Joshua Burnell
+ Ben Mhòr + The Willows
In one phrase? Folk-fused baroque ‘n’ roll for the modern world.Born and bred in (well, he’s not sure where) Joshua learned at an early age that ‘home’ could be found in music, rather than a place. An upbringing on the move led to a cross-pollination of styles, stories and influences which Joshua distills into his own contemporary sound. As a self-professed album artwork addict, Joshua’s work delivers a dose of escapism and entertainment in equal measure, from the artwork through to the last note. Having cut his teeth playing folk festivals throughout the UK and releasing his critically-acclaimed arrangements of traditional songs, Joshua now returns to his original songwriting roots. His new album, Flowers Where The Horses Sleep (released 4th Sept 2020), explores humankind’s remarkable ability to find beauty, even in the hardest of times. Joshua and his formidable live band are promoting the album on a headline tour of major UK cities in 2021.
With music ranging from stomping, acoustic sing-alongs, Bowie-esque music hall epics, and alt-pop singles - whilst keeping a sharp focus on the traditional themes - Joshua is fast carving out his own unique corner of the genre. After winning the 'Rising Star' Folking Award, receiving huge praise from Mark Radcliffe (BBC Radio 2), numerous spins by Tom Robinson (Radio 6), being a festival headliner and accomplishing a successful 2019 headline tour of the UK and France, Joshua Burnell is poised for a huge year.