Celebrated Scottish singer-songwriter Kim Carnie is set to unveil her latest single New Orleans on Friday 7 June. With an infectious summer sound and poignant message, the refreshing track explores themes of community and belonging, with Kim’s velvet vocals shining throughout.
New Orleans sees the award-winning Glasgow-based vocalist experiment with Americana-inspired melodies, backed by stunning instrumental compositions, and serves as a tribute to the vibrant, welcoming queer culture of the Louisiana town.
Inspired by Kim’s experiences while working on a documentary about the global LGBTQ+ community, the single captures the spirit of resilience and acceptance found in the city’s queer enclave. The chorus, “All my life, I’ve been looking for this,” echoes the sentiment of finally finding solace and belonging in a supportive community.
The self-composed single is closely tied to Kim’s work on the documentary, entitled Kim Carnie Out Loud, which has already garnered an esteemed collection of recognition and awards:
- Winner of Best LGBT Film at Sweden Film Awards
- Winner of Best Documentary at Lulea Film Festival, Sweden
- Winner of Best LGBT film at Stockholm Film Festival
- Winner of Best LGBTQ+ Film at This is Your Way Film Festival, Malta
- Winner of Best Inspirational Film at Milan Film Festival
- Winner of Best Original Song in a Film at Milan Film Festival
- Winner and Outstanding Excellence in LGBT films at The Women’s International Film Festival, Delaware, USA
- Official Selection and first international screening at Feminist Border Arts Film Festival, New Mexico, USA
- Official Selection for Best LGBT Film and Best Documentary at Cannes Film Festival
- Finalist in Best Documentary at Robinson Film Awards
Kim Carnie said: “This song is almost a love letter to New Orleans – a place that has served as a haven for the queer community for decades. It’s a slight departure from my usual sound as I’ve leaned into Americana influences, and I had so much fun exploring this new direction. I really hope that the single reaches and resonates with listeners of all backgrounds, and they find some common meaning and connection to the music.
As well as Kim’s soul stirring vocals, a host of talented musicians feature on the track, including Innes White on guitar and backing vocals, Phil Wilkinson on drums, Graeme Smilie on bass guitar, Conor Smith on electric guitar and pedal steel, Megan Henderson and Seonaid Aitkin on violin, Patsy Reid on viola and Alice Allen on cello, with Ailis Sutherland Josie Duncan, Laura-Beth Salter and Aidan Moodie all lending their vocals.
Since launching her solo career in 2018, Kim Carnie has become one of the most sought-after singers Scotland has to offer. With her ‘velvet voiced authority’ (The Scotsman) she has become a regular session vocalist, having worked with producers including Jim Sutherland (Salmon Fishing in the Yemen), Ged Grimes (Simple Minds) and Donald Shaw (Capercaillie), was named Gaelic Singer of the Year at the 2021 Scottish Traditional Music Awards and released her debut solo album And So We Gather in 2022 to widespread critical acclaim. New Orleans is the first in a string of new music planned for 2024.New Orleans will be available to download and stream from Friday 7 June. Visit kimcarnie.com.
