Emily Portman Trio

BBC RADIO 2 Folk Award 2013 Winner – Best Original Song with ‘Hatchling’

Emily Portman is the 2013 holder of the BBC Radio Two Folk Award for Best Original Song; an accolade showcasing her ability to weave new songs from old yarns with gallows humour and a literary poignancy.

Her ethereal voice and the trio's enchanting harmonies belie a world of dark storytelling, cruel deeds and sordid city landscapes, part inspired by traditional balladry and part by rich literary sources, from the myth of Leda and the Swan to the magical realism of Angela Carter.

English folk is going through a purple patch, and Portman is among its most intriguing interpreters. Concertina, cello, harp, banjo and the occasional saw provide an otherworldly palette to Portman along with Lucy Farrell and Rachel Newton, who can evoke English folk song at its most affecting when they break into close vocal harmony.

Emily Portman: vocals, concertina, banjo
?Lucy Farrell: vocals, viola, saw
Rachel Newton (The Shee): vocals, harp