2024 was quite the year for Scottish singer, songwriter Rianne Downey, currently on tour with Paul Heaton. Having joined Heaton’s band a couple of years ago, when long-time duet partner Jacqui Abbot pulled out, she’s been a mainstay ever since.
One of the undoubted highlights for Rianne last year was their sensational Glastonbury Pyramid Stage set. She returns to the festival this year as a solo artist and will also support Texas at numerous outdoor dates this summer, alongside more shows with Paul.
Since then, she worked on her debut album at Bear Creek Studio in Seattle with Ryan Hadlock (The Lumineers, Zach Bryan, Vance Joy). First single proper, “Lost In Blue”, released late last year picked up a Radio 2 playlist alongside media supper from the Telegraph to the Daily Star.
Rianne kickstarted her career with early open mic nights in her hometown of Belshill, just outside Glasgow. She later played with local singer Dylan John Thomas and supported Gerry Cinnamon. In 2021 she moved to Liverpool and put a band together.
Her first studio exploits were with the Coral’s James Skelly, then the Richard Turvey produced Fuel to The Flame EP, followed by the country stomp of Devil’s Gonna Get You. She released a series of impressive singles and Eps throughout 2022 and 2023 and honed her live performances supporting the Coral, Michael Head & The Red Elastic Band, Red Rum Club, Paul Nutini and more.
