Rachel Newton
{{short description|Scottish harpist and singer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2020}}
{{Use British English |date=November 2020}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| image = File:The Shee - Rachel Newton (Cropredy, 2011).jpg
| caption = Newton performing with The Shee, Cropredy Festival, 2011
| name = Rachel Newton
| birth_name =
| alias =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1985|10|28|df=y}}
| origin = Edinburgh, Scotland
| years_active = 2005–present
| instrument = Harp
| genre = Folk
| label =
| associated_acts = {{flatlist|
}}
| website = {{URL |http://www.rachelnewtonmusic.com/}}
}}
Rachel Newton is a Scottish singer and harpist. As well as playing both acoustic and electric harp she also plays viola, fiddle, piano and harmonium.{{cite web |title=Rachel Newton debut album |url=https://journalofmusic.com/radar/rachel-newton-debut-album |website=Journal of Music |access-date=5 November 2020}} She performs solo as well as in the bands The Shee, The Furrow Collective and Boreas and was formerly a member of the Emily Portman Trio.{{Cite web |date=2019-02-28 |title=Rachel Newton |url=https://britishmusiccollection.org.uk/composer/rachel-newton |access-date=2020-11-04|website=British Music Collection |language=en}} She was a member of the Lost Words Spell Songs project{{cite web |last1=Weir |first1=David |title=Various Artists – The Lost Words: Spell Songs |url=https://www.folkradio.co.uk/2019/06/various-artists-the-lost-words-spell-songs/ |website=Folk Radio UK |access-date=11 November 2020 |format=review |date=24 June 2019}} and is a co-founder of The Bit Collective, a group campaigning for equality in folk music.{{Cite news |last=Ferguson |first=Brian |title=Campaign launched to protect women from sexual abuse and harassment in Scots trad music scene |newspaper=The Scotsman |url=https://www.scotsman.com/whats-on/arts-and-entertainment/campaign-launched-protect-women-sexual-abuse-and-harassment-scots-trad-music-scene-2950056 |date=22 August 2020 |access-date=2020-11-04 |language=en}}
Early life
Newton was brought up in Edinburgh and learnt harp, fiddle and classical violin. She spoke English at home and Gaelic to her grandfather. At her Gaelic-language school she sang in both English and Gaelic. During the holidays she would stay with her grandparents in Achnahaird, Wester Ross. At fifteen she decided to make a career in music.{{cite news |title=West World: Rachel Newton on where her music will always be |url=https://www.thenational.scot/news/17343695.west-world-rachel-newton-music-will-always/ |newspaper=The National (Scotland) |last=Jobson |first=Jonathan |date=9 January 2019 |access-date=9 November 2020}}{{cite web |title=A Life in Trad Music: Rachel Newton |url=https://projects.handsupfortrad.scot/handsupfortrad/a-life-in-trad-music-rachel-newton/ |website=Hands Up for Trad |date=8 May 2018 |access-date=9 November 2020}}
Musical career
= Formation of The Shee (2005 – 2011) =
In 2005 Newton formed The Shee with friends Shona Mooney, Laura-Beth Salter, Amy Thatcher, Lillias Kinsman-Blake and Olivia Ross whom she had met while studying for the Folk and Traditional Music degree at Newcastle University.{{cite web |title=The Tradition: An Interview with The Shee |url=https://www.folkradio.co.uk/2011/12/interview-the-shee/ |date=6 December 2011 |access-date=2020-11-04 |website=Folk Radio UK}}{{cite web |date=2 May 2012 |access-date=2020-11-04 |title=University celebrates a decade of folk |url=https://www.ncl.ac.uk/press/articles/archive/2012/05/universitycelebratesadecadeoffolk.html |website=Newcastle University}} The group perform a mixture of their own works and traditional music, in both English and Gaelic.{{Cite web |title=Folk band - The Shee |url=http://www.scottish-folk-music.com/bands-singers-pages/band-the-shee.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110617022723/http://www.scottish-folk-music.com/bands-singers-pages/band-the-shee.htm |url-status=usurped |archive-date=17 June 2011 |access-date=2020-11-04 |website=www.scottish-folk-music.com}} In 2008 The Shee released their first album A Different Season. fRoots magazine said it had an "air of bold friskiness and abundant energy" and called it "a very impressive debut indeed",{{cite magazine |magazine=fRoots |date=November 2008 |issue=305 |last=Kidman |first=Dave |title=The Shee: A Different Season (review)}} and Folkworld described it as "raw, vibrant and powerful".{{cite magazine |title=The Shee 'A Different Season' |url=http://www.folkworld.eu/38/e/cds1.html#shee |last=Monaghan |first=Alex |format=review |date=March 2009 |issue=38 |magazine=Folkworld |access-date=6 November 2020}} Earlier in 2008 the album Dear Someone had been released under the name Rachel and Lillias, a collaboration between Newton and Kinsman-Blake, who was also part of The Shee.{{cite magazine |title=Rachel and Lillias 'Dear Someone' |url=http://www.folkworld.de/37/e/cds2.html#rach |format=review |last=Monaghan |first=Alex |magazine=Folkworld |issue=37 |date=November 2008 |access-date=6 November 2020}}
Newton won for "Best Music and Sound" at the 2009 Critics' Awards for Theatre in Scotland for her work with Rowantree Theatre Company.{{Cite web |title=CATS: winners by music and sound |url=https://www.criticsawards.theatrescotland.com/Winners/08-09.html |date=2009 |access-date=2020-11-04 |website=Critics' Awards for Theatre in Scotland}}{{cite web |title=Rachel Newton - The Shadow Side |last=Rose |first=Patrick |date=2012 |format=review |url=https://brightyoungfolk.com/records/the-shadow-side-rachel-newton |website=Bright young folk |access-date=6 November 2020}}
Decadence, the second album by The Shee, was released in 2010 containing a mixture of traditional and original music. Colin Irwin writing in fRoots said it showed "confidence, conviction, adeptness and raw talent".{{cite magazine |magazine=fRoots |date=November 2010 |issue=329/330 |last=Irwin |first=Colin |authorlink=Colin Irwin (journalist) |title=The Shee: Decadence (review)}}
= The Furrow Collective & first solo releases (2012 – 2015) =
In 2012 Newton released her first solo album The Shadow Side. The album contained five instrumentals composed by Newton and new arrangements of six other songs, with the original compositions being mentioned by reviewers as the most notable part.{{cite magazine |title=Rachel Newton – The Shadow Side |url=https://www.livingtradition.co.uk/webrevs/sheerach1.htm |magazine=The Living Tradition |issue=93 |last=Ward |first=Kevin T. |date=November 2012 |format=review |access-date=6 November 2020}} The album was nominated for "Album of the Year" at the 2012 Scots Trad Music Awards.{{cite web |title=MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards 2012 |url=https://projects.handsupfortrad.scot/scotstradmusicawards/mg-alba-scots-trad-music-awards-2012/ |website=Scots Trad Music Awards |date=23 February 2015 |access-date=11 November 2020}} Also released the same year was the third album by The Shee, Murmurations. The album was mostly original work with some traditional tunes, with praise directed to the arrangements and the range of musical influences on show. The artwork for the CD showed a murmuration of starlings and was designed so no two CDs had exactly the same arrangement of birds.{{cite magazine |title=The Shee – Murmurations |url=https://www.livingtradition.co.uk/webrevs/shee3.htm |magazine=The Living Tradition |issue=94 |last=Beeby |first=Dave |format=review |access-date=7 November 2020}}{{cite web |title=The Shee |last=Kidman |first=Dave |format=review |date=2012 |url=http://www.fatea-records.co.uk/magazineOld//TheShee.html |website=Fatea Magazine |access-date=7 November 2020}}
Newton's second solo release was the 2014 album Changeling, which was commissioned by the Celtic Connections festival as part of its New Voices series, and premiered in January 2014 at the festival.{{cite news |last1=Gilchrist |first1=Jim |title=An interest in otherworldly things inspires the work of Rachel Newton |id={{ProQuest|1554280028}} |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/1554280028 |access-date=30 November 2020 |work=The Scotsman |date=16 Aug 2014 |location=Edinburgh |page=27}} The album was written by Newton and on the recording she performs vocals and plays harp and viola. It also features Corrina Hewat on vocals and harp, Lauren MacColl on fiddle, Adam Holmes on vocals, Mattie Foulds on percussion, Su-a Lee on cello and musical saw and Alec Frank-Gemmill on horn. The theme was inspired by Scottish folk takes of human children being taken by fairies and replaced by supernatural creatures and the use of this to explain children with behavioural problems and disabilities. In the album Newton wanted to look at the darker side of traditional folk tales and use them to explore feelings about life and death that are hard to express outside of music.{{cite web |title=Rachel Newton – Changeling Interview |date=11 September 2014 |last=Holland |first=Simon |url=https://www.folkradio.co.uk/2014/09/rachel-newton-changeling-interview/ |website=Folk Radio UK |access-date=6 November 2020}}{{cite web |title=Rachel Newton talks about her new album Changeling, collaborations and the metaphor of song |url=http://www.folkwitness.co.uk/album-reviews-2/rachel-newton-talks-about-her-new-album-changeling-collaborations-and-the-metaphor-of-song/ |date=28 August 2014 |last=Dishman |first=Mark |website=Folk Witness |access-date=6 November 2020}}{{cite news |title=New Voices: Rachel Newton |url=https://www.heraldscotland.com/arts_ents/13142355.new-voices-rachel-newton/ |newspaper=The Herald (Scotland) |date=26 January 2014 |access-date=6 November 2020}} Robin Denselow writing in The Guardian gave it 3 stars out of 5 while praising the "haunting vocal work and elegant harp playing"{{cite news |title=Rachel Newton: Changeling review – haunting vocals and elegant harp |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/sep/11/rachel-newton-changeling-review |date=11 September 2014 |last=Denselow |first=Robin |author-link=Robin Denselow |newspaper=The Guardian |access-date=6 November 2020}} and the Financial Times gave it 4 stars out of 5.{{cite news |title=Rachel Newton: Changeling – review |url=https://www.ft.com/content/23623a12-3180-11e4-8313-00144feabdc0 |date=5 September 2014 |last=Honigmann |first=Dave |newspaper=Financial Times |access-date=6 November 2020}} Other reviews called it "quietly compelling" and "emotionally stirring".{{cite magazine |title=Changeling |url=https://www.songlines.co.uk/review/changeling |magazine=Songlines |format=review |date=October 2014 |last=Cumming |first=Tim |access-date=6 November 2020}}{{cite web |title=Rachel Newton, Changeling. Album Review. |url=https://www.liverpoolsoundandvision.co.uk/2014/09/04/rachel-newton-changeling-album-review/ |website=Liverpool Sound and Vision |date=4 September 2014 |access-date=6 November 2020}}
In 2014 Newton took part in a week-long retreat at Hatfield House, along with Martin Simpson, Nancy Kerr, Jim Moray, Bella Hardy, John Smith and Hannah James as well as Emily Askew, a specialist in early music. The retreat was organised by the English Folk Dance and Song Society and the Folk by the Oak festival to write new works inspired by Elizabethan music. The new music was then performed and released as an album.{{cite news |title=The Elizabethan Session – review |last=Denselow |first=Robin |author-link=Robin Denselow |date=23 March 2014 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/mar/23/elizabethan-session-review-cecil-sharp-house |newspaper=The Guardian |access-date=9 November 2020}}{{cite news |newspaper=The Times |last=Davis |first=Clive |title=The Elizabethan Session at Hatfield House, Hertfordshire |date=24 March 2014 |url=https://www.thetimes.com/article/the-elizabethan-session-at-hatfield-house-hertfordshire-vrhqpcr7r2c |access-date=11 November 2020}}{{cite news |newspaper=The Telegraph |last=Chilton |first=Martin |date=29 March 2014 |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/worldfolkandjazz/10729711/Elizabethan-Session-history-woven-into-modern-folk.html |title=Elizabethan Session: history woven into modern folk |access-date=11 November 2020}}
The Furrow Collective, a new group made up of Newton, Lucy Farrell, Emily Portman and Alasdair Roberts formed in 2013, released an album in 2014 titled At Our Next Meeting and then released the EP Blow Out the Moon in 2015. The releases were new interpretations of traditional music, with songs chosen with an emphasis on storytelling.{{cite web |title=The Furrow Collective – At Our Next Meeting |url=https://brightyoungfolk.com/records/at-our-next-meeting-the-furrow-collective |website=Bright young folk |last=Foard |first=Rebekah |date=2014 |format=review |access-date=9 November 2020}}{{cite web |title=The Furrow Collective – Blow Out the Moon |url=https://www.folkradio.co.uk/2015/09/the-furrow-collective-blow-out-the-moon/ |date=29 September 2015 |last=Gregory |first=Helen |website=Folk Radio UK |access-date=9 November 2020}} With all four members being established artists on the Scottish and English folk scenes the group was described by the British Council as an "Anglo-Scots supergroup".{{cite web |last1=Cumming |first1=Tim |title=British Folk in the 21st Century |url=https://music.britishcouncil.org/news-and-features/2018-10-15/british-folk-in-the-21st-century |website=British Council |access-date=13 November 2020 |date=15 October 2018}} They were nominated for "Best Group" and for "Best Traditional Track" at the 2015 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards{{cite web |title=Nominees Announced for BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards 2015 |url=https://www.folkradio.co.uk/2015/02/nominees-announced-for-bbc-radio-2-folk-awards-2015/ |date=5 February 2015 |website=Folk Radio UK |access-date=9 November 2020}} and again nominated for "Best Traditional Track" at the 2016 awards.{{cite web |title=Folk Awards nominees |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/38HrBDQt3vJmQRLj5vBqCWf/nominees |website=BBC |date=2016 |access-date=9 November 2020}}
= Third album and Shee anniversary (2016 – 2017) =
Newton won the 2016 Instrumentalist of the Year at the Scots Trad Music Awards{{Cite web |last=McFadyen |first=Neil |date=6 December 2016 |title=MG Alba Scots Trad Music Awards 2016 – Live Review and Winners |url=http://www.folkradio.co.uk/2016/12/mg-alba-scots-trad-music-awards-2016-live-review-winners/ |access-date=2020-11-04 |website=Folk Radio UK}} and in the same year won Hands Up for Trad's Ignition Award, an award for artists who are innovating in Scottish traditional music.{{cite web |title=Hands Up for Trad's Ignition Award awarded to Rachel Newton |url=https://projects.handsupfortrad.scot/handsupfortrad/hands-up-for-trads-ignition-award-awarded-to-rachel-newton/ |date=September 2016 |website=Hands Up for Trad |access-date=2020-11-12}}
Newton's third solo release was Here's My Heart Come Take It in 2016, which was shortlisted for the Scottish Album of the Year Award in 2017.{{Cite magazine |date=15 June 2017 |title=SAY Award 2017: Shortlist revealed |url=https://www.theskinny.co.uk/music/news/say-awards-shortlist-2017 |access-date=2020-11-04 |magazine=The Skinny |language=en}} The album was mostly traditional songs in new arrangements, including songs from the Max Hunter songbook and original music for Sir Walter Scott's An Hour With Thee. The album featured Lauren MacColl on fiddle and Mattie Foulds on drums. The album was well reviewed, receiving four stars out of five from both the Guardian and the Financial Times.{{cite web |title=Rachel Newton: Here's My Heart Come Take It – Featured Album Review |url=https://www.folkradio.co.uk/2016/03/rachel-newton-heres-my-heart-come-take-it-featured-album-review/ |date=31 March 2016 |last=McFadyen |first=Neil |website=Folk Radio UK |access-date=9 November 2020}}{{cite news |title=Rachel Newton: Here's My Heart Come Take It – review |url=https://www.ft.com/content/8d9d5f04-0a89-11e6-b0f1-61f222853ff3 |newspaper=Financial Times |date=26 April 2016 |last=Honigmann |first=Dave |access-date=9 November 2020}}{{cite news |title=Rachel Newton: Here's My Heart Come Take It review – a beauty |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/apr/10/rachel-newton-heres-my-heart-come-take-it-review |date=10 April 2016 |last=Spencer |first=Neil |author-link=Neil Spencer |newspaper=The Guardian |access-date=9 November 2020}}
To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Shee, with support from Celtic Connections, the band commissioned folk musicians Andy Cutting, Brian Finnegan, Karine Polwart, Martin Simpson, Kathryn Tickell and Chris Wood to write new works for them. Each composer gave the band the lyrics with some giving a full score and others giving notes or suggested arrangements. The album Continuum comprised four new compositions by the band together with their arrangements of these six compositions.{{cite web |title=The Shee's Amy Thatcher on new album Continuum, ten years of the band and the 'musical journey' |url=http://www.folkwitness.co.uk/album-reviews-2/the-shees-amy-thatcher-on-new-album-continuum-ten-years-of-the-band-and-the-musical-journey/ |date=11 September 2016 |last=Dishman |first=Mark |website=Folk Witness |access-date=9 November 2020}}{{cite web |title=The Shee – Continuum |url=https://brightyoungfolk.com/records/continuum-the-shee |date=2016 |last=Ainscoe |first=Mike |format=review |website=Bright young folk |access-date=9 November 2020}}
The next album from the Furrow Collective, Wild Hog, was released in 2016. As with previous releases the album was make up of new versions of traditional songs. As well as the four members of the group the recording featured Stevie Jones on double bass and Alex Neilson on drums. The album got four-star reviews from The Observer, The Guardian and the Financial Times.{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/oct/30/the-furrow-collective-wild-hog-review |date=30 October 2016 |last=Spencer |first=Neil |author-link=Neil Spencer |title=The Furrow Collective: Wild Hog review – a masterclass in folk tradition |newspaper=The Observer |access-date=9 November 2020}}{{cite news |title=The Furrow Collective: Wild Hog review – folk songs full of death and magic |date=3 November 2016 |last=Denselow |first=Robin |author-link=Robin Denselow |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/nov/03/the-furrow-collective-wild-hog-review-folk-songs |newspaper=The Guardian |access-date=9 November 2020}}{{cite news |title=The Furrow Collective: Wild Hog – review |url=https://www.ft.com/content/1d23595a-b050-11e6-a37c-f4a01f1b0fa1 |newspaper=Financial Times |date=25 November 2016 |last=Honigmann |first=Dave |access-date=9 November 2020}}
In 2016 Newton joined Lori Watson, {{interlanguage link |Britt Pernille Frøholm|nn}} and Irene Tillung of {{interlanguage link |Tindra|no}} to release the album Ahoy Hoy under the name Boreas. The release was a nautical themed album combining traditional Scottish and Norwegian music.{{cite web |title=Boreas – Ahoy Hoy |url=https://brightyoungfolk.com/records/ahoy-hoy-boreas |date=2016 |last=Loreto-Miller |first=Sol |format=review |website=Bright young folk |access-date=9 November 2020}}{{cite web |title=Boreas: Ahoy Hoy – Album Review |url=https://www.folkradio.co.uk/2016/02/boreas-ahoy-hoy-album-review/ |website=Folk Radio UK |date=2 February 2016 |last=Gregory |first=Helen |access-date=9 November 2020}}
At the 2017 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards Newton won "Musician of the Year" and the Furrow Collective won "Best Group".{{cite web |title=The Winners of the 2017 Folk Awards |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/articles/3909674d-ef60-4861-806a-83132f72a126 |website=BBC |access-date=11 November 2020}}
In 2017 Newton announced that she was leaving Emily Portman's Coracle Band and the Emily Portman Trio.{{cite web |title=Introducing the Coracle Band...Rachel Newton |date=26 February 2016 |url=http://www.emilyportman.co.uk/news-1/2017/2/26/introducing-the-coracle-bandrachel-newton |website=Emily Portman |access-date=6 November 2020}}{{cite web |website=Folk Radio UK |date=15 November 2016 |url=https://www.folkradio.co.uk/2016/11/emily-portman-set-explore-new-depths-coracle-band/ |title=Emily Portman set to explore new depths with the Coracle Band |access-date=9 November 2020}}
= Current work (2018 – present) =
Fathoms, the third album by the Furrow Collective, was released in 2018. As with the previous albums by the group it was made up of new recordings of traditional works. For this album songs were taken from New Zealand, Ireland, the US and Scotland. Reviewers praised the use of harmonies and the atmosphere created, with both the Guardian and the Financial Times giving the album four stars out of five.{{cite news |date=2 November 2018 |last=Honigmann |first=David |title=The Furrow Collective: Fathoms – wild and lonely tales |url=https://www.ft.com/content/5c7b3558-d90e-11e8-ab8e-6be0dcf18713 |newspaper=Financial Times |access-date=11 November 2020}}{{cite news |date=11 November 2018 |last=Spencer |first=Neil |author-link=Neil Spencer |title=The Furrow Collective: Fathoms review – close-knit harmonies hit home |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2018/nov/11/furrow-collective-fathoms-review-portman-roberts-newton-farrell |newspaper=The Guardian |access-date=11 November 2020}}{{cite web |title=The Furrow Collective: Fathoms |url=https://www.folkradio.co.uk/2018/11/the-furrow-collective-fathoms/ |website=Folk Radio UK |date=6 November 2018 |last=Blake |first=Thomas |access-date=11 November 2020}}
Newton's fourth solo album, titled West, was released in 2018. The album was recorded in her late grandparents' croft in Wester Ross, and unlike her previous releases was truly solo, with no other musicians. The album contained a mixture of original tunes and traditional works, with Dolly Parton's song Jolene also included as a nod towards Newton's love of Country and Western music.{{cite web |title=Rachel Newton: West |url=https://www.folkradio.co.uk/2018/09/rachel-newton-west/ |website=Folk Radio UK |first=Neil |last=McFadyen |date=24 September 2018 |access-date=11 November 2020}}{{cite web |title=Rachel Newton: West – album review |url=https://louderthanwar.com/rachel-newton-west-album-review/ |date=1 October 2018 |last=Ainscoe |first=Mike |website=Louder Than War |access-date=11 November 2020}}{{cite web |title=Rachel Newton – West |url=https://brightyoungfolk.com/records/west-rachel-newton |format=review |date=2018 |last=Leslie |first=Christopher C. |website=Bright young folk |access-date=11 November 2020}}
In 2019 the album The Lost Words: Spell Songs was released, based on the book The Lost Words by Robert Macfarlane. The book was a response to nature words being removed from the Oxford Junior Dictionary. The album was commissioned by the Folk by the Oak festival and included sections of the book set to music and new compositions inspired by the book. The songs were written and performed by Newton, Kerry Andrew, Julie Fowlis, Kris Drever, Jim Molyneux, Beth Porter, Seckou Keita and Karine Polwart. The album received four stars out of five from The Times, The Guardian and The Evening Standard and five stars from The Financial Times.{{cite news |title=Various: The Lost Words: Spell Songs review – a delightful homage to nature |url=https://www.thetimes.com/culture/books/article/various-the-lost-words-spell-songs-review-a-delightful-homage-to-nature-3dk3hjc30 |newspaper=The Times |date=12 July 2019 |last=Bungey |first=John |access-date=11 November 2020}}{{cite news |title=The Lost Words: Spell Songs review – folksy ode to words lost by modernity |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/go/london/music/the-lost-words-spell-songs-review-a4066136.html |newspaper=Evening Standard |date=13 February 2019 |last=Broughton |first=Simon |access-date=11 November 2020}}{{cite news |title=Spell Songs: The Lost Words review – a literary landscape brought to life |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2019/jul/21/spell-songs-lost-words-review-literary-landscape-brought-to-life |newspaper=The Guardian |date=21 Jul 2019 |author-link=Neil Spencer |last=Spencer |first=Neil |access-date=11 November 2020}}{{cite news |title=Spell Songs: The Lost Words – acrostic wordcraft get folk revival |first=David |last=Honigmann |date=28 June 2019 |url=https://www.ft.com/content/db062d2c-9341-11e9-b7ea-60e35ef678d2 |newspaper=Financial Times |access-date=11 November 2020}}
In March 2019, Newton curated a weekend's programming at Kings Place in London under the title "Trad. Reclaimed: Women in Folk", as part of the venue's RPS Award-winning series about women composers, "Venus Unwrapped". This included panel discussions, a music theatre piece about Margaret Barry, and performances by The Shee Big Band, Kathryn Tickell and the Darkening and others.{{cite web |last1=Holloway |first1=Amanda |title=Newton's Law |url=https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/digital/features/newtons-law/ |website=Kings Place |access-date=13 November 2020 |date=21 November 2018}}
Newton announced in 2020 that her fifth solo album would be funded via Kickstarter. The album reached its funding goal and was released in November 2020 under the title To the Awe. Due to COVID-19 restrictions the album was recorded at home, with Newton recording her vocals in a wardrobe.{{cite web |title=Rachel Newton: To the Awe |url=https://www.folkradio.co.uk/2020/10/rachel-newton-to-the-awe/ |website=Folk Radio UK |date=13 October 2020 |last=Rough |first=Billy |access-date=11 November 2020}} The album was longlisted for the Scottish Album of the Year Award.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theskinny.co.uk/music/news/say-award-2021-longlist|title = SAY Award 2021: The Longlist revealed - the Skinny}}
Bit Collective
Discography
= Solo work =
- The Shadow Side (2012)
- Changeling (2014)
- Here's My Heart Come Take It (2016)
- West (2018)
- To the Awe (2020)
= Rachel and Lillias =
- Dear Someone (2008)
= The Shee =
- A Different Season (2008)
- Decadence (2010)
- Murmurations (2012)
- Continuum (2016)
= Boreas =
- Ahoy Hoy (2016)
= The Furrow Collective =
- At Our Next Meeting (2014)
- Blow Out the Moon (EP) (2015)
- Wild Hog (2016)
- Fathoms (2018)
= Other projects =
- The Elizabethan Session (2014)
- The Lost Words: Spell Songs (2019)
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{official website}}
- [https://www.thelostwords.org/spell-songs/ Spell Songs: The Lost Words] official website
- [https://www.folkbytheoak.com/elizabethan-session/ The Elizabethan Session] official website
- [https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/digital/features/trad-reclaimed-playlist/ Trad. Reclaimed Rewind Playlist] Newton discusses her musical influences and inspirations for her curated weekend of women in folk at Kings Place.
- [https://mainlynorfolk.info/folk/records/rachelnewton.html Rachel Newton discography] at Mainly Norfolk
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Newton, Rachel}}
Category:Alumni of Newcastle University
Category:Scottish women singer-songwriters
Category:Scottish singer-songwriters
Category:Musicians from Edinburgh
Category:21st-century Scottish women singers