Singer-songwriter Kim Edgar is “an already refined new talent” emerging from Scotland right now.
Kim's eagerly anticipated debut album, butterflies and broken glass, was released in 2008 to critical acclaim, receiving extensive airplay and Album Of The Week on BBC Radio Scotland, a five star review in Scotland On Sunday, and earning Kim a place in Radio 2’s New Songwriters Academy 2008.
Produced by Mattie Foulds, the album features Karine Polwart and her band, alongside musicians including Mairi Campbell (The Cast) and Greg Lawson (Moishe’s Bagel, Mr McFall’s Chamber).
During 2006 Kim took part in a week-long ‘Burnsong Songhouse’ songwriting retreat, collaborating with a range of artists: Chris Difford (Squeeze), Emma Pollock (Delgados), King Creosote, MC Soom T, Future Pilot AKA, Michael Johnston and Karine Polwart. Subsequently, Karine performed their collaboration, “1, 2, 3, 4, 5” as a duet with Paolo Nutini, and invited to Kim to record this track with her, and also to create and record piano arrangements of two Scots ballads for her traditional album, The Fairest Floo’er.
In 2008, the ‘Songhouse’ collaborators (minus Chris Difford and supplemented by Mattie Foulds on drums) undertook a TuneUp Tour of Scotland and the north of England, and formed a collective called ‘The Burns Unit’ – they will be releasing their debut album, Side Show on 2nd August 2010. See www.theburnsunitband.com for more details.
Kim has supported and performed with Karine Polwart on tour, and performed at festivals including Go North (Dundee), Folk Alliance (Memphis) & Celtic Connections (Glasgow), sharing the stage with the likes of Kate Rusby, Capercaillie, Luka Bloom, Kris Drever, Emma Pollock and Julie Fowlis. Kim also performs in "Newfangled Folk" with fellow Scottish songwriters Yvonne Lyon and David Ferrard.
A warm and engaging live performer who “positively smoulders” on stage, Kim’s songs combine compelling narratives and strong, piano-led melodies, indicative of her degree in English Language & Literature, experience as a children’s writer and her classical piano training.
Described as “strangely uplifting, despite the well-phrased, sombre lyrics” and “a comfort blanket for the disillusioned soul”, Kim’s songs capture distilled emotions, which increasingly wide audiences across the UK, and beyond, are identifying with and responding to.
See a simple video for Kim's track, Red, made by Jamie Faichney:
Kim features on Folk Rising 2, from Proper Music Distribution:
