Iona Fyfe is a Scots sangster frae Huntly, Aiberdeenshire maist weel-kent for singin Scots folk sangs an muckle sangs (ballads). Efter lowsin her seicont EP "East" in 2016, Fyfe made forrit til baith the semi-finals o the BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award[2] an the finals o BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year the follaein year.[3] She makkit forrit tae the Young Tranditional Musician of the Year finals again in 2021.[4] In 2019, Fyfe wan "Young Scots Speaker o the Year" at the first Scots Language Awards ceremony in Glesca,[5] an in 2020, wan Scots Performer o the year.[6]

Iona Fyfe
Background information
Born (1998-01-16) 16 Januar 1998 (age 26)[1]
Huntly, Aiberdeenshire, Scotland
GenresScottish folk music
Doric folk music
ThriftFolk sangster-sangwriter
Multi-instrumentalist
InstrumentsVocals, piana
Years active2012-present
LabelsCairnie Records
Wabsteidionafyfe.com

She is a National Director o the Traditional Music and Song Association an sers as a committee memmer o the Musicians Union Scotland.[7]

Biography eedit

Fyfe wis born on the 16 Januar 1998 an wis brocht up in the rounds o Huntly. She stertit learin poems in the Doric byleid o Scots as a bairn. As a bairn Fyfe troked wi a wheen kenspeckle bothy balladers siclike as Jock Duncan, Joe Aitken, an Geordie Murison, bodies that Fyfe haes cried her "adoptive family".[8] Syne, efter singin folk sangs, muckle sangs, an bothy ballads athort the North East, Fyfe pit hersel forrit for a degree at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland an wis gien a place at the age o 16.[9] She graduatit in 2019 wi a First Class Honours degree in Traditional Music.[10]

Fyfe is pairt o the Scots leed advocacy body, Oor Vyce an outspeaks aften o the mister for Scots tae be kent as a "legal langauge".[11][8] The Scots Language Awards gied mense tae Fyfe's wark wi the Scots leid wi awards in 2019 and 2020.[5][6]

Music eedit

Fyfe plays the piana an sings sangs in baith English an Scots, the hinner ane aye in the Doric byleid, an pits English sangs intae Doric Scots. She performs alangside fiddler Charlie Grey an guitarist Aidan Moodie, that crys thairsels the Iona Fyfe Trio.[12] Her muisic haes been played on BBC Radio Scotland, BBC Radio 2, an BBC Radio nan Gàidheal.[13][14][15]

Her furst solo album. Away From My Window, wis recordit wi sindry ither airtists, the likes o Tim Edey an Luc McNally.[16][17]

In Dizember 2020, Fyfe lowsed her Scots owersettin o Christina Rossetti's Yulesang, In the Bleak Midwinter.[18] Efter she wisna able tae wale Scots as the leed for her sang's metadata, she publicly speirt at muisic streamin service Spotify tae eik Scots til the leids available tae descrieve uploadit sangs.[19] In Mairch 2021, Spotify eikit Scots tae their leet o leids.[20]

In 2016, Fyfe wis a semi-finalist o the BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award.[21] In 2017 an 2021, she wis a finalist o the BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician awaird.[3][4] Forby in 2017, she wan the Molloy Award.[22] In 2018, she wan "Scots Singer of the Year" at the MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards.[23]

In Januar 2021, Fyfe scrievit a petition opponin the UK government's plans tae exclude professional muiscikers frae thair leet o wirkers permittit tae enter the EU athoot a visa, claimin the plans wid mak tourin Europe "financially unviable".[24][25]

In Apryle 2021, Fyfe pit oot a rendition o The Northern Lights, the unofficial anthem o Aberdeen F.C., efter bein commissioned bi the club.[26]

Discography eedit

Fyfe haes lowsed twa albums an twa EPs o her sangs.[27]

2015: The First Sangs
2016: East EP
2018: Away From My Window (Cairnie Records)[28]
2019: Dark Turn of Mind (Cairnie Records)[29]

Awairds eedit

2017 - Molloy Award[22]
2018 - Scots Singer of the Year - MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards[23]
2019 - Young Scots Speaker o the Year - Scots Language Awards[5]
2020 - Scots Performer o the Year - Scots Language Awards[6]

Fremmit airtins eedit

References eedit

  1. "Search results for Iona Fyfe". ScotlandsPeople (in Inglis). Archived frae the original on 17 August 2021. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  2. "Iona Fyfe Trio". eyemouthhippodrome.org. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  3. a b "Charlie Stewart named young traditional musician 2017". BBC News. BBC. 6 Februar 2017. Retrieved 17 Mairch 2021.
  4. a b "Pianist Michael Biggins is BBC Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the year". BBC News. 1 Februar 2021. Retrieved 17 Mairch 2021.
  5. a b c Ferguson, Brian (29 September 2019). "Winners of first ever Scots language 'Oscars' revealed". The Scotsman (in Inglis). JPI Media. Retrieved 27 October 2020.
  6. a b c Hannan, Martin (26 October 2020). "Janey Godley and Stuart Paterson muckle winners o' Scots awards". The National. NewsQuest. NewsQuest Media Group Ltd. Retrieved 27 October 2020.
  7. "Scots Language Awards 2020: Iona Fyfe". handsupfortrad.scot. Archived frae the original on 29 October 2020. Retrieved 4 December 2020.
  8. a b "Iona Fyfe - the Real Deal | Living Tradition". www.livingtradition.co.uk. Retrieved 4 December 2020.
  9. The Cross-Eyed Pianist (13 Mairch 2020). "Iona Fyfe, folksinger". Meet the Artist (in Inglis).
  10. "BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician". www.bbc.co.uk. BBC. Retrieved 14 Mairch 2021.
  11. Gerrard, Philippa. "Scots language: Reclaiming Scotland's mither tongue". Press and Journal. Retrieved 4 December 2020.
  12. "MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards 2019: Iona Fyfe Trio". handsupfortrad.scot. Retrieved 4 December 2020.
  13. "BBC Radio Scotland - Travelling Folk, 21/03/2018". www.bbc.co.uk (in Inglis). BBC.
  14. "BBC Radio 2 - The Folk Show with Mark Radcliffe, Darlington in Session". www.bbc.co.uk (in Inglis). BBC.
  15. "BBC Radio nan Gàidheal - Caithream Ciùil, Mairead NicIllinnein le ceòl Ceilteach". www.bbc.co.uk (in Scots Gaelic). BBC.
  16. "Iona Fyfe: Away from my window – Global Music Magazine". www.global-music.de. Archived frae the original on 23 Apryle 2021. Retrieved 14 Mairch 2021.
  17. Graham, Kenny (12 Apryle 2018). "The future of Scots Trad music is in safe hands". Scottish Field. Retrieved 14 Mairch 2021.
  18. Leslie, Bob. "FATEA - Home". www.fatea-records.co.uk. Retrieved 14 Mairch 2021.
  19. Marlborough, Conor (16 December 2020). "Spotify urged to recognise indigenous Scottish languages by Scots singer". The Scotsman (in Inglis). Retrieved 19 December 2020.
  20. Ferguson, Brian. "Singer wins campaign to persuade Spotify to recognise Scots language for first time". The Scotsman (in Inglis). Retrieved 14 Mairch 2021.
  21. "Iona Fyfe Trio". eyemouthhippodrome.org. Retrieved 17 Mairch 2021.
  22. a b Kidman, David. "Iona Fyfe: Away from my Window (album review)". www.folkradio.co.uk. Retrieved 14 Mairch 2021.
  23. a b Robertson, Kirsten (19 November 2019). "Huntly singer Iona Fyfe nominated for accolade at MG Alba Scots Trad Music Awards". Press and Journal. Aberdeen Journals Ltd. DC Thomson Media. Retrieved 14 Mairch 2021.
  24. O'Toole, Emer. "Iona Fyfe joins SNP in fighting against 'shoddy' plan to scrap musicians' visas". The National (in Inglis). Herald and Times Group. Newsquest Media Group. Retrieved 20 Mairch 2021.
  25. Hutchison, Caitlin (10 Januar 2021). "UK 'rejected offer' of visa-free tours for musicians in EU amid calls to negotiate 'free cultural work permit'". HeraldScotland (in Inglis). Herald and Times Group. Newsquest Media Group. Retrieved 20 Mairch 2021.
  26. Da Silva, Ana (30 Apryle 2021). "Aberdeenshire folksinger's voice becomes soundtrack to hopeful Aberdeen fans". Evening Express. Aberdeen Journals Ltd. DC Thomson Media. Archived frae the original on 4 Mey 2021. Retrieved 4 Mey 2021.
  27. McFayden, Neil (3 August 2016). "Iona Fyfe Band: East (Album Review)". www.folkradio.co.uk. Retrieved 14 Mairch 2021.
  28. Pratt, David. "FATEA - Home". www.fatea-records.co.uk.
  29. Grant, Nicky. "FATEA - Home". www.fatea-records.co.uk.