16-year-old folk singer/songwriter Fiona Lee has just released her debut single Rome on Snaith-based record label Strange Reality Music. We gave it a listen.

By Blue Wilson

Based in Howden, East Yorkshire, Fiona has been working with Chris Miley of Strange Reality Music, who runs projects with young up and coming bands at his local studio. This headstrong, precociously-talented musician has already attracted a lot of attention for her live performances ahead of this recording. This summer, she performed at Beverley Folk Festival, Cottingham Springboard, Tribfest, Freedom Festival and nearby at Snaithfest. She has recently recorded with The Narrowboat Sessions and she is currently working with Chris on her debut album.

Like a chilled out teenage Joan Armatrading meets KT Tunstall with gentle attitude and lyrical maturity, Fiona promises Rome with a heady mix of her own confident vocals and guitar, strong Celtic drum beats and nostalgic piano accompaniment. It is easy to forget her slender years as you listen, head nodding to a voice beyond them. Like most of her songs, Rome is a sentimental slant on adolescence and, in particular, the recognition of a parent’s love and understanding of these precarious portions of one’s life including her own appreciation of this. Rome is a tale of mutual love and respect and a yearning to please in those pauses between fractious times when our teenage selves clash with our ever knowing parents. The track has you transported softly but assuredly to the Colosseum with her knowing and sometimes disarmingly fervent vocals and a melody to twirl your spoon and fork around. Fiona’s debut single is a pleasure to listen to and whilst doing so you get the feeling that this girl is going to go far – far beyond her trip to Rome.

It’s highly recommended to catch Fiona live and hopefully at a York venue in the very near future.

Rome (with B-sides Here I Am and Circles) by Fiona Lee is available now on Soundcloud, iTunes, Amazon and Google Play.