Iona Lane

“Lyrical ballads, beautifully performed!” - Chris Riddell 

“The gorgeous natural-mythological commentaries she explores in her own songs link ancient and often unheard histories with the world we find ourselves in today.” - Nancy Kerr 

“One of the most outstanding, gifted and polished young folk artists out there.” - Chesham Folk Club 

 

Short biog

Swilkie, the new album from Highlands-based songwriter Iona Lane, weaves ecology, conservation, islands and folklore into poetic songs and contemplative melodies. Written during three residencies on the Isle of Eigg, Isle of Mull and Sanday in Orkney, sense of place and landscape are at the core of these songs. From basking sharks to lighthouses, lichen to vanishing islands, curlews to tree planting.

Iona’s debut album Hallival charted at #36 in the Official Folk Album Charts and was named by Folk Radio UK as #27 in their Top Albums of 2022. The album received widespread press including in The Guardian, Walk Highlands, BBC Radio 2 and The Scotsman to name a few. 

In 2023 Iona toured extensively and joined Karine Polwart on a run of tour dates in England. Iona joined Karine on stage for a few songs, an awe inspiring opportunity for audiences to see these two artists sing together.

Iona was the recipient of the Taran Guitars Young Players Bursary in 2020.

 

Long biog

Swilkie, the new album from Highlands-based songwriter Iona Lane, weaves ecology, conservation, islands and folklore into poetic songs and contemplative melodies. Written during three residencies on the Isle of Eigg, Isle of Mull and Sanday in Orkney, sense of place and landscape are at the core of these songs. From basking sharks to lighthouses, lichen to vanishing islands, curlews to tree planting; the album was recorded in a boathouse on the West Coast of Scotland and the eager listener may even hear the lapping sound of the tide murmuring through the album. Iona’s connection to places by the sea is translated through these songs with evolving vocal melodies, subtle guitar and droning shruti box. 

Iona’s debut album Hallival charted at #36 in the Official Folk Album Charts and was named by Folk Radio UK as #27 in their Top Albums of 2022. The album received widespread press including in The Guardian, Walk Highlands, BBC Radio 2 and The Scotsman to name a few. 

In 2023 Iona toured extensively and joined Karine Polwart on a run of tour dates in England. Iona joined Karine on stage for a few songs, an awe inspiring opportunity for audiences to see these two artists sing together.

Iona was the recipient of the Taran Guitars Young Players Bursary in 2020.

‘Hallival’ was the long awaited debut album from Leeds-based folk singer and songwriter Iona Lane. Having found herself fascinated by folklore and folk stories from across the UK ‘Hallival’ is inspired by natural landscapes, scientific discoveries, equality, human relationships and the supernatural, all tied together by a strong sense of place and a love for being in wild places - creating something truly special.

The name ‘Hallival’ is taken after one of the mountains on the Isle of Rum, which inspired the writing for the opening track ‘Western Tidal Swell’. Karine Polwart and Julie Fowlis, amongst others, selected ‘Western Tidal Swell’ to win Feis Rois’/NatureScots’ In Tune With Nature competition in 2020.

With Andy Bell on production, Iona and her band ventured to Watercolour Music (Ardgour, Highlands) for a week of recording in April 2020. The studio was chosen due to it’s stunning location - every day the team woke up to herds of deers guarding the studio, ever changing weather and phenomenal views over to Ben Nevis ‘Hallival’.

The lead single from the album ‘Humankind’, featuring Jenny Sturgeon on backing vocals, was written from the depths of the Lake District in Wasdale just before the first lockdown. Being the closing track on the album, it reflects on how important humans are to each other and the kindness that we can bring particularly whilst feeling isolated, a feeling that we all know too well after the past couple of years.

‘Schiehallion’ was written after discovering the Schiehallion Experiment that was carried out in 1774. During the experiment scientists from the Royal Society used the shape and location of Schiehallion to calculate the mass of the Earth for the first time. After a summer of calculations on the hill, the scientists and locals had a party in a nearby bothy. The fiddler got so drunk that they burnt their violin and the bothy to the ground. ‘Schiehallion’ features Lauren MacColl on fiddle and Rachel Newton on harp. Any money raised from this track will go to the John Muir Trust who plant and restore mountain woodland on Schiehallion.

Stemmed from being read ‘Stone Girl Bone Girl, The Life of Mary Anning’ by Laurence Ann Holt as a child, Iona’s song ‘Mary Anning’ focuses on the life of the groundbreaking paleontologist who lived and worked in Lyme Regis in the 1800s. Mary made vast contributions to the scientific world, however, due to her being a woman she was unable to present her findings and would often end up selling them to her male colleagues. Up until very recently Mary Anning has had little credit for her work.

Having studied under the tuition of Nancy Kerr, Jim Moray and Stuart McCallum, Iona has been praised throughout the scene for her delicate yet powerful vocals, which have captivated audiences up and down the country.

Iona was chosen by Karine Polwart to receive the Taran Guitars Young Players Bursary 2020. Since receiving the bursary luthier Rory Dowling, of Taran Guitars, has designed and built a bespoke instrument for Iona’s music.