Congratulations to Shooglenifty who has / have been nominated in Original Work of the Year sponsored Musicians’ Union in the MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards 2026. Vote for Shooglenifty now! It’s going to be another great night at the MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards on Saturday 5th December in Paisley Arena, Lagoon Centre. Why not join us for a brilliant night of music and awards. Buy a ticket here.
We asked Eilidh of Shooglenifty the following questions.
Tell us about yourself
Shooglenifty have been at the forefront of Scotland’s contemporary traditional music scene for over 35 years, continually pushing the boundaries of the genre and developing an internationally recognised sound that draws on Scottish traditional music alongside global influences, improvisation and electronic elements.
Any particular career highlights?
Our debut album, Venus in Tweeds (1994), had a significant cultural and commercial impact, becoming Greentrax Recordings’ top-selling release and BBC Radio Scotland’s Folk Album of the Year. It was followed by invitations to major festivals worldwide, beginning with WOMAD tours of Australia and New Zealand.
Since then, Shooglenifty have performed extensively across the UK and internationally, including WOMAD, Cambridge Folk Festival, Edinburgh International Festival, Vancouver Folk Festival, Montreal Jazz Festival, WOMADelaide and the Borneo Rainforest World Music Festival. We made history as the first UK musical act to perform in Cuba since the 1958 Revolution, and have performed for figures including Nelson Mandela, King Charles III and the Emperor Akihito of Japan.
Collaboration has always been central to our work. We have created projects with musicians from Rajasthan, Australian Aboriginal musician Mark Atkins and Grammy-winning Inuit throat singer Tanya Tagaq, resulting in internationally acclaimed recordings including Written in Water, Troots, and Bairns o' Gaza.
What are your plans for the future?
The band has recently been rebuilding and developing a new line-up with renewed creative energy. We have recorded and released our tenth studio album, Stamina Island, partially funded through a successful Crowdfunder, and performed the new material at Celtic Connections in January 2026. The album represents an important new chapter for the band and provides the foundation for our forthcoming live activity.
Shooglenifty Social Media
Website: http://shooglenifty.com
Facebook: @shooglenifty.scotland
Instagram: @shooglegigs
YouTube: @ShoogleniftyScotland
Listen to music: http://shooglenifty.bandcamp.com
The 2026 MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards are on the 5th December 2026 in Paisley Arena, Lagoon Centre! You will be able to watch it live in person (buy a ticket here).
Hosted by Scottish personalities Alistair Heather and Mary Ann Kennedy, the night will welcome live performances from some of the brightest lights on the thriving trad scene today including Valtos, Gnoss, Sian, Fèis Phàislig, Spodo Komodo and BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician Rachel Groves 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.