Emily Smith
BBC Young Traditional Musician of the Year (2002) and Scots
Singer of
the Year nominee (2005) Emily Smith has established herself as
one of
Scotland’s finest young singers. A respected interpreter
of traditional
song, with a particular passion for those sourced in her home
region of
Dumfries & Galloway, Emily gives a refreshing and modern
slant to
ancient songs which blend easily alongside her own compositions.
Over the last few years Emily has been gathering interest and
recognition
as a songwriter and in 2005 she became the first ever winner
from
Scotland in the USA Songwriting Competition where she won the
folk
category with her song ‘Edward of Morton’. She has
released two solo
albums to date ‘A Day Like Today’ (2002) and ‘A
Different Life’ (2005) as
well as having performed/recorded with various artists including
Karine
Polwart, John McCusker, Brian McNeill and Nick Keir.
Emily has a relaxed and informative presence on stage and though
only in
her mid twenties has already toured worldwide with her band.
Her material
is song based, many being Smith originals, with the occasional
upbeat
instrumental set thrown in. Happy to sing unaccompanied or back
herself
on piano or accordion Emily is a versatile performer, and with
her band
mates on fiddle and guitar, audiences can expect an energetic
and varied
performance.
Alongside her solo career Emily is also a member of ‘The
Unusual
Suspects’ (Scotland’s unofficial folk big band) and
recently formed The
Middle Eight (eight songwriters from the worlds of pop, folk,
jazz and rock
writing and performing new music)
”it’s hard not
to fall in love with Smith’s
voice”— Sing Out Magazine (USA)
“a stellar voice” —
The Observer (UK)
“Emily Smith is
an engaging musician who has a quiet, friendly rapport with her
audience. ….Possessing one of the clearest, truest voices
in Celtic music,…” — The
Living Tradition Magazine May 2005
“Emily Smith is an exceptional
musician. With her amazing voice, as well as her skilful playing
of both accordion and piano." —Roots Review
August 2004
“While perfect pitch
is often touted as the vocalist’s holy grail, Smith’s
singing possesses the rarer, multi-dimensional quality of perfect
poise. Her limber, youthful lightness of tone is balanced by
emotive and lower-register resonance, while her precise, insistent
consciousness of rhythm encompasses a wealth of expressive
fluidity.
A
packed house testified to Smith’s deservedly spiralling
reputation, and also to the stellar calibre of her second album
A Different Life, which, alongside her exquisite interpretations
of traditional material, saw her spreading her wings somewhat
as a songwriter.”—The Scotsman 24th March
2005
http://www.emilysmith.org
