“Hers is a name to watch”

Folking, 2025

“the artist is at one with her guitar… think Joni Mitchell but from Merseyside”

Local&Live, 2023

Being awarded the bursary to the Humankind songwriting retreat, led by Katie Spencer and Iona Lane, selected out of 130 applicants, shows Grace’s support from her peers. The first single from Grace’s debut EP, Birdsong, was chosen as one of The Unsigned Guide’s March Spotlight tracks, before winning the 2025 Young Songwriters Competition. The EP received radio play from BBC Introducing and Folkscene, as well as features from NARC ‘hauntingly beautiful’, Joyzine ‘perfection’, The New Age Magazine ‘elegant’ and Still Listening ‘captivating’. Considered ‘an artist to be cherished indeed’ by grassroots fans (Vinyl Fantasy Reviews), Grace’s practice is led by integrity, curiosity and a desire to sustain her creative exploration through live connection and inter-disciplinary experimentation.

Career Beginnings

Grace came to songwriting when urged to combine her interests in music and poetry by her English teacher in secondary school. However it was only when studying English Literature and Philosophy at Durham University that her desires to become a professional cellist were over-ridden by a love for sharing songs.

Through involvement with the Open Mic Society at Durham, of which she became President in her final year, and Canary Records, founded by fellow Durham students, Grace began to play original gigs around the North East. This culminated in playing at Northern Kin Festival, in the summer of 2023, when she began to get involved with the Liverpool music scene.

Familiar

Her debut single, Familiar, released in Autumn 2023 with PR help from Canary Records, received attention from BBC Introducing Merseyside and Shell Zenner from Amazing Radio, broadcast in the UK and US. It was recorded with James Wyatt at Sloe Flower Studios, Chester (Katie Nicholas, Toria Woof, Wax Tree Cast Band) and launched Grace’s career as a solo artist.

It was accompanied by a short, self-organised Northern tour of shows in Liverpool, Manchester and Durham. The Durham show was a sell-out and was packed to the door.

The single gathered over 10,000 streams on Spotify in 6 months and features in over 150 playlists. The release was accompanied by limited edition lino prints.

Other Faith

2025 brings Grace’s much anticipated debut EP, Other Faith, to the world. Self-released and self-funded, Grace’s first major project features five songs captured in the Wiltshire countryside with Gus White, at The Barn. It’s a stripped back record, made up of questions about faith and perspective. Grace’s intimate vocal style is accompanied by detailed guitar and supplementary cello, harmonium and piano. The final track of the EP, Belief (Epilogue) was recorded directly to casette tape, and the whole record is mastered to tape. It is a tender collection and a testament to Grace’s exceptional live ability and her musical exploration so far. Listen here

“Accompanied on acoustic guitar with cello in the background (she plays that, too), there is something of Joni Mitchell in Grace’s flowing voice, particularly at the top of her range and even a hint of Paul Simon in her writing.”

Folking, 2025

The first single from Grace’s debut EP, Birdsong, was chosen as one of The Unsigned Guide’s March Spotlight tracks, and was called ‘breathtaking and striking’. It also won the Young Songwriter’s Competition 2025 and featured as part of a showcase in the iconic Troubadour. The EP recieved widespread radio play from BBC Introducing North East and Merseyside, Folkscene on Minerva Radio, the Sairie Hour on Slack City radio, The Folk Pilot and extensive play on the Folk channels of Amazing Radio UK and US. A few weeks after release it was chosen as a weekly pick on Fresh on The Net for the playlist “Eclectic Picks”. It recieved features in NARC, Joyzine, The New Age Magazine, Stil Listening and Aftercuts Magazine with positive reception all around.

“The timbre is soft with a slight hint of smoke and the moments when the voice breaks effortlessly into falsetto is worth playing the song on repeat alone as is the tiny slice of cello that appears like a shaft of sunlight near the end of the song. “

Joyzine, 2025

The EP was accompanied by a successful debut self-organised UK release tour with sold-out shows in Durham (Claypath Deli) and London (Green Note, Camden), and a standing ovation in Leeds (The Cardigan Arms). Grace self-released and self-published the EP, pressing 10 inch vinyl for the first time, a run that broke even within the first 3 months of sale.

This summer, Grace supported the band Florist at their first-ever show in Liverpool at District for their Jellywish tour and shared the bill with songwriters Henry Parker and Katie Spencer at a show in Ripon. Other highlights include supporting London based singer-songwriter Chloe Foy at Future Yard, a headline at Crumpsall Folk Club, Greater Manchester and playing the Late Spring Folk Festival, rubbing shoulders with the Brothers Gillespie, Nick Hart and Maddie Ashman.

This Autumn, Grace teamed up with fellow independent Liverpool based singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, Jessica Dives, for a double headline UK tour, in intimate, local spaces. Highlights included returning to the Green Note, The Portly Pig (hosted by Tom Sands, luthier) and Granby Winter Gardens, a community space in South Liverpool. Not only did this string of shows contribute to a growing national audience for Grace, it also further solidified the ethos of her practice, focused on collaboration, feeling and craft. Grace accompanied Jessica with her cello and voice and Jessica accompanied her on accordion and banjo.

The tour was also an opportunity for Grace to play new material and conceptualise her next EP. Grace is currently in the process of seeking funding to record this project and building a team.

This Winter she will be supporting friend and fellow emerging songwriter Eli Carvajal on his upcoming Album tour, making regular appearances as support at the Green Note, Camden and supporting Villagers at a sold-out show in Liverpool.

All enquiries please direct to gracelizabetharvey@gmail.com

Cellist with a classical background

Grace has a classical background, attending the prestigious Junior Royal Northern College of Music from the ages of 16-18, where she studied joint first-study cello and operatic singing. Grace’s rapid progress on the cello, picking it up only at the age of 14, earned her a Trinity Talent prize in 2018. She achieved Grade 8 distinction after just 4 years of tuition, alongside a traditional education.

Grace played in the charity orchestra programme Early Music as Education since it was founded in 2017, picking up the values of community music making and ambition for technical excellence, which feed into her original music making. She now teaches for the charitable organisation as a cello tutor.

Cello features strongly in the studio versions of Grace’s songs. In her upcoming debut EP, Other Faith, the cello functions as a third voice, alongside the guitar and Grace’s lyricism.

As well as forming part of her own creative process, Grace frequently plays cello on other songwriters’ projects, both live and in the studio. (Jessica Dives, Eli Carvajal, Michelle Laverick, Maggie Baring)

All enquiries please direct to gracelizabetharvey@gmail.com