Hands Up for Trad’s Women in Music and Culture 2024 list has been announced to celebrate just some of the women working in Scotland.
Launched as part of International Women’s Day 2023, we shine the spotlight on 15 women who all contribute towards Scotland’s cultural landscape through their work. Read the 2024 list here.
We asked Rachel Walker to tell us more about there work, influences and ambitions for the future.
How did you first get involved in the arts and who were your early influences?
Both my Mum and Dad had great taste in music when I was growing up, so I was exposed to lots of great folk music as a very young child, but didn’t start singing in Gaelic until my family moved from Lincolnshire to Kinlochewe, where I was encouraged by my primary school teacher, Margaret MacLean. Soon after, I began attending Fèis Rois, where I was lucky enough to learn from fantastic singers, including Cathy Ann MacPhee, Eilidh MacKenzie and Ishbel MacAskill.
I started performing as a teenager at local cèilidhs and events, which were a big part of Highland culture at that time. Bands such as Wolfstone and the Incredible Fling band were doing the highland village hall circuit, but I was particularly influenced by Capercaillie, fronted by the fantastic Karen Matheson. A great role model for aspiring female Gaelic singers like myself.
At a time which has been very challenging for many people working in the arts, how did you use the last 3 years to develop your creativity?
I was half way through recording a new solo album (Gaol) when lockdown started, so very quickly had to get to grips with remote recording and collaboration, this has definitely been a massive help to my own creativity and has enabled me to collaborate and record with more musicians.
I work part time for the UHI delivering music courses, so another challenge for me was learning how to teach a practical subject solely online in a way that was still interesting and engaging for the students. It’s been really helpful to able to bring this into my current practice through online workshops and events.
In addition to lockdown, I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2021, which made being creative quite difficult! However, recovery time gave me a focus and the chance to work on new projects, including writing ‘Despite the Wind and Rain’ with Aaron Jones and Marcas Mac an Tuairneir, which celebrates the unsung achievements of women in Scottish history, an album I’m very proud of.
Who or what interests you creatively?
I’m interested in unheard voices, and passionate about equality and representation in the traditional music world. I feel there’s still a long way to go in terms of diversity in the Scottish music festival scene, particularly the role and visibility of women in instrumental line ups.
I love the process of songwriting and learning about how other people write. There’s a real skill in crafting words and melodies to provoke an emotional response in the listener and a comfort in listening to favourite songs that evoke good memories.
I’m a keen baker, and love making elaborate cakes while listening to my favourite songs!
What are your plans for the next year or so and/or what are your longer term creative ambitions?
I’m currently working on a new album with Aaron Jones and planning tour dates for the UK and Germany in the year ahead. I’m also really looking forward to appearing at Edinburgh Castle in July to celebrate 25 years of performing with Skipinnish.
In 2022 and 2023 I was invited to be Musical Director for one of BBC Alba’s flagship programmes ‘Alleluia’ which I thoroughly enjoyed, I’d like to do more MD work in the future.
In the longer term, my focus is on songwriting. I feel that having new Gaelic songs is a vital part of growing and nurturing the tradition, and would love to explore collaborations with musicians and singers from different disciplines and genres.
Find out more about Rachel Walker here.
Read the Hands Up for Trad’s Women in Music and Culture 2023 List
Hands Up for Trad are an organisation who work with Scottish traditional music, language and culture. If you would like to support our work you can donate here.
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