Anna Massie has announced her first solo release since 2003 with a Christmas single TwentyPlenty, performed by Anna and Angus Lyon.
It’s a Christmas song specific to 2020: “at the top of my present list is simply your presence here with me.” While this hasn’t been the perfect year for most folk, a sense of cautious optimism is at the heart of this song. Optimism and the promise of a shared selection box…
Inspiration struck in early December and Anna wrote and recorded the song within a week. Watch the accompanying video below:
Anna is an award-winning folk musician, well known for her work with Blazin’ Fiddles, Mairearad Green and RANT. The 2020 diary was full of interesting engagements and tours, but as for every other musician on the scene, this all changed at the end of March and a year’s work vanished.
This was when the social media sensation that is The Black Isle Correspondent was born. With lots of time now on her hands, Anna spent lockdown filming “daily updates you can’t make up” from her family home in the Scottish Highlands. These featured news from the Massies’ tattie patch, polytunnel and kitchen. As her mum searched for the perfect pancake recipe and her dad cultivated the garden, she walked their 2 trusty Labradors, told tales of local history and introduced her audience to the delights of Fortrose (and places within a 5-mile radius). There were occasional musical episodes too, with dad Bob on mandolin and mum Alison on the spoons. A loyal fan base soon followed, and a real sense of community grew from these quirky wee clips.
As well as a nomination in the Musician of the Year category, the highlight of 2020 for Anna has been winning the Trad Music in the Media Award at the recent Scots Trad Music Awards for her stint as the Black Isle Correspondent.
“Things are looking up, my dear…”
TwentyPlenty is available on streaming services now and can be downloaded via Bandcamp: https://annamassie.bandcamp.com/