Congratulations to Claire Hastings who has been nominated in Citty Finlayson Scots Singer of the Year sponsored by TMSA in the MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards 2020. Vote now!
We asked Claire Hastings the following questions.
Tell us about yourself
I am a folksinger, songwriter and ukulele player originally from Dumfries and Galloway. I enjoy performing traditional songs as well as writing in Scots, and am delighted to be nominated for Scots Singer of the Year.
In 2015 I won BBC Radio Scotland’s Young Traditional Musician of the Year and have since released two albums – ‘Between River and Railway’ and ‘Those Who Roam’. Pre-pandemic I was touring solo and with my band, as well as teaching in various settings for both children and adults.
I am currently working on various online projects including songwriting workshops for survivors of abuse, folksong classes for young people through SC&T Youth and early years music workshops on my Claire’s Music Club Facebook page.
Why are you involved in Scottish music?
There is no other genre of music that makes me feel the same way as I do with Scottish music, both in listening and performing. Storytelling is a particular aspect of traditional music that I love, and I feel drawn to songs that have a good story. I also find it very freeing to be able to sing in my own accent. Pre-pandemic I performed in a lot of care homes and day centres, and I found that Scottish music in particular has the greatest connection with the audience.
Any particular career highlights?
Winning the Young Traditional Musician of the Year award was a highlight, but after winning I had the most incredible opportunity to perform with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra for Friday Night is Music Night at Glasgow’s City Halls. It was the most amazing experience performing with an orchestra, and I also got to perform the finale song of the evening with Lulu, Jamie Cullum and Deacon Blue! It seems like a dream now!
What are your plans for the future?
Everything is so uncertain at the moment with the pandemic, but there is one future project that will be going ahead – I am due my first baby in April! So 2021 will be a busy one for me in a very different way! I do have some gigs in place for next year, but they are of course dependant on Covid restrictions.
Read more about Claire Hastings
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/clairehastingsmusic
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ClaireHastings1
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/claireh_sings
The MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards, Na Trads 2020, will be broadcast on BBC ALBA on 12th December 2020 at 9pm where the award winners will be announced along with specially recorded music performances. During the day on Saturday the 12th, you will be able to watch from 1pm til 9pm a day of live Scottish trad music including Kinnaris Quintet, Dallahan, Inyal, Paul McKenna Band, Ryan Young and Jenn Butterworth and many more here https://youtu.be/amByvVzxl5E. Keep up to date with all the latest information by joining the Hands Up for Trad newsletter at https://handsup.link/Newsletter or use the hashtags #natrads #HUFTonline.
If you would like to support Hands Up for Trad in their work with Scottish trad music and musicians please consider supporting our Patreon campaign. We have 3 tiers starting at $1 a month and everything helps support us in our work. Read more at www.patreon.com/handsupfortrad