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Cambridge Folk Festival favourite Katherine is Priddy special




Ever since folk royalty Richard Thompson chose Katherine Priddy as ‘The Best Thing I’ve Heard All Year’ in Mojo magazine on the strength of her 2018 Wolf EP, the Birmingham-based singer-songwriter’s star has continued to rise.

Also counting the likes of Elbow frontman Guy Garvey and broadcasters Mark Radcliffe, Stuart Maconie and the late Janice Long as fans, Katherine’s debut album, 2021’s The Eternal Rocks Beneath, reached number one in the Official UK Folk Chart and number five in the Official UK Americana Chart.

Katherine Priddy. Picture: Damien Hyde
Katherine Priddy. Picture: Damien Hyde

Now not only is she back with her second LP, The Pendulum Swing, she will also be returning to the Cambridge Folk Festival this summer.

Katherine was awarded the event’s coveted Christian Raphael Prize in 2019.

Speaking to the Cambridge Independent from Yorkshire while on tour, Katherine admits she was a “little bit nervous” ahead of the release of the new album, which came out in February.

“I think the pressure of the second album was getting to me a little bit,” she notes, “but so far so good.

“People seem to be enjoying it so I’m really happy with how it’s all gone.”

Track 10 on the record, Walnut Shell, stood out for me as it started off a bit country.

“Oh, thanks – there’s a couple of songs on there which are maybe slightly country-influenced,” observes Katherine, who has previously supported such established names as Richard Thompson, The Chieftains, Loudon Wainwright III, and Vashti Bunyan.

“I do like a little bit of country every now and then, so I think it’s nice to mix up the genres a little bit.”

The singer should go ‘full-on’ country, I suggest. “Maybe that will happen one day, who knows?” she laughs.

“I would quite enjoy that I think – maybe that will be the third album! Or it might have to be a special little side project, possibly.”

Katherine Priddy. Picture: Damien Hyde
Katherine Priddy. Picture: Damien Hyde
Katherine Priddy. Picture: Damien Hyde
Katherine Priddy. Picture: Damien Hyde

Recorded in Birmingham by producer Simon J Weaver, guest musicians on The Pendulum Swing consist of John Smith (lead guitar), Harry Fausing Smith (strings), Marcus Hamblett (brass/double bass), George Boomsma (guitar, backing vocals, co-writer of the track Ready to Go), Polly Virr (cello) and even a brief appearance from Katherine’s family members right at the end, in keeping with the album’s themes.

Elaborating further on this last part, Katherine says: “The whole album has a theme of home running through it, and that was kind of inspired by the fact that for the last few years I’ve been moving in and out of my parents’ house – moving to other places and moving back home.

“During Covid I moved back in with them again, into my old childhood home, and with that there’s a lot of guilt.

“I think as someone who’s nearly 30, you start to think ‘I really should be moving on and doing something new’.

“But at the same time, there’s an undeniable comfort about being back in your childhood home, and it’s that push and pull.

“So that’s where the title Pendulum Swing came from – it’s just that urge to leave and an urge to stay at the same time, so it’s that constant toing and froing.

“And it’s also a line from one of the songs on the album, First House on the Left, which is about the little house where I grew up.”

Katherine is scheduled to perform on the Sunday at the Cambridge Folk Festival – as a duo, “or maybe a trio”.

“I think this will be my third time playing it, as far as I can remember,” she says, “although I was there last year doing some compering as well.”

The talented artist, who says she hopes to catch Robert Plant’s performance at the festival on the Friday, calls the Cherry Hinton Hall showpiece “one of my favourite festivals”.

She adds: “I think it’s a lovely atmosphere, it’s always a great crowd and very chilled out.

“I like the site, I like the way it’s all laid out, but I also like the way that there’s as much emphasis on the new and upcoming acts as there are on the headliners.

“I feel like it’s the sort of festival where you’ll always discover something new, which is what I really like on The Den stage – there’s some great musicians playing there.

“So it’s a festival to go to with an open mind and get ready to discover some new music.”

Katherine played two music festivals in Australia earlier in the year – the Port Fairy Folk Festival and the Blue Mountains Music Festival – and is set to do her first headline show in Germany in October.

She also appeared at Folk Alliance in Kansas City, USA, last year, along with some other European festivals.

“It’s lovely to have a job which allows me to travel, to see different places and meet different crowds,” she says. “I feel really lucky.”

Launched in 2018, the Christian Raphael Prize is run in association with the Cambridge Folk Festival.

Previous winners also include Mishra, Nick Hart, Angeline Morrison and last year’s recipient Frankie Archer.

The prize contributes £300 per month over the following year to help the winner with their career. The winner is also guaranteed a spot on Stage 3 at the next festival.

Katherine Priddy. Picture: Damien Hyde
Katherine Priddy. Picture: Damien Hyde

Katherine Priddy will be appearing at the Cambridge Folk Festival, on the Main Stage, on Sunday (28 July).

For more on Katherine, go to katherinepriddy.co.uk. To find out more about the Cambridge Folk Festival, go to cambridgelive.org.uk/folk-festival.



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