BloodFox - Talitha Rise
We head to Devon to meet our next LCM Featured Artist Jo Beth Young better known by her stage name of Talitha Rise. The very talented Jo works with a host of excellent musicians both on her recordings and also on her live shows, including Chris Difford and Martyn Barker. Our LCM #TrackOfTheDay and Jo's latest single is the ethereal and atmospheric 'Bloodfox', taken from her album ‘An Abandoned Orchid House’ due out in February next year. The song features contributions from Juldeh Camara (Riti), Peter Yates (Fields of the Nephilim) Arnulf Linder (Ed Harcourt, KT Tunstall) and award winning folk artist Kathryn Williams.
Talitha Rise is a vocalist, songwriter, multi instrumentalist, (guitars, bass, ukelele, keys, autoharp, dulcimer, recorders, harmoniums, psaltery) visual artist and writer with a visionary talent. Her honey vocals and mesmeric haunting style coupled with her beautiful neo-folk songs have increasingly been enrapturing and provoking deep emotional response in live audiences. Writing from a place of raw genuinity, her poetically tangible world approaches what she calls the 'terminal condition of being alive' armed with lullabies and battle cries hand in hand. At times heartbreaking but always hopeful.
Raised in a small farming village in Sussex, England, her inspirations threaded between nature, art, classical literature, folklore, mythology and progressive music. . She has been likened to Stevie Nicks, First Aid Kit, Joan Baez, Joni Mitchell, Tori Amos, Kate Bush, Cocteau Twins and Mazzy Star .. a mix which gives you some idea of her vocal prowess. She above all sounds uniquely and instantly recognisably like herself.
Starting out in classical singing, she has performed and written all her life, both enhancing the work of others and crafting her own beautiful songs. Talitha Rise lived in southern Ireland for 7 years where she studied music and became a regular on the folk circuit opening for notable artists such as John Hoban and Niall Toner. The influences of Ireland she says have never left her and weave a noticeable thread through her work.
Since returning to the UK her songs have caught the attention of Chris Difford (Squeeze) who features on her BLUE record co-written and produced by drummer and musician Martyn Barker (Shriekback, Goldfrapp, Marianne Faithful). She has recorded and performed live alongside eclectic and acclaimed artists such as Juldeh Camara (Robert Plant, Justin Adams) and Henry Thomas (George Michael, Van Morrison) and opened for Renaissance and Antonio Forcoine, holding the attention of spellbound audiences at The Maltings, Haslemere Hall and St. Pancras Church in London. Her projects have seen her work along side award winning producer Mike Howlett (Joan Armatrading, Flock of Seagulls), and film composer and arranger John Cameron (Cilla Black, Donovan). Her first single 'Invisible Fishing' (BMG publishing UK) was featured on Fatea Magazines Showcase 'Murmur' for upcoming artists of note.