Karine Polwart

"A glorious singer, enquiring songwriter and enlightened mind " MOJO

"One of the finest singer-songwriters in Britain" The Guardian ★★★★★

Karine Polwart is a multi-award-winning songwriter and musician, a theatre maker, storyteller, spoken-word performer, essayist, and published writer.

Five-times winner at The BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, including twice for Best Original Song, her fifth solo album ‘Traces’ was shortlisted for both the Scottish Album of the Year (SAY) Award & BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards ALBUM OF THE YEAR, and was chosen as best international folk-roots release by the Guardian. Her first solo album ‘Faultlines’ won BEST ALBUM at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards back in 2005, following six years of touring as a traditional Scots singer with Malinky and Battlefield Band. 

In 2016, in association with The Royal Lyceum Theatre and Edinburgh International Festival, Karine wrote, musically directed, and performed her critically acclaimed debut work for theatre. ‘Wind Resistance’ won the BEST MUSIC & SOUND AWARD at the CATS (Critics’ Awards for Theatre in Scotland) 2017 and Karine was also shortlisted for the BEST ACTOR in the Sunday Herald Culture Awards.

 ‘A Pocket Of Wind Resistance’ (“warm, wise, compelling” The Observer 5*****) written in collaboration with sound-designer Pippa Murphy, is the musical accompaniment to the theatre show and was chosen as BEST ALBUM 2017 by both Songlines Magazine & BBC Radio 3’s Late Junction and has been selected for BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards BEST ALBUM 2018. Karine is also shortlisted as FOLK SINGER OF THE YEAR.

Karine will be touring in 2018 with her trio - long-term collaborators brother Steven Polwart (guitars) & Inge Thomson (accordion, percussion) - and releasing new studio album ‘Laws of Motion’ in Autumn 2018.

www.karinepolwart.com