We toddle up the hill and then we toddle down, but what the heck do we do in between?

–

But Fiona Kennedy’s new EP, with its themes of loss, love, and finding hope in the darkest of days, could just as easily be the soundtrack to our times.

The popular singer and broadcaster, who releases

The Maple Tree (I’ll Remember You) tomorrow, said: “It feels very right for this to come out just now, although obviously I had no way of knowing what was going to happen in the world.

“I wrote the title track about a very special family friend, who we called Uncle Brian, who passed away. He was the most engaging person, so I wanted to write about losing someone who was really dear without it being melancholic.

“I’ve also recorded two Burns’ songs, Ae Waukin’ O, about sleepless nights – and how many people are having those right now? – and John Anderson, My Jo which is about the journey of life, about toddling up the hill and toddling down it, but wondering what the heck you do in the middle.

“Given the challenging times we

are living through today, there are many parallels.

“The fourth track is Farewell To Tarwathie, made famous in the ’60s by Judy Collins and Ewan Maccoll. Ewan’s son, Calum, produced the EP, so it gave him reason to reminisce, too.”

Reminiscing has been a big part of lockdown for Fiona, who is trying to make the best of the situation.

Her husband Francis is in the fishing industry and has continued to work but two of the couple’s three children, actress Sophie and Francis Jr, who is also in fishing, have returned to the family home in Aberdeenshire to see out