Blas Festival: Sian with Monadh Ruadh

Originally brought together by the Blas festival in 2016, to celebrate the work of female bards, Sian comprises three of today’s most exquisitely gifted young Gaelic singers – Ceitlin Lilidh, Eilidh Cormack and Ellen MacDonald – accompanied by in-demand multi-instrumentalist (and fellow Gaelic speaker) Innes White.

With direct connections among the singers to Lewis, Skye and North Uist, their arrangements match deep feeling for tradition with stunning, boldly imaginative harmony work, which has seen them likened to The Staves and even Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. Their self-titled debut album, produced by Donald Shaw, was released in 2020 and the band is currently recording new music.

They are joined tonight by local group Monadh Ruadh, a group of very talented youngsters from Fèis Spè