Since winning the prestigious BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award in 2005, Lauren MacColl has gone from strength to strength fronting her trio with Barry Reid (Croft No. 5) and Mhairi Hall. Fiddle led, with the driving combination of piano and guitar, they take you on a musical journey from rousing Highland strathspeys and reels, to emotive Gaelic airs.
A highland dancer from the age of 4, MacColl's passion for pipe music was instilled in her from an early age and is reflected in her repertoire today, and as a trio they have developed a sound which has been described as "Spellbinding... Starkly beautiful." (Taplas Magazine).
Largely self-taught, and through the summer schools of the Feisean movement in Ross-shire, she was immersed in the rich and vibrant culture of her home area whilst brought up on a staple diet of Phil and Aly tapes.
In her relatively short career her playing has taken her far and wide, and to gig with, amongst others, Calum Stewart, Julie Fowlis, Finlay MacDonald Band, the late, legendary Calum Kennedy, Donald Shaw's Hogmanay Live Harvest band and Scandinavian Fiddlers Vegar Vardal and Tove De Fries, in a special collaboration for Nordsjofestivalen in Farsund, Norway.
While completing her studies at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, Lauren received a Dewar Arts Award to fund the recording of her debut album, released to critical acclaim on her own label (Make Believe Records) in March 2007. The album features her trio with guest Luke Daniels, (accordion) and has met with praise from all corners of the globe. “ An Exquisite Debut!” (Irish Music Magazine, Oct 2007)
Lauren is currently touring with her trio, and with the newly formed ‘Calum Stewart 3’, alongside guesting with many others and continuing her passion for teaching . Catch her live to see what Rob Adams (The Herald) meant when he said, “Her slow airs may well make you cry, her dance sets are invigorating.” (April 07)