Scots singing sensation Rianne Downey 'buzzing' for homecoming TRNSMT gig after 'unbelievable' journey
Scots songstress Rianne Downey credits TRNSMT for sending her on an 'unbelievable' journey which saw her rock the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury.
Describing the bucket list moment as the 'pinnacle' of her music career so far, the 25-year-old Bellshill musician told Lanarkshire Live her life has been a whirlwind ever since she shared the main stage at TRNSMT 2023 with Beautiful South icon Paul Heaton.
Rianne was uploading cover songs online through the Covid lockdown when her version of their hit song 'Rotterdam' was 'liked' by Paul who gave her some positive feedback.
Then three years later, out of the blue, she got a phone call from her manager to say Paul wanted her to sing with him for the summer.
'I had to run home and record some voice notes of the tunes then I got a phone call the next day to say 'we're going to try one gig for the summer'', said Rianne.
'That one gig turned into the full summer, singing on his album and playing the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury - and here we are now.
'Playing Glasto was the pinnacle moment of my career, I'll never forget that. I absolutely loved playing the Hydro with him too. Stepping out to 15,000 Glaswegians was definitely a buzz.'
The self-professed 'country folk fairy', has a strong Celtic connection which never fails to resonate with a Glasgow crowd.
Currently touring with The Beautiful South star after recording on his latest album 'The Mighty Several' together, Rianne is also lending support to Texas on their UK summer tour and returning to Glastonbury this week for a solo acoustic set.
She added: 'It's been a whirlwind ever since that TRNSMT moment. Time has absolutely flown by and so many amazing things have happened.
'That gig was a proper monumental moment in my life. Since then I've sang and recorded on Paul's album, which got to number 2 in the charts, and through that we played the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury last year which was an absolute dream come true.
'That's a proper bucket list for so many musicians. It's been unbelieveable and things have just been flying since then.
'We got to play my hometown of Glasgow to a sold out Hydro crowd - which was again a bucket list moment.
'It's been so lovely because after that loads of people bought into me and wanted to hear my voice singing my own songs as well as Paul's.'
The singer-songwriter, who now lives in Liverpool, has kickstarted her debut album campaign and will be treating the TRNSMT crowd to songs from the soon to be released coming-of-age record 'The Consequence of Love' when she plays the King Tut's stage on Sunday, July 13.
Rianne revealed she will also have a couple of Paul Heaton songs up her sleeve along with a rousing Scottish anthem.
This will be Rianne's first solo performance since her debut slot as an emerging artist at TRNSMT in 2022.
This year's headliners include 50 Cent, Biffy Clyro, Underworld and Snow Patrol.
'This year I'm playing TRNSMT on my own which is lovely', she continued.
'It'll be great to play the King Tut's stage on the Sunday afternoon, it just feels like the perfect slot.
'King Tut's was the first gig I ever put on and it sold out in two days. I remember just being so buzzing, so grateful. And now I'm getting to play the King Tut's stage at TRNSMT so it just feels like an amazing journey, a big jump up.
'Glasgow has always been so supportive of me. It's been a while since I last played solo so TRNSMT is definitely a brilliant homecoming.
She added: 'I feel like it would only be right to play a couple of Paul songs. And I think I'll sing Caledonia - everybody will be waiting on that one from me. We're a very patriotic city so it's lovely that people want to hear Caledonia, but also want to hear my tunes as well.
'My band's amazing, it feels like we're all in great shape and I'm just so excited to show everybody my music that I've been working on - songs old and new.
'The name of the album is 'The Consequence of Love'. Every song on the album is a love song, or is born out of love. From relationships and family to heartache - it explores all the pathways that love takes you on. It's a country, folk, coming-of-age album with lots of catchy, sunny tunes in there.
'I guess it's about my journey to where I am now and the fragility of life and love.'
Rianne says she hopes to catch American singer-songwriter Gracie Abrams while she's at the festival but needs to get back on the road soon after for the rest of their summer tour.
She said: 'It's a short and sweet visit as I need to get back for rehearsals with Paul - it's pretty nonstop at the moment.
'I'm on my way to Glastonbury just now. It'll definitely be more chilled this year, I'm just playing an acoustic set so it feels like my time to celebrate last year as it was just so surreal.
'I just love performing and always want to give the best performance that I can to the people in the crowd, because that's what they're there for and they're the reason that I'm getting to play.'
Following her album release, Rianne is heading on a UK-wide album tour which finishes on home soil at the Old Fruitmarket in Glasgow on December 6.
'The Consequence of Love' is now available to pre-order from riannedowney.com and will be released on all major download sites on October 17.
Tickets for the album tour are on sale now.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
North Wales Live
4 hours ago
- North Wales Live
Gwyrch Castle announces plan to welcome back opera star Russell Watson
Gwrych Castle is hoping to amend its premises licence as it bids to welcome back a world-renowned opera singer. Bosses at the famous castle in Abergele want to welcome famous tenor Russell Watson for a special classical concert at the Grade I listed venue. The event would be made possible through a proposed variation to the castle's existing premises licence. Sign up for the North Wales Live newsletter sent twice daily to your inbox. The variation of the conditions of the castle's licence is currently under review by Conwy County Borough Council. Russell Watson was one of the stars of ITV's 2020 series of I'm A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! The show was famously based at the castle for two consecutive years during the Covid-19 pandemic. Russell spent 18 days in the camp experiencing everything from being dunked in batter to keeping the other camp members entertained with his vocal talents. The changes, if accepted, would allow the castle to host up to four large-scale daytime events per year, with attendance exceeding 500 guests. Speaking about the possibility of returning to Gwrych Castle, Russell Watson said: 'Gwrych Castle holds a very special place in my heart after filming I'm A Celebrity there. "The thought of returning to perform in such a spectacular setting would be incredible. "I'd love to be part of bringing live music and culture to this iconic place once again.' Russell is a multi-platinum selling classical singer who rose to fame in 2001 with his debut album The Voice. Gwrych Castle says it has a strong track record of hosting inclusive, well-managed events that support heritage, community engagement, and the local economy. 'Whether it's classical concerts or Cliff Richard, being able to host just four large-scale events a year would be a huge cultural and economic boost for the region,' a castle spokesperson said. The bid calls for a premises variation, which would see the "provision of live music indoors/outdoors on Saturdays and Sundays 10pm – 1am and provision of recorded music indoors/outdoors Saturday and Sunday 10am – 1am". It also includes "provision of anything of a similar description to live music, recorded music or performance of dance indoors/outdoors, Saturday and Sunday 10am – 1am". There would also be no more than four daytime musical events per calendar year with a capacity for over 500 people. The closing date for public representations is Friday, August 28. Built between 1812 and 1822, Gwrych Castle is an imposing gothic ruin on the picturesque North Wales coastline, with spectacular sea views and impressive architecture. Public notices in your area
Glasgow Times
4 hours ago
- Glasgow Times
Scottish-American star announces Glasgow stop on special tour
John Barrowman, actor, author, presenter and singer, will be performing at the Royal Concert Hall in the city centre on Tuesday, December 16. The show comes as part of Barrowman's upcoming Camp As Christmas Tour. READ NEXT: Scots DJ Calvin Harris 'gutted' after beloved pet 'murdered' (Image: John Barrowman (Image: Archive)) For the tour, Barrowman - who was born in Glasgow before moving to America at the age of eight - is calling fans from across the UK to sing live with him on stage. The nationwide search, Sing With Barrowman, invites aspiring singers to submit a video of themselves performing a Christmas song of their choice. Selected participants will join Barrowman for a special on-stage performance at their nearest tour venue. All ages welcome. Fans can enter by recording a short video of themselves singing and posting it on social media, tagging the following: ○ @JohnScotBarrowman ○ @mkentertainmentuk ○ @Your local venue Participants should also use the hashtag #SingWithBarrowman If fans do not have social media, they can email entries to swb@ using "Sing With Barrowman" as their subject line and including their nearest tour venue in the email too. Entries are open now and the deadline for submissions is September 30, 2025. All information on the competition can be found HERE Speaking on the upcoming tour and competition, Barrowman said: 'I can't wait to see what festive magic you all bring to the stage. "Whether you're a seasoned performer or just love singing in the shower, this is your moment to shine. Let's make this the campest Christmas yet." READ NEXT: Glasgow restaurant loved by A-list stars to reopen THIS week Tickets for the upcoming Glasgow show are on sale now and can be purchased HERE Fans can also pay to attend Barrowman's soundcheck or meet him in person via pre or post show meet and greets. Pre-Show Q&A Soundcheck will cost £50, post-show meet and greet photo opportunity will be £40 and to get both a pre-show Q and A and post-show meet and greet costs £80.
Wales Online
4 hours ago
- Wales Online
ITV The Chase's Paul Sinha shares Bradley Walsh 'must' demand before 'transformation'
ITV The Chase's Paul Sinha shares Bradley Walsh 'must' demand before 'transformation' The Chase star Paul Sinha has been a firm favourite on the hit ITV quiz show for years and has now opened up about his friendship with the show's host Bradley Walsh Paul was chatting about his childhood when he revealed Bradley's request (Image: Karwai Tang, WireImagevia Getty Images) The Chase star Paul Sinha has revealed the two-word demand from the show's host Bradley Walsh shortly before the game show host underwent a huge transformation. Paul, or "The Sinnerman" as he's playfully known on The Chase, shared a rare insight into his friendship with Bradley Walsh as he reflected on his younger days. Explaining how both of his parents were passionate cooks, Paul revealed on an episode of the My Time Capsule podcast that one dish - his mum's lamb curry - still lives long in his memory. As he chatted with podcast host Michael Fenton Stevens, Paul spoke of his "intense nostalgic longing" for the dish and revealed how he managed to get Bradley Walsh hooked on its delicious flavours: "I have official confirmation (that it's as good as I think) because I used to talk about it to Bradley Walsh quite a lot." The Chase host made a two-word order to his TV colleague (Image: Karwai Tang, WireImagevia Getty Images) With Bradley seemingly convinced by Paul's high praise, Paul recalled how the Chase host had told him he "must get his parents to cook it for him", reports the Liverpool Echo. Article continues below After his parents agreed and delivered the meal to Bradley via their son, Paul recalled how his colleague was blown away, saying: "You've never seen a man quite as transformed in a short period of time as you did. But we have official validation from Britain's greatest TV game show host." For years, Bradley Walsh has been one of the country's favourite actors, having appeared in Coronation Street as well as delivering a number of compelling performances in crime dramas. Paul was speaking on a recent episode of the My Time Capsule podcast (Image: Karwai Tang, WireImagevia Getty Images) More recently, he has enhanced his reputation further by taking on the hosting duties of the ever-popular ITV game show, The Chase. Paul on the other hand was raised by his Bengali Hindu parents in London in the 1970s and would later go on to become a GP (General Practitioner). It wasn't until he made an appearance on The Weakest Link in the early 2000s that his TV career began. Paul has been on the Chase since 2011 (Image: Dave Benett, Alan Chapman/) Article continues below After being voted off fourth on the show, he later appeared in University Challenge: The Professionals, Are You an Egghead?, Mastermind and Brain of Britain. But he made his name in TV in 2011 when he was selected to become the newest Chaser on the ITV programme. He joined fellow Chasers, including Mark Labbett and Shaun Wallace, as they took on contestants.
