmarket Gallery in Edinburgh and Creative Scotland.  Her research and writing under the brief ‘Attached to Land’ maps in song the coastal edges of the Forth Valley, East Lothian and Scottish Borders.  Between 2023-25, she was a Paul Hamlyn Composer Fellow, in collaboration with sound designer and composer, Pippa Murphy. She is an Honorary Doctor of Music at The University of Glasgow.

Karine’s recent work includes: Windblown (Raw Material Arts) - a parting glass to a beloved old palm tree at Edinburgh's Royal Botanic Garden, which explores historical displacement and botanical devotion, ecological loss and collective ritual; Looking for the Thread, a 2025 collaborative album with Grammy Award winning US artist, Mary Chapin Carpenter, and Spell Songs bandmate Julie Fowlis; massed participative choir initiatives - The Back of the Winter, Come Away In and Sing to the Dark; and Wind Resistance, a meditation on moss, midwifery and collective care, via The Royal Lyceum Theatre in Edinburgh.

REVIEWS FOR WINDBLOWN, August 2025

“powerful, exquisite, pure magic” - The Scotsman ★★★★★

“a remarkable piece of storytelling, quiet and serene, as subtle as it is smart” - The Financial Times ★★★★★

“a work of monumental beauty” - The Herald ★★★★★

AND BEYOND

A spellbinding storyteller … pays attention to the stuff that our society doesn’t usually notice.            
Irish Times ★★★★★

One of the finest singer-songwriters in Britain
The Guardian ★★★★★

Julie Fowlis
Julie Fowlis often sings in the Gaelic tradition and is deeply influenced by her early upbringing in the Outer Hebridean island of North Uist. Her crystalline and intoxicating voice fills this project with genuine beauty and her Gaelic heritage brings another layer of language and experience into the Spell Songs ensemble.

‘If snow could sing, it would sing like Julie Fowlis...’, said acclaimed nature writer Robert Macfarlane. Hailing from the Outer Hebrides, Julie is a multi-award winning singer whose music is deeply influenced by the islands where she grew up and by the Highland landscapes where she now resides. Voted Musician of the Year at the Scots Trad Music Awards 2023 and winner of ‘Folk Singer of the Year’ at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, she has a career spanning several studio albums and numerous high-profile collaborations. Her ‘crystalline’ and ‘intoxicating’ vocals have enchanted audiences around the world, and she will forever be recognised for singing the theme songs for ‘Brave’, Disney Pixar’s award-winning animated film, set in the ancient highlands of Scotland.

Julie has graced many stages across the world, including Shakespeare’s Globe in London, the Mozart Concert Hall in Vienna, and The Philharmonie de Paris. She has collaborated with the BBC Concert Orchestra in the Royal Albert Hall for the Proms, sang live at the closing ceremony of the Ryder Cup in Chicago in 2012 to a TV audience of 500 million, and later at the opening ceremony of the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow to a TV audience of over 1 billion. She currently performs and records with the folk ‘supergroup’ Spell Songs, and has also performed with artists such as James Taylor, KT Tunstall, Chris Thile, Graham Coxon, Bill Whelan (Riverdance), electronica duo Valtos, the Scottish Jazz Orchestra, Nicola Benedetti, the Scottish Symphony Orchestra and Mary Chapin Carpenter.

As a Scottish Gaelic singer, Julie was Scotland’s inaugural ‘Tosgaire na Gàidhlig’ (National Gaelic Ambassador), an honour bestowed by the Scottish Government, and in 2023 she received ‘The Sàr Ghàidheal Fellowship’, recognising outstanding contribution to Gaelic culture at Scotland’s National Gaelic college, Sabhal Mòr Ostaig.


"Fowlis's ascent to international stardom, putting Gaelic folk on the world music map, is evidence that a sublime voice transcends language and culture" The Guardian 

"transfixed by her voice.. the purity of her vocals... captivating... a masterclass in intimacy" ★★★★ The Times

Seckou Keita
Seckou’s solo work reveals his exceptional skill on the Kora and his collaborations leap over cultural barriers and discover unforeseen affinities. Seckou has seven generations of the Kora tradition in his family and is counted among the most influential Kora players of his generation. As you can see he is in himself a source of great inspiration and we are overjoyed that he is a member of Spell Songs.

Seckou Keita, born in 1977 in Senegal, stands as a beacon among the newest generation of African traditional musicians. A virtuoso Kora player, Seckou has masterfully blended seven centuries of tradition with a modern global flair, earning him his position as one of the greatest African musicians of a generation. Seckou's musical prowess on the 22-stringed West African harp, the Kora, has captivated audiences worldwide since 1996. Collaborating with renowned artists like Salif Keita, Paul Weller, and Bassekou Kouyate, he has become an influential force, constantly pushing the boundaries of his art.

Hailing from Ziguinchor, Southern Senegal, Seckou's journey began as a childhood prodigy, born into a lineage of griots and kings. Since his arrival in the UK in 1999, Seckou's artistic evolution has been nothing short of epic. Nicknamed "the Hendrix of the Kora," he has revolutionised the instrument's expressive range with his inventive tunings and virtuosity, earning acclaim as "one of the finest exponents of the Kora". Seckou has graced global stages, from WOMAD and Glastonbury to Tokyo Jazz and Montreal Jazz Festivals, captivating audiences with his solo performances, as well as performances with his groundbreaking quintet.

Seckou's debut album ‘Baiyo’, later retitled ‘Mali’, released in 2001, propelled him to new heights as a standout Kora player. Since then, he has consistently exceeded preconceived notions of the Kora's potential. His musical exploration knows no bounds. Seckou has explored a multitude of genres including jazz, pop, Latin, folk, and classical. Notable partnerships include work with Damon Albarn, Catrin Finch, Omar Sosa showcase and the Lost words Collective. With a repertoire of 15 albums, Seckou has garnered accolades, including three Songlines Music Awards and multiple BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, including the 2019 Musician of the Year.

Seckou Keita's musical odyssey is a testament to his ability to transcend cultural borders, creating a sublime poetic journey where music becomes pure emotion. As he continues to push the boundaries, Seckou Keita's legacy is a harmonious blend of tradition, innovation, and a profound love for music that speaks to the soul.

”Seckou Keita can be classed alongside the great Toumani Diabate as one of the adventurous masters of the kora” ★★★★ Robin Denselow, The Guardian

“...this gifted musician instils a sense of serenity through his masterful playing and infinite respect for the kora” DJ Ritu, SOAS Radio & Resonance FM

Kris Drever
Kris Drever is one of Scotland’s finest and most prolific songwriters. He is a fiercely talented guitarist rated among folk’s best and a folk singer whose voice is rich with both clarity and resonance. He is a member of the award winning folk trio Lau who are famed for blurring the boundaries of musical genres through their traditional, yet improvisational playing style. Kris’ presence in Spell Songs is highly valued and gladly welcomed.

Kris Drever is among Scotland’s most acclaimed and distinctive contemporary musicians, celebrated for his warm voice, virtuosically expressive guitar playing and imaginative and evocative songwriting. Raised in the Orkney Islands, Drever has carved out a unique place at the intersection of traditional folk and modern acoustic music, as a solo artist and as one third of the award-winning trio Lau.

Over the course of his career, Kris has won hatfuls of honours, including BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards for Best Singer, Best Original Song, and Best Group with Lau. His solo work combines lyrics of depth and authenticity with expertly pitched arrangements, exploring themes of place, identity, and social change, delivered with clarity, compassion, and poetic insight.

Kris will be playing some brand new songs from his new solo album as well as a selection from his back catalogue of originals and his storied interpretations of traditional material.

"Kris Drever is a serious talent"
MOJO

"The folk revival has a new standard bearer - Kris Drever"
Q Magazine

“Immense yet ultra supple sophistication, musicianship of the highest order”
Songlines

Kerry Andrew
Kerry Andrew was with us for the very first residency at Monnington House, Herefordshire in January 2019, where they created the song Ghost Owl, shared it with the Spell Singers and then together they brought it to life. It is a shame that their health prevented them further involvement in subsequent tours and residencies, but their influence is felt deeply, not least in owing them a debt of gratitude for bringing their ‘Wren Song’ to our ears and inspiring the whole project.

An astonishingly perceptive musician, composer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and author, Kerry Andrew was approached by Robert Macfarlane to read aloud one of his spells. In fact they responded by producing a piece of sound art and visuals for Wren spell. It was when we saw this at Hay’s Winter Festival in December 2017 that we were inspired to pursue our already emerging idea of a musical companion piece to The Lost Words. Their love of nature and folklore combined with their innate musicality are key reasons why we are delighted that they also accepted our invitation to join Spell Songs.

At a heartlifting massed choral concert in October 2025 at Sinfonia Smith Sqaure London, we launched our new Spell Songs Choral Songbook that we commissioned Kerry to arange for us. Beautiful choral versions of 10 spell songs were performed by 4 choirs of all ages. Syrinx, The Southend Boys and Girls Choir, Chantage and SOUND were bought together by conductor and compser Ben See for this very special concert showcasing Kerry's compositional expertise.

Kerry Andrew is a London-based composer, performer, writer and broadcaster. They have a PhD in Composition from the University of York and has won four British Composer Awards. As a composer, they specialises in experimental vocal and choral music, music-theatre and community music. They perform with the award-winning Juice Vocal Ensemble and with their alt-folk band You Are Wolf, with whom they released her second album 'Keld', to excellent press in March 2018. You are Wolf’s debut album Hawk the Hunting Gone (2014) explored British birds and folklore. Their debut novel, Swansong, was published by Jonathan Cape in January 2018. Robert Macfarlane writes of Swansong - "Swansong is the real thing……The voice jags at you, and the plot grips: this is a brilliant novel by a writer - and musician - of frankly alarming talent.". They have subsequently published two futher extraordinary books - Skin and We Are Together Because.

Andrew's 'No Place Like,' was written for the BBC Ten Pieces scheme, and received BBC Proms performances in both 2017 and 2018. They have written large scale pieces for young and non-professional ensembles including a work simultaneously performed by 25 community ensembles around the UK for the Landmark Trust.

Andrew was a British Council/PRS for Music Foundation Musician in Residence in China in Spring 2016, spending five weeks in the Henan Province in 2016. They made collaborative new rock/traditional-inspired songs based on foxes in folklore.

Rachel Newton
Rachel Newton was a member of one of our previous folk music collaborations, The Elizabethan Session and we are thrilled that she can join us once again for Spell Songs. An exceptional harpist, singer and songwriter, her generous creativity reverberates through her collaborations and her sensitivity to word and music shines through her solo work.

Singer, harpist and composer Rachel Newton draws on poems, ballads and stories that are hundreds of years old, working them into her contemporary compositional style to create a rich sound that is ambitious, original and unique. Rachel has performed and made work for projects that sit within a wide range of disciplines including theatre, dance, storytelling and visual art. In addition to her solo work, Rachel is a skilled collaborator and has toured internationally with various bands and projects, including most recently, the Lost Words: Spell Songs. Together with long time friend and colleague Lauren MacColl, she co-produces Heal & Harrow, a multi-disciplinary project based on the Scottish Witch Trials.

Rachel was named Musician of the Year at both the Scots Trad Music Awards and the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards. Her albums To The Awe and Here's My Heart Come Take It were shortlisted as one of Scotland's top 10 outstanding albums in the Scottish Album of the Year (SAY) Award. She was awarded a PRS Composer of the Year in the Scots Trad Music Awards alongside Heal & Harrow collaborator Lauren MacColl and a Critics Award for Theatre in Scotland (CATS) for Best Music and Sound for her work with the Rowantree Theatre Company.

Co-founder and now board member of The Bit Collective, a group focusing on equality and diversity in folk and traditional music, Rachel has organised various campaigns and events, including the Trad. Reclaimed: Women in Folk festival at Kings Place, London in 2019. 

Her most recent album Sealladh, music commissioned by the National Galleries of Scotland, was released in 2024 on Hudson Records. 

'Haunting and compelling' The Guardian

'The sound of modern Scotland' The Herald

Beth Porter
To add depth and range to the ensemble we invited Beth Porter, a superb cellist and songwriter, to be a part of Spell Songs. We were drawn to her numerous musical collaborations from a variety of different musical genres and of course her prolific ability to use literature as her source of inspiration.

Beth Porter is a Scottish-based multi-instrumentalist, singer, and songwriter known for her versatile contributions to a wide range of genres, including folk, pop, and contemporary classical music. She has been a prolific session musician for decades and a key member of several collaborative projects.

With Ben Please, she formed The Bookshop Band, a duo creating music based on books.They have received awards and nominations for their work, including a British Animation Award and an Ivor Novello nomination for Robin Robin (Aardman). The film was also nominated for an Oscar.

Beth’s cello also appears in the feature film, Far From The Madding Crowd.

Their album Emerge, Return was produced by Pete Townsend.
 
They have also written music for The Unwinding audio book by Jackie Morris and have written music inspired by her books as well as the likes of Phillip Pullman, Rachel Joyce, Eleanor Catton and Robert Macfarlane.

Beth’s own songwriting project combines cello, ukulele, and vocals in a unique mix of chamber pop, folk, and electronica.

Beth has toured and recorded with folk artists such as Eliza Carthy, The Unthanks, Bellowhead, The Imagined Village, Jim Moray and The Winter Wonderband. She has also worked with Peter Gabriel, Newton Faulkner, The Proclaimers, Mel C, Kula Shaker, and Petula Clark among others.

Beth was Musical Director and Composer for Yes! Yes! UCS! - a theatre show about the Upper Clyde shipbuilding industry in the 1970s and was also MD for Stella (Jessica Fox, 2022)

She is currently involved in a unique Scotland - Japan collaboration between writer Tom Pow, The Galloway Agreement, and Bird Theatre, Totorri, with performances planned to tour in Scotland and Japan.

Beth teaches and runs singing and songwriting workshops in Dumfries and Galloway, where she is now based, and has a three year old and an eight year old to keep her busy

‘Utterly charming’ (Nick McCabe - The Verve)

‘Quirky, engaging and really rather brilliant’ (fRoots)

Jim Molyneux
It is not only Jim Molyneux’s prodigious talent in so many instruments and his experience as a producer that made him so important for this collaboration, he also has an ear for a variety of different musical genres from classical and folk through to jazz and hip hop. It is fascinating to see how he drew upon all these talents and experiences to enrich the music of Spell Songs.

Jim Molyneux is a multi-instrumentalist, musical director, vocalist, composer and producer hailing from Lancashire, and now residing in the vibrant East London music scene.

Jim's musical journey has seen him become a sought-after drummer, keyboardist, and vocalist for a wide array of live performances, radio, TV, and theatre productions.

Over the past few years, his work has included collaborations with an impressive roster of artists, such as Paris Paloma, Natasha Bedingfield, Laufey, Barry Can't Swim, Victoria Canal, Lucy Rose, Tom Grennan, and many more.
 
In recent times, Jim had the opportunity to perform at prestigious venues like The O2 Arena and The Royal Albert Hall with various artists, in addition to playing at Coachella and Glastonbury Festivals, TV performances such as Stephen Colbert, as well as sold out tours of the UK, US and Europe and Australia alongside singer songwriter Paris Paloma, pop sensation Natasha Bedingfield, and electronic artist Barry Can't Swim.

As a teenager, Jim also made it to the highly acclaimed Grand Final of the BBC Young Musician of the Year, after triumphing in the percussion final. The Grand Final, with an audience of 1.1 million viewers, was broadcast on BBC2.