Emerging Scottish artist Katie Macfarlane is set to enchant listeners worldwide with her debut album An Nighean Sheunta (Gaelic for The Enchanted Girl) due for release on Friday 20 October 2023.

The captivating body of work masterfully intertwines the languages of Gaelic, Catalan, Scots and English, inspired by Airdrie-based Katie’s cherished visits to the Scottish Hebrides and Catalonia.

Drawing inspiration from esteemed Gaelic singers such as Kathleen MacInnes, Julie Fowlis, Gillebrìde MacMillan and Brian Ó hEadhra, Katie’s musical journey is rooted in her childhood experiences, shaped by her grandfather’s lessons on Gaelic music and culture, as well as her formative years attending the Fèis in North Uist.

The time she spent studying in Barcelona in 2018 exposed Katie to many traditional Catalan songs, in which she noticed numerous parallels with Gaelic melodies. An Nighean Sheunta is a musical tapestry woven from these diverse musical cultures and emphasises Katie’s commitment to preserving and celebrating minority languages within her work.

Katie Macfarlane said: “I created this album to showcase the rich traditions and song styles of the places I have visited and love, and to highlight the beauty which lies in their similarities. I have always felt a strong connection to the songs that I sing and an affinity with where they come from, so to bring both Scottish and Catalan culture and heritage into one body of work has been a dream come true. I also feel very strongly about preserving minority languages, so to be able to play even just a small part in maintaining the presence of Gaelic, Scots and Catalan in the arts scene is very important to me.”

Katie Macfarlane weaves a sonic tapestry with debut album An Nighean Sheunta (The Enchanted Girl 2

Backed by an exceptional ensemble of musicians from both Scotland and Spain, Katie’s debut album promises to be an immersive celebration of heritage, cultural exchange and broad artistic collaboration, while showcasing her sweet and soaring vocal talents.

The Enchanted Girl features music from Katie’s husband, producer, guitarist and Project Smok mastermind, Pablo Lafuente, celebrated pianist Michael Biggins, Glasgow-based violinist Roo Geddes, esteemed cellist Alice Allen, award-winning violinist and vocalist Seonaid Aitken, Perthshire fiddle player and singer Patsy Reid, pipe and whistle extraordinaire Ross Ainslie, master of the Scottish smallpipes Brìghde Chaimbeul, Skipinnish keyboard player Alistair Paterson, sought-after percussionist Signy Jakobsdottir, uber-talented guitarist Charlie Galloway, distinguished Gaelic singer Gillebrìde MacMillan, outstanding singer-songwriters Fionnag NicCoinnich and Brian Ó hEadhra and the dynamic Spanish duo Ballaveu (guitarist Xavier Rota Boada and vocalist Patri Garcia).

Comprising mainly traditional songs from Scotland and Catalonia, An Nighean Sheunta also features the contemporary tune Thug Iad A Thung Thu, which was written by the late Melbost bàrd Murchadh MacPhàrlain, and self-penned song Culla Bay, which Katie based on a poem by her late grandfather.

Katie was a semi-finalist in both BBC Radio Scotland’s Young Traditional Musician and BBC Radio 2’s Young Folk Award competitions. In 2019, Katie released her debut EP Ciùine Na Mara.

Katie’s strong connection to her musical roots, coupled with her unique perspective of differing cultures, ensures that An Nighean Sheunta will resonate with listeners far and wide.

The album was funded by Creative Scotland and was recorded across multiple studios in Scotland, Ireland and Barcelona, including Viewbank Studios, GloWorm Recording and Solas Sounds.