Congratulations to Dàna who has been nominated in the MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards 2025. Vote now! It’s going to be another great night at the MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards on Saturday 6th December in Aberdeen Music Hall. Why not join us for a brilliant night of music and awards. Buy a ticket here.
We asked Anna of Dàna the following questions.
Tell us about yourself
Dàna are a contemporary traditional band based in Glasgow, featuring Anna Robertson (fiddle), Alex Wotherspoon (piano), Eleanor Tout (whistle), and Laura Penman (clàrsach).
We met whilst studying at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, and formed Dàna just six months before graduating. Our goal was to create powerful and exciting music. Our name, Dàna, meaning ‘bold’ or ‘audacious’ in Gaelic, perfectly encapsulates our vibrant sound and approach to performance.
As an all-female band, we hope to be role models for younger girls interested in traditional music. We felt that our first performance as a group, in March 2024, reflected this, which was as part of an International Women’s Day concert.
We are delighted to be nominated for Up and Coming Artist of the Year, and appreciate everyone who put our name forward.
Why are you involved in Scottish music?
We all grew up in different parts of Scotland and Wales, with access to different styles of Scottish and Traditional music. Anna is from Knoydart, where she developed a strong west coast fiddle style. Laura went through Gaelic Medium Education in Edinburgh, and much of the music she learned has Gaelic roots. Alex is from Campbeltown and grew up playing the fiddle before discovering her love of piano. Eleanor grew up in South Wales, and has a lot of Irish influences in her playing.
It wasn’t until 2020 that the band first crossed paths on the traditional music course at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in Glasgow. Most of our course was delivered online throughout lockdown, and as such we didn’t meet each other in person very often. It wasn’t until our final year of study, in 2024, that we decided to form Dàna. Individually, we all have so much passion for traditional music. We feel so lucky to be able to combine our influences and styles, drawn from our diverse regional backgrounds, to create and perform new material.
Any particular career highlights?
Some of our career highlights include winning a Danny Kyle Award at the start of Celtic Connections 2025.
We have loved performing at some of our favourite festivals such as Belladrum, The Reeling, Under Canvas, MOKFest and Celtic Connections.
We released our first two singles earlier this year, The Crown Range and ScallyWags, and we were so pleased with the reception they received.
What are your plans for the future?
We are currently in the process of recording our debut album, set to be released in May 2026. We are really proud of the music we are creating, and we’re so excited to share it.
Dàna have already been booked to play at Celtic Connections, Skye Live, and The Gathering in Inverness next year. With a few more dates still to be announced, we can’t wait to bring new music to our gigs in 2026.
We’ve loved playing live at venues across Scotland this year, and we look forward to playing at more festivals across the country. Looking ahead, we hope to be able to travel and perform outside of Scotland, to bring our music to new audiences.
Dàna Social Media
Website:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/danaceol/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danaceol/
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@Danaceol
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@danaceol
The 2025 MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards are on the 6th December 2025 in Aberdeen Music Hall! You will be able to watch it live in person (buy a ticket here). Watch it live in the UK at 9pm (GMT) on BBC ALBA and and around the world here. Hosted by Scottish personalities Alistair Heather and Mary Ann Kennedy, the night in the Granite City will also welcome live performances from some of the brightest lights on the thriving trad scene today including beloved singer Hannah Rarity, UK folk legends The Poozies, trad pop band Mec Lir and BBC Radio scotland Young Traditional Musician and Scots Performer o the Year Ellie Beaton and many more!
If you would like to support Hands Up for Trad in their work with Scottish trad music and musicians why not become a friend of Hands Up for Trad. In addition to our high profile events like the Scots Trad Music Awards, we also deliver a less well known, education programme for young people from 8yrs right through to young adults at the start of their careers. Read more here.