Hello friends!
After a whirlwind year filled with some amazing milestones—including the honour of gracing the front cover of Folk London magazine, sold-out shows with Eliza Carthy, and an exciting tour of New Zealand booked for April—I'm thrilled to share some even more exciting news with you!
My new album, The Ballad of the Gatekeeper, is almost ready to be brought to life. Recorded at the iconic St Katherine’s Dock with support from Pete Townshend, this album features a blend of never-before-heard traditional songs and brand new material written by me. The songs are designed to address the gaps I see in the folk scene today and to highlight events we’re all going through, like the reliance on fast fashion, increasing climate breakdown and Covid. Folk is a great equaliser and by understanding each other we will be able to support our communities better in modernity.
I’m ready to share my work in brave and bold new ways, which includes videoing my process and all that goes on behind the scenes. This way I’ll be able to chat about why I chose these songs for the album, why these issues are important and ultimately how we can move folk forward by incorporating it into our daily lives.
With £3382.80 I'll be able to master and produce 300 vinyls, each with 10 songs that cover themes from disability, outspoken women, climate change and gender identity. You can donate what you feel, but £30 will get you a signed 12" record, inclusive of gorgeous artwork and an informative booklet to contextualise the work. The extra cash that makes up the total £6,000 goal will go towards videos telling the story behind the album and contextualising the songs.
Your support will help me make some short videos that tell the story behind the album, explaining the origins of the songs - from classic Lancashire lads on the spree to the weavers and spinners of Burnley, to footage of clog dancing and interviews with contributors. These videos will be used to spread the album far and wide, to the ears that need to hear them.
This album is more than just a collection of songs; it's a call to action, a journey, and a conversation. I've added percussive accompaniment, layered harmonies and collaborated with singers and sound artists to make some really special contemporary pieces from historic material. This is truly a labour of love, and I’m so excited to share it with you.
Thank you for your support—every contribution means the world to me!
With love and gratitude,
Jennifer xx