Cheltenham hailing Issy Winstanley has shared her collection of virtually collaborative covers, recorded with a team of talented musicians during lockdown. Brimming with gorgeous and emotive vocals, each of the 9 covers puts a lo-fi fresh spin on the original tracks, and is the perfect easy-listening compilation. Blending a wonderful mix of country, pop and folk, Issy’s raw, natural talent shines through each note, and her harmonic blends with her collaborators are beautifully and effortlessly performed.
Discussing the album, Issy said: “During the beginning stages of lockdown, I was becoming increasingly anxious with the musical progress I had been making, becoming stinted by such a long break in live performance and practice. I always loved collaborating and bouncing off other artists, and I did not want the growth this facilitated to be hindered by months and months in quarantine. The idea for a new form of collaboration – all done virtually – came after I focused more time on learning the technological side of music and video production with so much time at home, and the free and simple methods I could make use of to deliver such collaborative content. I reached out to old and new musical friends and colleagues with the idea, and the response was overwhelming. So many artists were also keen not only to share creative ideas but also to share each other to our platforms. Over 9 weeks, I posted one new video each week to Instagram, Facebook and YouTube, and the reception of these releases was amazing.”
She also explains: “Since release, these collaborations have received over 16,000 views. Many people were asking myself and the other artists whether there was or going to be a method in which they could download or streams these covers – hence why I was so keen to release them as a stand alone album of duetted covers to major streaming platforms. I hope that, upon release, those people that enquired about their access to these songs enjoy their ability to stream at their own will, as well as others who may not have heard of myself, the other musicians or this project.”
Issy has been making a name for herself on both home turf and beyond, performing at many fundraising events, and festivals including Cornbury Festival, Cheltenham Jazz Festival, Gloucester Quays Christmas Market and the Christmas Lights Switch On in Stourbridge. The rising talent has received support from BBC Radio Gloucestershire and has featured on a plethora of local radio stations including Radio Winchcombe, UoG’s Radio and Bucks New. Her musical grace is utterly enchanting and we can’t wait to hear what’s next for her.
