Dàna have reached the finals of Battle of The Folk Bands 2025. The competition will be held at Celtic Connections on January 18th in the Drygate Brewery at 1pm. Why not come along and join in the fun?
We asked Anna of Dàna a few questions about the band.
Tell us about your band
Dàna are a new and exciting, all-female band based in Glasgow. The band’s name, meaning “bold” or “audacious” in Gaelic, perfectly encapsulates their vibrant sound and approach to performance. Dàna has spent the past few years honing their craft at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and immersing themselves in Glasgow’s vibrant traditional music scene. Comprised of fiddle, clarsach, whistle, and piano, each member of Dàna draws inspiration from their diverse regional backgrounds and dialects. Since emerging, they have quickly established a strong reputation, performing at numerous festivals and events across Scotland this year. Recent performances include, Carradale Music Festival, Under Canvas, MOKFest and Piping live.
Who are the band members
Anna Robertson – Fiddle
Eleanor Tout – Whistle
Laura Penman – Clarsach
Alex Wotherspoon – Piano
What are you hopes and aspirations for the band?
Our goal is to create music that resonates across all generations, connecting rich music traditions with new vibrant ideas and energy.
We’re hoping to write more music together this year, continuing to develop our sound and vision as a band, with the aim of heading into the studio and recording a single. We aspire to perform music across Scotland at venues and festivals that inspired us to form a band in the first place.
Check out the band’s website.
The winners will receive a day in the GloWormRecording Studio and a performance at Celtic Connections 2026. Battle of The Folk Bands is a Hands Up for Trad project. Read about the organisation and join our weekly Scottish music information email here.
If you would like to support the work of Hands Up for Trad you can do here.
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