Tapping into her country roots, Taylor Swift wrote this for the new Toy Story movie. With its playful combination of the inherently country instruments, harmonica and banjo, it is a cheerful little love song.
Ella Langley
Be Her
You’ve probably heard of Ella Langley, particularly her track ‘Choosin’ Texas,’ which sat at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for an impressive 13 weeks! ‘Be Her’ is another popular track from her album Dandelion, and with its snappy, addictive chorus, she sings about who she wants to become: someone who leads a life of simplicity, fulfilment and authenticity.
Sam Barber
The More I Hope
A 23-year-old from Missouri, Sam Barber’s ‘The More I Hope’ is a more melancholy country track. With gentle fiddle and both acoustic and electric guitar, it is heartfelt and reflective, with the raw emotion audible in his voice.
Luke Combs
Sleepless in a Hotel Room
Luke Combs is a Grammy-nominated country singer, and his gravely vocals are on full display in this track. Topping the Billboard Country Airplay chart and marking his 20th number one single, ‘Sleepless in a Hotel Room’ expresses the loneliness of missing his wife on tour. With a cool electric guitar riff and drums, it combines country with rock.
Avery Anna
Blood Runs Thicker
Another track which merges country with rock is ‘Blood Runs Thicker’ by Avery Anna. This is a loud, powerful headbanger which explores the tensions between familial bonds.
COMMENT below what you think of these tracks and share your own recommendations!
Twangy guitars, a strong Alabama accent, and lyrics about ‘two-steppin,’ ‘Jack,’ and the I-40, Ella Langley’s ‘Choosin’ Texas’ is the country track that has been dominating the charts and has been stuck in my head for weeks! This song made Langley the first woman to simultaneously reach number one on the Hot 100, Hot Country and Country Airplay charts. Its popularity follows a trend which has seen country music take off in the past couple of years, and I wanted to explore why and what songwriters can take from this.
Country is a broad genre with a long history, dating back to the 17th Century when British and Irish immigrants brought their instruments and musical styles to the USA. Often covering themes of hardship and tragedy, this music featured stringed instruments such as the fiddle, guitar, violin, bass, and banjo, as well as other instruments such as the harmonica, accordion, and washboard. The genre has, of course, evolved since then and can be heard in a variety of forms. For example, Medium lists a number of sub-genres, from ‘Nashville Pop-Country,’ which, as the name suggests, is influenced by modern pop music, to ‘Traditional Country,’ which has an older sound, to the more satirical ‘Country Rap/Hip Hop.’
Country music has seen a revival in recent years, despite previously seeming to be in decline. It has become a globally popular genre, with country music festivals taking place around Europe, and popular mainstream artists have crossed over into the genre, for example, with the likes of Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter album and Chappell Roan’s ‘The Giver,’ which reached number one on the Billboard Hot Country Songs. According to Chartlex, in the first half of 2025, country even became the most represented genre in the Billboard Hot 100 Top 10. The genre is particularly popular with Gen Z listeners; Chartlex states that listening in this demographic has increased by 72%, and as country singer Zara Lindeman told ABC News, “There’s a lot of younger people that probably haven’t grown up around the country lifestyle but are still singing about hunting and fishing.”
Elena Popel, a student interviewed for her school newspaper, the Riverdale Review, explained that the reason she prefers listening to country music over other genres is that “There’s no autotune. It’s just the artist and their guitar, and it feels more real. All the artists are really talented.” This makes sense, especially with the rise of AI, which can now write lyrics and produce music from scratch (check out my article on the topic, AI Music: Where Are We Now?). We must be careful when using the notion of authenticity, because ultimately, it is impossible to objectively say if one type of music is more ‘authentic’ than another, but it seems that listeners at least want to feel as if they are listening to music that is genuine. It is becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish between what is real and what is fake in all aspects of our lives, so I can believe that people appreciate the raw, human feel of country music. The use of acoustic instruments (as opposed to electronic ones) and lyrics that are often relatable and with transparent meanings is valuable when everything around us is so complicated. We are fed vast amounts of information and are constantly having to unravel hidden meanings and determine credibility – sometimes we just need a good song to sing along to!
Uplifting
Listening to Langley’s album Dandelion (thanks for the recommendation, Charlotte!), I find it uplifting and laid-back, and this seems to be a characteristic of the genre. I think that when we face lots of pressure as individuals, and there is such negativity in the world, this is what we really need!
What can songwriters take from this?
I do not suggest that all songwriters turn to country – I do not believe in forcing yourself into a genre or style purely because it is popular – always stick to what feels right to you! However, I do think that it is important for songwriters to be aware of this trend and the possible reasons behind it, as it says more about what listeners value than it does the music itself. For example, be aware that perhaps your listeners need to feel like they are seeing your authentic self and to feel uplifted and validated by lyrics that they can relate to and connect to.
Conclusion
A trend not many of us would probably have predicted, 2026 is being dominated by country music – and I do not think this is a bad thing! It brings the easy, uplifting music that we perhaps need in such stressful, demanding and complex times, and songwriters can learn from this.
COMMENT below any country artists/songs/albums that you’ve been enjoying, and if you’re a songwriter, let me know how this trend has impacted your work!
Aastha Mohapatra is a 24-year-old economist and operatic soprano from Odisha, India. We originally met at Hertford College, and I was delighted to reconnect with her recently to chat about her inspiring journey. I am excited to share the fascinating perspectives she gave on music, including how to engage with audiences and how music can bridge cultures, and she imparts advice for aspiring artists.
Since graduating from Oxford with a Master of Philosophy in Development Economics and International Development, Aastha has become a teacher of Economics and Business Management at The British School in New Delhi. Alongside her career in economics, she has featured in operas, a film, has released her first single, won international awards for her performances, and is a board member of the Centre for Peace and Performing Arts – a woman of many talents!
Engaging Audiences
As most musicians will have experienced, there is sadly a decline in government support for the arts around the world, leading to talent going “unnoticed and unsupported.” Aastha makes the crucial observation that to combat this, we must think carefully about how to engage audiences with music. She has noticed that
“people realise how important [music is] when you directly interact with them.”
This means presenting live performances that relate to them and paint a picture of the world around them.
Aastha’s innovative combination of opera with Odissi, an Indian classical dance form, achieved this. Indian audiences were introduced to the Western classical art form in a way that also incorporated their own culture, being shown that “art is not static” and “keeps on moving and changing.”
As the future generations of musicians, particular focus should be given to young people and how to engage them with music. Since “the age of specialisation is gone,” Aastha argues that the interdisciplinary nature of music should be emphasised, and instead of being taught in isolation from other subjects, it should be taught in relation to them, such as its inextricable link with mathematics.
Furthermore, Aastha suggests that young people should be involved as “active practitioners of music rather than passive listeners.” For example, with the Centre for Peace and Performing Arts, she created an ‘audience choir’ – for a viral example of this, check out Jacob Collier! She encouraged the children to listen sensitively to those around them to produce a unified sound. Not only were the children able to participate in music-making in an active way, but they were also taught essential communication skills, which, as she noted, are crucial for diplomacy.
To increase engagement with music, therefore, live performances should be prioritised with content that is relevant to people’s lives, and the art form should be introduced to young people in an interdisciplinary and active way.
Music as a Universal Language
You might have heard the phrase, ‘music is a universal language.’ Aastha’s story is a perfect example of this.
As an Indian singer who performs Western classical music, she is in a unique position – as she highlighted, opera is seldom practised in India. Moving to the UK for her studies made this even more apparent.
She often received comments about how rare it was to come across an Indian opera singer and noticed that she was usually the only person of colour when performing Western classical music in a group. These experiences made her realise that
“I’m an Indian opera singer, and that means something.”
Aastha proves that anyone can perform music from any culture; if the music resonates with you, “language is no barrier.” Music has allowed Aastha to find out more about the world around her by introducing her to new cultures and new people, poignantly referring to it as a “passport,” a notion I love!
Although she is often impressively cited as being the first opera singer of Odisha, she has made it a point to ensure she is not the last. I am certain that she will act as an inspiration for many musicians!
Advice
Aastha’s biggest piece of advice to aspiring musicians is not to be afraid of taking risks.
“If there is something that feels like it’s a little bit unconventional or something that others might not have tried before, do it if it really calls out to you.”
Particularly in an age where “young people are underestimated a lot”, she believes there is great merit in being brave and standing out, especially in such a competitive industry.
She also highlights that,
“as an artist, you are always rewarded for being fully yourself.”
Whilst this is not always the easiest thing to do (Aastha notes that she only truly became herself when she was 24 years old and that it is a continuous journey), trial and error, having people to look up to, and, when it comes to singing, finding a good teacher who understands your voice will help you distinguish yourself as an artist.
Aastha’s career so far has been unique and inspiring, and she has exciting plans to come. She will continue to perform around India, with a particular emphasis on bringing underperformed music by Indian composers to audiences. She also composes music for peace-building productions with the Centre for Peace and Performing Arts (which are coming to London – so keep an eye out if you are in that part of the world!)
She expresses articulate and thought-provoking perspectives about how to engage audiences with music, and her courage to pursue a genre that may have seemed unconventional proves how music can bridge cultures and the importance of following what ignites your passion.
I eagerly await seeing where Aastha’s journey will lead!
Hear me out. I’ve recently come back from a month-long trip to Australia, hence why this particular topic is on my mind. We listened to the Aussie band, Parcels, A LOT, especially their most recent album, LOVED. I said to Leo, my boyfriend, that there was something about this music that just sounded so Australian to me, and I couldn’t imagine it ever coming out of the UK! Now, this might be entirely in my head, but their music, which is so upbeat and joyful, just reminds me of everything I associate with Australia – the sun, warmth, liveliness and being outdoors. I contrasted it directly with what I tend to associate with the UK – rain, grey, cold and not much to do outdoors (sorry, UK!), conditions which surely make it more likely for slower, sadder music to be created? Whilst there are obviously artists who write sad music in Australia and lively, upbeat music in the UK, I just found it interesting that I even had this thought, and I wanted to research whether music can really be associated with or suited to certain locations.
WhistundaysSydney Opera HouseBrisbane
Evidence? (Or am I being delusional)
I did some research into whether there is any evidence to support this hypothesis, and it seems there are real reasons why an artist’s environment can influence the type of music they write. For example, Alsup describes how artists in urban environments might produce music which reflects the energy and chaos of their surroundings.1 I also found several articles noting how the seasons affect music – not just what type of music is produced, but also what listeners choose to listen to. To illustrate, a Reddit user describes how, when they tried to listen to James Blake’s album, The Colour In Anything, which is “obviously made for cold rainy days,” when the sun was out, “it just didn’t feel right.”2 They also list other albums and the very specific types of settings in which they think they should be listened to. Another user responded,
“As it gets into the autumn/wintertime I find myself listening to quieter, more slow-moving music.”3
Some commenters even note that they associate some music with specific cities, such as “The rising Toronto hip hop/R&B scene is heavily inspired by driving in Toronto at night in the winter” and how the British musician, Burial, is suited for “nighttime south London.”4
Furthermore, in their scientific study, Pettijohn et al. found that their participants “favoured blues, jazz, classical, and folk music (i.e., reflexive and complex) during the fall and winter months, and rap/hip-hop, soul/funk, and electronica/dance music (i.e., energetic and rhythmic) during the summer months.”5 This makes sense, given that the “harsher” winter months are slower and more introspective, and summer is “rife with social activity.” Pettijohn and his team go so far as to argue that these findings could be combined with cognitive behavioural therapy to prevent Seasonal Affective Disorder symptoms. They note that even though listeners might be more likely to listen to reflective music in autumn and winter, these can actually reinforce feelings of isolation and depression, whereas listening to upbeat and high-energy music may help to boost one’s mood.6
Boardmasters 2021 – an example of the summer being ‘rife with social activity’
Some of the associations people have with certain songs are, of course, also connected to the marketing of the songs. As Jones notes, “we hear about the ‘Song of the Summer’, for instance. Then there are the music videos – what we see and how the artists are portrayed.”7 Inevitably, then, if an artist or band creates music videos in the place that they live, this will consolidate the associations of their music with that specific place.
Essentially, there are several reasons why certain music is associated with different environments, whether that be because it reflects a busy urban environment, is slower so more suited for the winter or more energetic and lively, therefore suited for the summer, or due to the marketing of the song. In short, I’m not crazy!
Parcels – The Sound of Australia?
As I mentioned at the beginning of this article, it was how I perceived Parcels as sounding very ‘Australian’ that took me down this route. Let’s see if there’s any hint of truth behind this idea! The band formed in high school in Byron Bay, where “the environment is so relaxed. The lifestyle is pretty incredible and we’re very privileged to be a part of that world.”8 In 2015, they moved to Berlin to pursue their musical career and caught the attention of the one and only Daft Punk at their first-ever gig in Paris! The French electronic music duo not only liked what they heard but invited the band to their recording studio, resulting in Parcels’ single, ‘Overnight.’ If you listen to this track, you will no doubt hear the influences of Daft Punk – the funky guitar riff, prominent bassline and electronic sound effects.
It is not only I who has described their sound in relation to the weather, particularly warm and summery weather, for example, Symth describes how
“they were developing a sound that was pure sunshine”
and that ‘Overnight’ “sounds like it should have come out in the summer of 1977.”9 Parthum notices how “the guitar is often used as an anchor for the songs, leaving the bass to glide with confidence across the soundscape of a neon lit roller rink on a hot summer night.”10
As mentioned above, it was found by Pettijohn et al. that energetic and rhythmic music is often preferred in the summer months, and these two adjectives summarise Parcels perfectly.11 Listen, for example, to ‘Tieduprightnow’ (the first song I head of their’s and what made me fall in love with them!), with its weaving bassline and heavy bass drum; ‘Yougotmefeeling’ which is snappy, catchy and buoyant; and even ‘Sorry,’ a slower and more melancholy track, has a cool groove with a syncopated beat and rhythmic guitar riff. Combined with their light, airy, radiant vocals in a high register, it is impossible not to want to dance along to their music, and it just makes me smile every time!
To strengthen even further this association with summer, and more specifically, Australia, the music video for ‘Tieduprightnow’ is set in Byron Bay and features everything ‘quintessentially’ Aussie, namely, “budgie smugglers, ‘roos, surfing, beach cricket, surf life savers, koalas, lamingtons and shenanigans,” as described by Pégard, who directed the video.12 She describes how when she listened to the track, “all I could picture was summer, the outdoors, surfing and Byron Bay.”13 I think it is safe to say that Parcels’ music is definitely well-suited for summer weather!
Other Aussie Artists
I won’t go into depth about them, but I have found that at least a couple of other Aussie artists have a similar energetic, rhythmic, upbeat and interestingly, electronic style to Parcels, specifically Tame Impala and Empire Of The Sun (the latter I shamefully didn’t even realise were from Australia until a few days ago!) I will leave it to the reader to make their own mind up about whether these artists sound ‘summery’! I would give ‘Let It Happen’ and ‘Borderline’ by Tame Impala a listen, and also ‘We Are The People’ and ‘Walking On A Dream’ by Empire Of The Sun. Let me know what you think!
Conclusion
I obviously recognise that there will be songwriters from Australia who write less energetic music and artists in the UK, for example, who will write very rhythmic and upbeat music. Similarly, everyone’s experiences of music are completely different, and it is possible to listen to ‘summery’ tracks during the winter or on grey and rainy days! I do find it interesting, however, that some of today’s most popular artists from Australia have produced such lively, danceable and ‘summery’ music. It seems to me that there must be some correlation, especially having visited Australia myself, during their summer at least, where people are outside all the time, by the sea, in nature, and being active and sociable. My natural inclination in such a setting is to listen to happy, upbeat and lively music, and I can imagine that (if I were anywhere near as good a songwriter) I’d also be inclined to write such music too!
As we make full headway into 2026, AI will undoubtedly be one of the biggest talking points and considerations for most industries, particularly the music industry. In 2023/24, in my undergraduate dissertation, I considered how the presence of AI would impact the music industry. Two years later, I wanted to check in on its progress. Here’s what I found:
WHAT I PREDICTED IN 2025
First of all, it was clear that AI had scope to improve rapidly – I saw evidence of this within just a few months. Comparing the uncanny debut music video of the first all-AI singer, Anna Indiana, with her most recent songs, it was clear how much the melodies and musical style had improved (she has now released an album, if you’re interested!).
Secondly, I predicted that AI used in transparent ways for creative purposes will generally sit more comfortably with people than those trying to mimic humans. As I found with Anna Indiana, there was something eerie about the lack of actual human involvement behind her. Uses for AI, such as the AI Song Contest, where participants experiment and collaborate with AI to create songs, explaining the creative process and the models they used throughout, are much less ambiguous and easier for people to wrap their heads around!
I ultimately reached the conclusion that musicians – and everyone, really – should not be afraid of AI. It’s not disappearing any time soon, I’m afraid! In fact, I do think that over time it will become less of a stigma; upon the invention of any new form of technology throughout history, there have been fears and scaremongering about the negative impact that it might have on humanity – whether justified or not – and yet nowadays we don’t think twice about using them in our daily lives, such as the computer, or devices that can play music. Also, as we will see, AI can be used for some really cool things! We should harness it the best we can, or at least be open-minded enough to explore it, so as not to be left behind.
WHERE IS AI NOW?
AI Artists
AI artists have been taken to a new level since Anna Indiana. There have been a flurry of AI artists appearing on the scene, including the R&B-style Xania Monet and the Country-style Breaking Rust, both of which made it onto various charts. Other AI-generated songs have also gained traction, such as ‘We Are Charlie Kirk’ by Spalexma, which reached number 1 on Spotify’s Viral 50 songs chart for the USA and globally, and ‘A Million Colors’ by Vinih Pray broke onto TikTok’s Viral 50 chart.
AI singer, Xania Monet
AI singer, Breaking Rust
Could this be the future of music? I’m not convinced. Rather than people’s actual fondness of the tracks, it is more likely the novelty, hype and debate surrounding AI that has attracted such attention to these songs. For instance, whilst I do not think these songs are bad as such, just knowing that they have not necessarily been created or performed by actual humans makes me feel slightly sceptical about them, whether subconsciously or not. In fact, a study by the global music streaming platform, Deezer (2025), showed that “66% of music streaming users say they would listen to 100% AI-generated music at least once, out of curiosity,” but that “45% of music streaming users would like to filter out 100% AI-generated music from their music streaming platform.”
Deezer has also flagged an issue; their AI detection software found that 50,000 AI songs are uploaded to the streaming platform daily, 34% of total uploads (ibid.). They also found that 97% of listeners in their study could not recognise if a track was AI. Not only does this highlight the importance of transparently labelling tracks, i.e. being clearly tagged as AI, but it also has major implications for the distribution of royalties, as we will see.
Legal Implications
One area which I didn’t cover in my dissertation, but which is a vast and complex issue, is the web of legal implications AI creates for the music industry, issues that are only going to multiply as AI gains even more traction. I can only hope to skim the surface here.
As touched on above, the influx of AI songs onto streaming platforms means new structures must be constructed to calculate royalties, such as including detection systems to determine which songs are AI-created, and to what extent. Otherwise, the risk stands that spam AI tracks posing as human artists eat into the royalties otherwise earned by human artists.
Another issue that has caused major legal disputes in the industry is how AI is trained. AI learns from existing material that it finds/is fed, and, unsurprisingly, not all artists are too happy with their music being used to train AI without their consent. This has recently led to the controversy surrounding the track ‘I RUN’ by HAVEN. Released in October 2025 by British producers Harrison Walker and Jacob Donaghue, it used AI-generated vocals. What caught people’s attention was that these vocals sounded like the popular British singer, Jorja Smith, so much so that the track was taken down from Spotify, TikTok and the Billboard charts over allegations of impersonation. The track has now been re-released with the human singer Kaitlin Aragon.
Whether or not the AI used was indeed trained on Smith’s vocals remains unknown, but it poses significant implications for the use of AI in tracks and the legal frameworks surrounding it. For example, major labels such as UMG and Warner have signed deals with the AI music generators Suno and Udio to prevent the use of stolen work, which the labels have already accused Suno and Udio of doing.
It is unclear how many more major changes to the legal landscape of the industry will be made in the coming years with the increasing prominence of AI, but it is clear that there will be many. It is evident to me that emphasis must be put on maintaining maximum fairness for human artists, including the distribution of fair royalties and requiring full consent before their music or vocals are used to train AI. I also believe that full transparency should be required in terms of how a song is created, i.e. to what extent AI has been used, so listeners have full awareness of the nature of the music they are listening to.
Used as a tool
Once it is established how AI can be used in a legal and fair way, it becomes apparent that its capabilities as a tool for musicians are vast and becoming increasingly advanced. Its ability to create new melodies and lyrics, for example, could be used as inspiration; various AI programmes such as LANDR and iZotope allow users to mix and master their tracks from their laptops; and album artwork could be generated using AI image generators. Ultimately, AI allows various aspects of creating and releasing music to be more accessible.
While this understandably leads to concerns over the replacement of human jobs, which is a very real possibility and is already beginning to occur, I believe the best way to stay afloat is to learn how to use AI to our benefit. The rate at which AI is progressing is unlikely to slow down, and so to put it bluntly, we must not get left behind!
A couple of artists in particular have demonstrated just some of the possibilities that AI affords, namely, Grimes, who has agreed to split 50% of the royalties with anyone who creates a successful track using her voice, promoting the “idea of open sourcing all art and killing copyright” (cited in Savage, 2023). Similarly, Holly Herndon created an AI model called Holly+, which allows users to create music using her voice.
There is also evidence that listeners still value genuine human experiences and emotions, something that AI might be able to mimic, but will never be able to feel for itself. I believe this will be a major drawback for AI music. Music is one of the most personal and subjective human phenomena, and to take away this wonderful aspect of the art form would greatly diminish its power. I would argue, therefore, that human-created music will continue to prevail, at least in the meantime. Olivia Dean’s explanation of the truth behind her lyrics summarises this perfectly:
When it comes to music, then, I believe that as long as fair legal frameworks are in place, AI can be used as a tool, but due to the fact that many people value genuine experiences and feelings feeding into the music they hear (which has been the case throughout history), there is no immediate risk that AI music will replace human music.
CONCLUSION
Comparing AI’s current position in and impact on the music industry with 2-3 years ago shows that its capabilities, as expected, have continued to improve, and it is gaining increasing traction, with songs by AI artists actually making it into the charts – Anna Indiana would be proud! However, there is still controversy around AI being used to sound like a human, as seen with ‘I Run’, and it seems that people still put great value on music being injected with genuine human experiences, something that AI simply cannot achieve. Hence, I do not believe that AI music will overtake human music any time soon. At least when it comes to music, then, I see no current risk in at least experimenting with AI and learning how to use it to our advantage, rather than being fearful of it. We must, however, ensure that it is used in a transparent and fair way, being mindful of its legal implications.
These are exciting times, and it will be fascinating to continue watching how AI will develop and how the industry will adapt!
Deezer (2025) Deezer/Ipsos survey: 97% of people can’t tell the difference between fully AI-generated and human made music – clear desire for transparency and fairness for artists.https://newsroom-deezer.com/2025/11/deezer-ipsos-survey-ai-music/ (Accessed 30 Jan 2026).
Tarren, a talented and exciting folk trio based in Bristol, comprises Sid Goldsmith on cittern and concertina, Alex Garden on fiddle and Danny Pedler on accordion. The group was formed following the sharing of compositions with each other over lockdown, and their repertoire, which mostly features originals, is rooted in English folk music. They have released two studio albums, both of which have received high acclaim. Bright Young Folk, for example, have described how their latest album, Outside Time, “conveys the joyful energy of their live performances and shows why Tarren are one of the most exciting names on the folk scene”.1 The Isle of Man was lucky to have Tarren visit on their Autumn tour around the UK, playing at the Laxey Working Men’s Institute on 24th October 2025. Before they went on stage, I was able to steal a few minutes with them for a quick chat. I was fascinated to learn about their perspectives on genre and how this feeds into their music, as well as the research they have undertaken into notions of gender in the folk tradition. I’m sure you will become as entranced by their music as I was – I must admit I have played them on repeat ever since!
Tarren at the Laxey Working Men’s Institute, Oct 2025. Photo: John Barker.
The concert was unforgettable, and the music was thoroughly gripping. With melodies that ranged from joyous, for example, ‘Claudia’s,’ to those with a melancholy undertone, such as ‘Super 8,’ all created a powerful atmosphere. The strong rhythmic pulse made it impossible not to tap your foot along, emphasised with moments of syncopation, changes in time signature and the occasional replacement of a beat with a rest, which was highly impactful. There was such intensity and life to the playing, which was infectious, and it is difficult to capture the raw emotion and power of the sound they created in words. They were note perfect, and the ensemble was so tight, which, with such intricate music, was impressive. There were many interweaving layers, constant variation in sound and style, and contrasting intensities – for example, suddenly dying away then building up again. The rich and full sound created from just three people was all-encompassing, with each instrument bringing its own unique texture and dimension, such as the heavy bass of the accordion and the intense and hoarse tone of the fiddle when Alex really dug into the strings; each player getting the most out of their instruments. They were engaging and natural with the audience, coming across as down-to-earth and funny, and they detailed the stories behind the songs, many being relatable and relevant to today, as well as tying to their own personal experiences – more on that soon. Overall, the concert was enjoyable in every aspect.
A unique component of Tarren’s music is their incorporation of classical elements; as they explained to me before the concert, they believe there can be a rub between folk and classical music. They highlighted how
they have not limited themselves to one genre, but make use of all of the tools available to them.
Therefore, they do not belong to one specific camp; hence, they call their style ‘New-Folk.’ They use classical techniques and features, for example, longer structural forms, but inject a folk ‘pulse.’ You can also hear minimalist influences, including repeating and overlapping patterns creating a polyphonic texture and mesmerising harmonies which slide deliciously from one chord to the next – listen out for some of these in ‘Dan-Y-Bont’ below.
I am also reminded of Baroque music, in the way that each line has its own distinct melody and in the clarity of the sound and harmonies.
As the trio poignantly highlighted,
you don’t have to get the form to get the music,
and they demonstrate this perfectly – at the end of the day, it is what resonates with listeners that is important, a sentiment that I fully support.
I believe this flexible mindset should be adopted broadly. The boundaries between musical genres are becoming increasingly blurred; think, for example, of the use of classical timbres such as strings in popular music, and I think this type of crossover should be encouraged more. For example, despite being inspired to play violin after hearing folk music when I was young – I was obsessed with Riverdance! – as a musician who has been classically trained, I have had little to no exposure to playing folk music or using folk methods, such as playing by ear or in an informal group setting, as is folk tradition. Tarren reminds us that there does not need to be a strict divide drawn between genres and that they can (and should!) have a more fluid relationship.
Gender in Folk Music
The trio have done valuable and enlightening research into themes of gender in folk music, and have compellingly adapted traditional songs to align with their own personal experiences and with today’s society. In an article about their research, Danny notes that there are many folk songs, particularly from the 17th and 18th centuries, about ‘warrior women,’ which tell stories of women who disguise themselves as men and subsequently encounter feats they would never ordinarily have faced as a woman, such as entering into battle or acting as highwaymen.2 At face value, these songs might appear as the progressive subversion of gender constraints, but as Danny acknowledges, it is unfortunately not the case. By accomplishing stereotypically ‘manly’ traits such as bravery and virtue, “the woman has excelled at being a man, not broadening what it means to be a woman.” Furthermore, the motivations for these fictional women were usually to follow after a man who had been conscripted, for example, and on their return, they land safely back in their domestic role to fulfil their womanly duties. These songs, in their outrageousness, were merely intended for entertainment, rather than transgressing gender boundaries.
Tarren takes such songs, however, and reinterprets them, using them as a way to broaden the traditional conceptions of gender. Their original composition, ‘Neither Maid nor Man,’ does this elegantly. As Danny notes,
“Folk music is a living tradition; it lives through reinterpretations and additions.”
Featuring re-written versions of ‘The Female Cabin Boy’ and ‘William Taylor,’ where both female and male gender expectations are subverted, the final verse reflects the journey of Tarren’s own Alex coming out as non-binary. It is a subtle yet highly impactful spin on a historical folk tradition, making it relevant to the 21st century and their own experiences.
Tarren are a highly talented trio whose unique interpretation of folk music is utterly captivating. By not confining themselves to a specific genre, they have opened up a range of musical possibilities, as well as reminding us that genre does not have to be so clear-cut. Also, sensitive to the sometimes exclusionary themes of traditional folk songs, they have brought awareness to this and have reinterpreted them to bring them up to date with today’s ever-changing culture and society. Music does not exist in a vacuum – there is no reason that genres cannot be blended, or that traditions cannot be altered to align with the current times.
A Musician's Corner 