Offaly music columnist previews Forest Fest and new releases

ROWING up  Leigh Anne Pinnock had pop-star tunnel vision. And then, in 2011, Little Mix were formed. The rest of that journey is, of course, history. Eleven years later, Little Mix are one of the best-selling girl groups of all time as well as one of the UK’s biggest-selling acts, with over seventy-five million records sold worldwide, six UK platinum albums and over fifteen billion streams.

As the first glimpse into Leigh-Anne's rebirth as a solo artist,  Don’t Say Love  sees the singer show us a side to herself she is finally ready to share. Produced by Jon Bellion and Pete Nappi, co-written by Aldae, the track combines her smooth vocals with a high-energy, garage-infused beat, touching upon black music references.

Speaking on the track Leigh-Anne explains,  "“Don’t Say Love” is about no longer seeking external validation and regaining my confidence and sense of self in a world where I often felt misunderstood and unheard. This video is a visual representation of me finding my voice. I’m excited to continue to do so with my first love, music”.

Directed by Emil Nava, the music video follows Leigh-Anne’s captivating journey. Navigating the vibrant streets, we are drawn into her internal struggle where she flickers between reality and fantasy, exploring the complexities of love. As each scene unfolds Leigh-Anne’s quest to find herself becomes more prominent. The music video starts with Leigh-Anne unmasking a braided hair sculpture with a love heart mouthpiece and culminates in a powerful moment, representing the end of an old chapter and the dawn of a new era, marking Leigh-Anne’s rebirth as a solo artist.

Stay tuned for more – much more – to come from Leigh-Anne.

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IRELAND’S ‘EASIEST FESTIVAL’ IS SET TO LURE 10,000 REVELLERS TO THE MIDLANDS NEXT MONTH

FOREST FEST  is just four weeks away, running from July 21st-23rd in the historic village of Emo, Co Laois, and boasting headliners Sister Sledge, Britpop trail-blazers Suede, and Indie giants James.

New York folk great Suzanne Vega, Scottish duo The Proclaimers, and Ireland’s very own Bell X1 are also performing at the festival which is now in its second year. Camper-van and caravan options have now sold out, with most tickets snapped up by revellers who attended last year’s launch event.

Organiser Philip Meagher said almost two-thirds of ticket sales this year have been bought by music fans who rocked up to the first Forest Fest last July.

“That is a massive vote of confidence, and shows we are doing something right,”  Philip said.

Combining the glory days of the Féile with the buzz of Electric Picnic, the three-day fiesta is aimed at music fans over-30 and their families.

He said he was delighted that Sister Sledge, featuring Kathy Sledge, agreed to perform because the group’s  We Are Family  hit perfectly sums up the festival’s ethos.

“I can’t wait to see Kathy and the band perform at Emo,”  he said.

Philip, a practising solicitor, described booking the acts for Ireland’s largest family-orientated music and arts festival as a “labour of love”.

“When I was picking the bands, I made sure they were match fit and already touring,” he added. “It is the easiest festival you will ever go to in Ireland because there is none of the usual hassle associated with festivals. We’ve made it as stress-free as possible. Those making the trip do not face a trek of forty-five minutes, they can get from their car to the site in six or seven minutes. There is an abundance of well-staffed places to eat and drink, as well as an excess of showers and toilet facilities. We deliberately over-supply these and fans love that part of it.”

As well as free entry for children under-12, Philip said the Portarlington Art Collective will hold arts and crafts lessons in a safe and secure environment for kids of all ages. Youngsters will also get the chance to learn circus skills from members of the Broken Theatre group, who will be performing in the festival’s big top.

Later in the evening, the circus tent is transformed into a vaudeville venue where the grown-ups can enjoy  “creepy cabaret and burlesque acts from the Broken Theatre performers”.

James headline the opening night on July 21st, followed by Sister Sledge on Saturday, and Suede the following night.

The warm-up act for the headliners will be The Pyro Collective, who will light up every night of the festival from an elevated position alongside the main arena.

For more information about tickets and camping, visit  www.forestfest.ie

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RUSSELL RETURNS

Four-time Grammy-nominated singer, songwriter, poet, activist, and multi-instrumentalist  Allison Russell   has announced her new album,  The Returner. The record will be released on September 8th, 2023, via Fantasy Records and is available for pre-order now. Last week Allison shared the title-track from the album.

The Returner  was written and co-produced by Allison along with dim star (her partner JT Nero and Drew Lindsay) and was recorded over Solstice week in December 2022 at Henson Recording Studios in Los Angeles, CA. It features Russell’s “Rainbow Coalition” band of all female musicians along with special guest appearances from the legendary Wendy & Lisa, Brandi Carlile, Brandy Clark, and Hozier.

Speaking about the collection, Russell said,  “My goal with ‘The Returner’ – sonically, poetically, and spiritually – is a radical reclamation of the present tense, a real time union of body, mind, and soul. This album is a much deeper articulation of rhythm, groove, and syncopation. Groove as it heralds the self back into the body, groove as it celebrates sensual and sexual agency and flowering, groove as an urgent call to action and political activism”.

“In just a word”,  she continued,  “it's funkier. But as is the history of anything funky, it’s never just a party. It is a multiverse of energies that merges the celebration and the battle cry. For while an embrace of the present tense is a celebration, it is equally an unquestioning leap into battle – cultural, political, environmental.”

Since the release of her debut solo LP two years ago,  Outside Child, Russell’s often devastating, deeply moving, cathartic celebration of survivor’s joy has become one of the most acclaimed albums of the past 10 years. Now comes the second chapter in her story, The Returner, a body-shaking, mind-expanding, soulful expression of liberation, love, and self-respect that serves as a fierce declaration of joy for all survivors that have made it to the other side.

Allison, JT, and Drew built  The Returner  from the bottom up with a rhythm-first, genre-fluid approach. The improvisational energy of great female artists sparked the album’s fierce joy, and provided a wider canvas for Allison’s immense, unlimited talent. In all, the new album doesn’t just deliver on the promise of the last two years, it exceeds all reasonable (and unreasonable) expectations and affirms Allison Russell’s place among music’s most vital artists and  The Returner, as one of 2023’s most essential recordings.

Russell has spent her career in multiple bands, including Po’ Girl, Our Native Daughters, and Birds of Chicago. After a career spent as a gifted multi-instrumentalist, backing numerous other artists, she finally dared to release her solo project in 2021.

"It’s an album of strength and affirmation, not victimization,”  said The New York Times in their profile on Russell and Outside Child. Following the album’s release, Russell performed on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, ellen, late night with stephen colbert, cbs saturday morning, austin city limits, the kelly clarkson show made her opry debut and appeared at the country music hall of fame and performed at the 2022 Grammy’s premiere ceremony.

The accolades for Russell have been immense. In addition to her four Grammy nominations, she has earned three 2022 Americana Award nominations and a win for Album of the Year, two International Folk Music Award wins, a 2022 Juno nomination for ‘Songwriter of the Year,’ and her first-ever Juno Award win for Contemporary Roots Album of the Year. Russell received two 2021 Americana Awards nominations, won three Canadian Folk Music Awards, two UK Americana Music Awards, and more. She was recently nominated for Song of the Year and Artist of the Year for the 2023 Americana Awards.

In addition, Russell has consistently used her newfound platform to elevate, educate and inspire; curating the history making Once And Future Sounds: Roots and Revolution set for the Newport Folk Festival in 2021 and mobilizing this year’s triumphant Love Rising All-Star benefit concert in support of LGBTQIA+ causes in Nashville - raising over $550,000 and calling national attention to Tennessee’s dangerous anti/trans and anti/drag laws. Russell has also announced a book deal with Flatiron/MacMillan for her debut novel, a memoir based on her life and the material that inspired  Outside Child  and  The Returner.

Allison Russell will be on tour throughout the summer and fall in support of  The Returner  including two nights spent at The Gorge Amphitheatre supporting Joni Mitchell’s performance. She was also a part of the band for Mitchell’s historic Newport Folk Festival 2022 return.

Other highlights include Black Deer Festival, Farm Aid, Glastonbury, Bristol Rhythm & Roots Festival, WXPN’s XPoNential Festival and a UK tour in support of Hozier.