Sound Of Scotland
It has been a stifling time for many creatives, but these artists found solace in their music amid the upheaval of the Covid-19
Two up-and-coming Scottish musicians share their stories of making music mid-pandemic
WHEN thinking about how a musician gets discovered and signed to a label, you would probably picture a crowded basement venue, a tip of the hat from a mysterious Svengali-type figure and a handshake over a drink at the bar upstairs afterwards.
But with live music on pause during the pandemic, new artists have had to get creative to find an audience.
For Glasgow songwriter Kim Grant, some of that audience found her through live streams performed from her bedroom, sharing virtual stages with already established acts like Withered Hand and Chrissy Barnacle.
Kim, who records under the name of Raveloe, managed one show in 2020 – outdoors at the Govanhill Street Music Festival. As luck would have it, though, Lloyd Meredith of local label Olive Grove Records was in the audience. The label released the first Raveloe EP, Notes and Dreams, earlier this year.
“I had always planned to write a new collection of songs but the pandemic gave me more time to focus solely on that,” says Kim.
“I got furloughed, which in hindsight I am grateful for, as it gave me time to re-evaluate and realise I want to dedicate more time to music.”
“I had hoped to gig a lot, which of course has looked very different, but I am glad live streams are a good and accessible option for now. The reception has been better than I ever could have imagined – hearing how people are connecting with the EP in various ways and settings is really special,” she says.
Glasgow-based singer Lizzie Reid was also expecting big things from 2020, having signed to London tastemakers Seven Four Seven Six.
Lizzie finished recording her debut EP, Cubicle, at home in Glasgow with producer Oli Barton-wood just days before the first UK lockdown in March 2020 –