Latest news with #PaulHeaton
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The TRNSMT star who cut her teeth busking in Glasgow
When Rianne Downey headed off to America to record her debut album last year, she found herself working in a secluded studio near Seattle. "It was in the middle of a forest and I lived there the whole time I was there, so it was like I was living in a fairy tale," laughs the Lanarkshire singer. It is not the only fantastical moment in her career so far, as the 26-year-old has gone from busking on the streets of Glasgow to performing on Glastonbury's Pyramid Stage alongside ex-Beautiful South singer Paul Heaton. The former Housemartins vocalist praised Downey on social media in 2020 after she covered his band's song Rotterdam - and three years later he asked if she would be willing to sing with him on tour. More stories from Glasgow & West Scotland More stories from Scotland Since then she has toured across the country with him while also working on her own music. Her debut album is released in October, and before that she will perform at TRNSMT on Sunday afternoon. "I still don't think it has sunk in, to be honest", admits the singer, who is from Bellshill. "Sometimes I'll be walking down the shops or cooking my dinner, and it pops into my head what my job is now. It takes the breath away, it's such a dream come true. "As a musician you dream of getting to do this for a living, but you never fully believe you're going to get there." Downey started busking in her teens, was playing pubs as soon as she turned 18 and was quick to upload material to YouTube when the coronavirus pandemic struck in 2020. "My mum always says I could sing before I could speak," she recalls. "But none of my family are actually musical, other than my granny holding a tune. I don't really know where I got it from, but there was always music on around the house. "It's always been the way I express myself. I just love performing, whether it was forcing my granny to watch me sing or being up on the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury - I'm happy with whatever I can get." That Glastonbury appearance came alongside Heaton, who approached her about joining him when his regular collaborator Jacqui Abbott had to step away from the band for health reasons. "I feel very lucky to have met people like Paul and Ryan Hadlock (producer of her album), who are gems in the industry," Downey said. "I'll always aim to be as kind and giving as they are, and hopefully as talented as they are too. Paul is an amazing role model and I couldn't ask for a better sort of mentor." Her country and folk-flavoured pop will be fully heard in the autumn, when she releases The Consequence of Love, the record she decamped to Bear Creek Studio in the USA to work on. Having spent most of 2024 touring with Paul Heaton and his band, both the album and this weekend's TRNSMT appearance will put her own material in the spotlight again. "It's definitely a coming of age album," she says. "It's the chance to tell where I came from and where I am now, as well as looking at friendships, relationships, my family and different things that happened on the way. "I've kind of grown up in front of people and it's the truest, most authentic version of me that's there in the songs." Downey believes that authentic nature comes from busking as a teenager - when she cut her teeth as a performer. While she stresses that most of her experiences were positive, it also taught her a lot about performing and winning over crowds. "That was me serving my apprenticeship," she said. "It's been great character building and it's given me such strength, because when you're stepping out onto the streets of Glasgow to busk there is no-one there to listen to you at first. "It helped build a thick skin but it also taught me about what crowds like and helped me hone in on my performance." Her busking years were before Glasgow City Council decided to implement a code for street performers that came into force last year. Downey is uncertain whether the changes will actually make any difference. She said: "There was always a sort of code anyway when I was doing it, so you knew to keep enough of a distance so everyone had a fair chance of being heard. "It's always a bit mad putting rules in for music though, so hopefully buskers don't have to worry about volume too much." Volume levels will be less of an issue at TRNSMT's King Tut's stage on Sunday. Downey's headline tour in the autumn will then wrap up back in Glasgow, at the Old Fruitmarket. Her profile is continuing to rise, which Downey says brings both praise and attention and abuse from internet trolls. "I still ruminate on negative comments but you realise a lot of the time it isn't personal," she says. "It just comes with the territory – in a way it's like you're doing something right. It's a horrible thing to deal with but it's about turning that into a positive." She has the same approach with her song-writing, which she says is a form of therapy for her. "Sometimes you sit down with your guitar and feel you don't have anything to write about, then within a few hours you've vocalised an emotion you didn't realise was eating away at you," she says. "Putting it out of your head and onto paper or into song can really take a load off, and it's so rewarding when people then respond to that and relate to it. "It's like knowing you're not alone – that's the beauty of music." TRNSMT 2025 - Line-up, weather and how to watch TRNSMT 2025: Full line-up and stage times for the weekend Paul Heaton buys drinks for fans attending TRNSMT
BBC News
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Rianne Downey: Glasgow singer who has gone from busking to Glastonbury
When Rianne Downey headed off to America to record her debut album last year, she found herself working in a secluded studio near Seattle."It was in the middle of a forest and I lived there the whole time I was there, so it was like I was living in a fairy tale," laughs the Lanarkshire is not the only fantastical moment in her career so far, as the 26-year-old has gone from busking on the streets of Glasgow to performing on Glastonbury's Pyramid Stage alongside ex-Beautiful South singer Paul former Housemartins vocalist praised Downey on social media in 2020 after she covered his band's song Rotterdam - and three years later he asked if she would be willing to sing with him on tour. Since then she has toured across the country with him while also working on her own debut album is released in October, and before that she will perform at TRNSMT on Sunday afternoon."I still don't think it has sunk in, to be honest", admits the singer, who is from Bellshill. "Sometimes I'll be walking down the shops or cooking my dinner, and it pops into my head what my job is now. It takes the breath away, it's such a dream come true. "As a musician you dream of getting to do this for a living, but you never fully believe you're going to get there." Downey started busking in her teens, was playing pubs as soon as she turned 18 and was quick to upload material to YouTube when the coronavirus pandemic struck in 2020."My mum always says I could sing before I could speak," she recalls."But none of my family are actually musical, other than my granny holding a tune. I don't really know where I got it from, but there was always music on around the house."It's always been the way I express myself. I just love performing, whether it was forcing my granny to watch me sing or being up on the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury - I'm happy with whatever I can get."That Glastonbury appearance came alongside Heaton, who approached her about joining him when his regular collaborator Jacqui Abbott had to step away from the band for health reasons."I feel very lucky to have met people like Paul and Ryan Hadlock (producer of her album), who are gems in the industry," Downey said."I'll always aim to be as kind and giving as they are, and hopefully as talented as they are too. Paul is an amazing role model and I couldn't ask for a better sort of mentor." Her country and folk-flavoured pop will be fully heard in the autumn, when she releases The Consequence of Love, the record she decamped to Bear Creek Studio in the USA to work spent most of 2024 touring with Paul Heaton and his band, both the album and this weekend's TRNSMT appearance will put her own material in the spotlight again."It's definitely a coming of age album," she says. "It's the chance to tell where I came from and where I am now, as well as looking at friendships, relationships, my family and different things that happened on the way. "I've kind of grown up in front of people and it's the truest, most authentic version of me that's there in the songs." Downey believes that authentic nature comes from busking as a teenager - when she cut her teeth as a she stresses that most of her experiences were positive, it also taught her a lot about performing and winning over crowds."That was me serving my apprenticeship," she said. "It's been great character building and it's given me such strength, because when you're stepping out onto the streets of Glasgow to busk there is no-one there to listen to you at first. "It helped build a thick skin but it also taught me about what crowds like and helped me hone in on my performance."Her busking years were before Glasgow City Council decided to implement a code for street performers that came into force last is uncertain whether the changes will actually make any difference. She said: "There was always a sort of code anyway when I was doing it, so you knew to keep enough of a distance so everyone had a fair chance of being heard. "It's always a bit mad putting rules in for music though, so hopefully buskers don't have to worry about volume too much." 'I ruminate on negative comments' Volume levels will be less of an issue at TRNSMT's King Tut's stage on headline tour in the autumn will then wrap up back in Glasgow, at the Old Fruitmarket. Her profile is continuing to rise, which Downey says brings both praise and attention and abuse from internet trolls."I still ruminate on negative comments but you realise a lot of the time it isn't personal," she says. "It just comes with the territory – in a way it's like you're doing something right. It's a horrible thing to deal with but it's about turning that into a positive."She has the same approach with her song-writing, which she says is a form of therapy for her."Sometimes you sit down with your guitar and feel you don't have anything to write about, then within a few hours you've vocalised an emotion you didn't realise was eating away at you," she says."Putting it out of your head and onto paper or into song can really take a load off, and it's so rewarding when people then respond to that and relate to it. "It's like knowing you're not alone – that's the beauty of music."
The National
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The National
BBC Alba launch search for homegrown talent to play Belladrum festival
The broadcaster has teamed up with The Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival to unearth the next top talent from the Highlands and Islands in a bid to celebrate newcomers to Scotland's music scene. The competition is open to solo artists and bands, where at least 50% of their members have a Highland home address, across all genres, with one newcomer receiving the opportunity to open the main stage at the Hot House Arena on Thursday, 31 July. As the festival prepares for its 21st year, with acts including Texas, Supergrass, Paul Heaton, Tom Walker, and Natasha Bedingfield confirmed, BBC ALBA is on the hunt to find the best new homegrown talent to add to the lineup. READ MORE: Winter festivals worth almost £200 million to Edinburgh, report shows Calum McConnell, commissioning editor at BBC ALBA, said: 'While there is nothing quite like the atmosphere of being in the field at a festival, shoulder to shoulder with fellow music and arts fans, BBC ALBA remain committed to bringing the magic of Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival to audiences who can't be there in person, as we have done for the past 13 years. 'Our festival highlights are always a popular fixture in BBC ALBA's summer schedule, and this year will be no exception. The addition of the talent search will shine an even brighter light on the incredible creativity emerging from the Highlands and Islands.' (Image: BBC ALBA) Held on the Belladrum Estate in Kiltarlity, the festival has grown in popularity over the past 20 years and now attracts thousands of visitors. BBC ALBA, which held a similar competition last year, said it aims to support Scottish artists and aims to provide a platform to propel newcomers into the industry. The lucky winner will also have the additional opportunity to record an acoustic session in the BBC ALBA studio at the festival. Musicians can apply by submitting a bio and link to their music to tartanheart@ with entries judged by a panel of experts, including representatives from the BBC and Belladrum, alongside an independent musician appearing at the festival, before the shortlist goes to a public vote. Applications will open on May 27 at 9am and will close at 11.59pm on June 8. It is expected that the public vote will open on June 13 on the Belladrum website and will close on June 20, ahead of Belladrum Tartan Heart Music Festival 2025, which runs from July 31 to August 2.
Daily Mirror
31-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Summer music festivals you won't want to miss - and can still buy tickets for
While we may almost be in June, it is not too late to get your hands on summer music festival tickets - so we've put together a guide to five that you absolutely need to know With summer approaching, many of us may be starting to get FOMO thinking about everyone heading to festivals to spend the season enjoying music and entertainment outside in the sun. However, it's not too late to book tickets for an upcoming festival, and there is something for everyone - whether you're looking for rock music, a family-friendly weekend, big name stars, or theatrical performances and comedy. Here's our guide to five summer music festivals you should know about. Download - June 13 Held each year at Donington Park, Derby, Download Festival will take place between June 13th and 15th in 2025. Known as a rock festival, the headline artists are Green Day on Friday, Sleep Token on Saturday, and Korn on Sunday. Other performers include Weezer, Jimmy Eat World, McFly, Apocalyptica, Shinedown, Sex Pistols, The Darkness, Dayseeker, Bullet for my Valentine, Steel Panther, Kids in Glass Houses, and Spiritbox. You can either buy day tickets or camping tickets for the whole weekend. The festival also offers a designated solo camping area where solo attendees can meet like-minded festival goers. Attendees can also take part in the fancy dress theme each year, and this year's theme is Friday 13th. Outside of music, there will be live blacksmithing workshops, new immersive experience Darkfield Séance and a Heavy Metal Sports Day. Festival-goers can also enjoy axe throwing, skate ramps, a new and improved wellness, yoga and talking therapy offering, wrestling, RockFit, live fire cooking demos, and daily themed quizzes. This year there will be more than 160 food traders across the festival - with vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options. Drink spots include the new Mercian Axe brewery bar, the Hair of The Dog pub with a roof terrace and beer garden, and the Iron Harp arena bar. There will also be a Low & No bar, called Bar Zero. Tickets: Three-night camping tickets are priced from £325 each, while five nights will cost you £345. Day tickets are £135. You can search for Download tickets here. Isle of Wight - June 19 Taking place from June 19th to 22nd, the Isle of Wight Festival will be held at Seaclose Park in Newport. This year's headliners are Sting on Friday, Stereophonics on Saturday, and Justin Timberlake on Sunday. Other performers include Faithless, The Script, Paul Heaton, Busted, Razorlight, Jess Glynne, Olly Murs, Texas, Clean Bandit, Supergrass, James, Dean Lewis, Yard Act, LIghtning Seeds, and Mae Muller. The festival has lots of different areas to explore, including the Intoxicated Tea Rooms, which provide 'good old interactive and immersive entertainment, dance workshops, bunting galore, and sparkly glitter balls'. The Hipshaker Lounge is a 'groovy, funky, hip party venue specialising in all things vintage …. for all of the day and all of the night'; and Electro Love will host 'some of the finest tributes & cover bands bringing you music from the 80's, 90's & 00's' and by night the DJs will create the 'ultimate festival nightclub'. There is also KIDZONE where children can enjoy performances on the Bull Stage, the Living Room Stage, and the Lighthouse Stage. There will also be circus workshops, a maker's shed with creative crafts, a mud kitchen, sensory space, and a toddler area. Tickets: Camping tickets cost from £289.95 for adults, and £235.95 for students and accompanied teens. Day tickets are priced from £125 for adults and £95 for teens. You can search for tickets here. TRNSMT - July 11 TRNSMT will take place on Glasgow Green in Glasgow from July 11th to 13th. Big names performing are 50 Cent, The Script, Wet Leg, and Kneecap on Friday, Biffy Clyro, Fontaines DC, Underworld, The Kooks, Inhaler, and Sigrid on Saturday, and Snow Patrol, Gracie Abrams, Jade, and Myles Smith on Sunday. Other acts include Jamie Webster, Twin Atlantic, Jake Bugg, Alessi Rose, Biig Piig, Shed Seven, The Lathums, Nathan Evans, Tom Walker, and The Royston Club. Attendees can also enjoy Bongo's Bingo at The Hangout, listen to live podcasts, and watch Drag-aoke with Miss Lola Fierce. There will also be a Radio 1 Dance Stage at this year's festival, where acts like Nimino, Jaguar, and Jazzy will be playing. The Green is just a five minute walk from the Merchant City and is on the banks of the River Clyde, which means there are plenty of transport and accommodation options available. Tickets: Day tickets cost £92.50, while a two-day ticket will cost £180.40. Three-day tickets are priced at £254.90. You can search for tickets here. Latitude - July 24 Held at Henham Park in Suffolk, Latitude takes place from July 24th to 27th. Headliners include Sting and Basement Jaxx on Friday, Fatboy Slim and Kaiser Chiefs on Saturday, and Snow Patrol and Elbow on Sunday. Other performers over the weekend include Clean Bandit, Doves, Leon Bridges, Maribou State, Mika, Sigrid, Arthur Hill, Billy Bragg, Example, and Feeder. There is also comedy at the festival, with headliners being Bridget Christie on Friday, Greg Davies on Saturday, and Reggie Watts on Sunday. However, there is plenty of other entertainment, too. Latitude is one of the best performing arts festivals in Europe so there will be performances displaying the 'emotionally uplifting, the visually astonishing and the physically defying'. For book-lovers there is The Bookshop, 'an intimate hub for browsing the aisles for your next paperback purchase, reading the latest works from a plethora of brilliant authors and sipping on delicious coffee'. It also hosts a range of authors, poets, and thought leaders on stage. There is a Faraway Forest complete with interactive art installations, workshops, performances and games; and attendees can even go lake swimming. The festival is family-friendly, with the Kids Area open from 10 to 6pm every day. The Kids Theatre Tent is home to a full programme of live shows, workshops, puppetry, drama and more. The Hive geodome and its wildlife garden hosts visiting authors, illustrators, and poets, and kids can also join in on the daily Wild Earthworm Walk led by Dr David Jones from the Natural History Museum. Kids can also enjoy the Wild Science tent, the Enchanted Garden and the Woodcraft Folk Woodland Base. Tickets: Weekend camping tickets cost £308 for adults, or £190 for teens and £28 for kids (bought with an adult ticket). You can search for tickets here. Magpies Festival - August 8 Based in Sutton Park, York, the Magpies Festival is set to take place over the August 8 and 9 and will be the perfect spot for kids, dogs, camping and glamping. More than enough for you and the family to enjoy! This boutique festival offers an exciting line-up of folk, americana, acoustic, swing and everything in between. You'll also be supporting an independent festival by going along, as the two-day event is run by Yorkshire-based transatlantic folk band, The Magpies. You'll be in safe hands thanks to the young, female management team are set on championing gender equality in the music industry, achieving gender parity in both line-up and staff, as well as providing a safe and comfortable environment for female musicians and festival goers. Tickets: For adults, a weekend ticket cost £72.50. Friday day tickets are £35, Saturday tickets are £50. You can search for tickets here. Creamfields - August 21 Creamfields will take place from August 21st to 24th this year in Daresbury, Cheshire. Acts include Chase and Status, Fisher, Jamie Jones, Sub Focus and Vintage Culture on the Friday; Swedish House Mafia, Chris Stussy, Hardwell, Camelphat and Patrick Topping on Saturday; and David Guetta, Oliver Heldens, D.O.D, Martin Garrix, Sonny Fodera, and Fatboy Slim on Sunday. At this year's festival there will be a 'stunning new stage set amidst immersive woodland-inspired décor' called the Electric Forest. Another new addition is HALO, a 'monumental 45-metre diameter, cyclical outdoor arena with pioneering 360 and overhead video, lighting and sound package designed by renowned stage and show design studio Lucid Creates'. 'Downtown' at Creamfields is a brand-new sports, wellness, and entertainment village which comes equipped with activities like inflatable five-a-side football, mini golf, rave karaoke, and basketball. Attendees can enjoy workouts at the Fitness Zone, theatrical performances, food at the Culinary Quarter, and beauty treatments like make-up and hair styling.
Scotsman
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
BBC ALBA launches talent search to open Belladrum main stage
Following the success of the 2024 talent search, BBC ALBA has teamed up with The Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival once again with a new quest to find the best up-and-coming musical talent from the Highlands and Islands. Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Open to solo artists and bands (where at least 50% of its members have a Highland home address) across all genres, one newcomer will be given the opportunity to perform on the main stage at this year's Belladrum Tartan Heart Music Festival. Known for its unique and diverse showcase of music and the arts, the festival has grown in popularity over the past 20 years, now attracting thousands of visitors. As it prepares for its 21st year, with acts including Texas, Supergrass, Paul Heaton, Tom Walker and Natasha Bedingfield confirmed, the team is on the hunt to find the best new homegrown talent to open the main stage at the Hot House Arena on Thursday 31 July. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad True to its longstanding support of Scottish artists, BBC ALBA is supporting the search, providing a platform to propel newcomers onto the celebrated Scottish music scene, as well as an additional opportunity for the winner to record an acoustic session in the BBC ALBA studio at the festival. Cameron Ferguson and band open the Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival 2024 Calum McConnell, commissioning editor at BBC ALBA, said: 'While there is nothing quite like the atmosphere of being in the field at a festival, shoulder to shoulder with fellow music and arts fans, BBC ALBA remain committed to bringing the magic of Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival to audiences who can't be there in person, as we have done for the past 13 years. 'Our festival highlights are always a popular fixture in BBC ALBA's summer schedule, and this year will be no exception. The addition of the talent search will shine an even brighter light on the incredible creativity emerging from the Highlands and Islands.' Musicians can apply by submitting a bio and link to their music to tartanheart@ with entries judged by a panel of experts, including representatives from the BBC and Belladrum, alongside an independent musician appearing at the festival, before the shortlist goes to a public vote. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Applications will open on Tuesday 27 May at 9am and will close at 11.59pm on Sunday 8 June. Cameron Ferguson and band open the Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival 2024 It is expected that the public vote will open on Friday 13 June on the Belladrum website, closing on Friday 20 June, ahead of Belladrum Tartan Heart Music Festival 2025 from Thursday 31 July to Saturday 2 August. Belladrum festival producer, Dougie Brown, said: 'We're so excited to be teaming up with BBC ALBA once again to uncover and celebrate the next wave of incredible Scottish talent. This opportunity is so much more than a performance slot — it's a potential launchpad for an artist's future. Over the years, we've seen past talent go on to build amazing careers, and that journey often starts right here, on the Belladrum stage. 'Our partnership with BBC ALBA has been instrumental in showcasing not just the festival, but the creativity and energy coming out of the Highlands and Islands. Fourteen years on, it's still a huge moment when a fresh new voice gets the chance to share their music with thousands, both on site and at home. We can't wait to see who takes that spotlight this year.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Last year's BBC ALBA x Belladrum talent search winner, Cameron Ferguson, said: 'Almost a year on from winning the 2024 Belladrum talent search, I can still say that opening up that stage was the proudest moment of my musical journey to date. The feeling of playing on a stage I had once only dreamed of playing was surreal, especially one so close to home. Thank you Belladrum, you've opened a lot doors for the band and I. We will be back soon enough!' Cameron Ferguson and band open the Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival 2024 Belladrum brings together top musical acts, comedy, cabaret, spoken word, dance, drag and even wrestling as part of the annual family-friendly festival. A wealth of new names and popular crowd-pleasers have been added to the festival line up in recent weeks, including The Pigeon Detectives, Example, The Hoosiers, Irish singer and songwriter CMAT, and Scottish folk rock and pop favourites Skipinnish and Tide Lines. Find out more about Belladrum and get your tickets at
