Iona Fyfe presented by Rainshadow Concerts

Scots Performer of the Year (winner) – Scots Language Awards 2020!

Aberdeenshire folksinger, Iona Fyfe, has become one of Scotland’s finest singers, rooted deeply in the singing traditions of the North East of Scotland. In 2021, she became the first singer to win the coveted title of Musician of the Year at the MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards.

Iona is a fierce advocate for the official recognition of the Scots Language, leading a successful campaign to pressure Spotify into recognizing Scots and add it to its list of languages. Honoured at the Scots Language Awards with the title of Speaker of the Year in 2021, Iona performs both folk and pop songs in the Scots language, remaining true to her rooting in tradition. Iona has featured in several publications including The Sunday Post, The Financial Times, The Wall Street Journal and The Times. She won the title of Scots Singer of the Year at the MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards in 2018 and was described as “one of the best Scotland has to offer.”

Iona has made musical appearances on several TV broadcasts including Landward (BBC Scotland), Great Canal Journeys (Channel 4) Secret Scotland with Susan Calman (Channel 5), Binneas Na Trads (BBC ALBA), Under Canvas (BBC ALBA), Hame (BBC Northern Ireland) and Great Railway Journeys with Michael Portillo (BBC Two). Her music has received airplay and has been performed in session on radio shows such as Music Planet (BBC Radio 3), The Folk Show (BBC Radio 2) The Afternoon Show, Take The Floor and Traveling Folk (BBC Radio Scotland).

Growing up within the Traditional Music and Song Association movement, Iona met many revivalist singers such as Jimmie Hutchison, Joe Aitken and Carole Prior who influenced her ballad and bothy ballad style. Attending singarounds, ceilidhs and competitions from 5 years of age, Iona learnt her repertoire mainly through oral transmission and is still a regular within the competitive ballad circuit.

“Describing Iona Fyfe as a Scottish folksinger is probably doing her an injustice, as the versatility displayed on her new, EP release, Dark Turn of Mind, reflects her grasp and understanding of jazz, Americana and much more.” —  RnR Magazine

“Poignant and well delivered. Singing well within herself, Iona’s voice, at times reminiscent of Cara Dillon, is well suited to the ballads recorded on this album.” — Scottish Field