Music / News
‘Harvest Moon’ video launches return of songbird Fritillaries
Bristol alt-folk artist Fritillaries has returned with Harvest Moon, the first single from a forthcoming EP that is the first music she has released in two years.
It’s the first solo outing for Hannah Pawson, Fritillaries having released their debut as a duo in 2022.
The artist’s name is derived from the snake’s head fritillary, a flower symbolising rebirth and hope.
Hannah struggled to produce music in the midst of a long period of grief and illness, but has emerged to create Thank God I Have the Songs, due for release on June 26.
A sweet, intimate record, Harvest Moon is dedicated to Hannah’s grandmother who, she says, was “always cycling, always advocating for the climate and human rights, even at the end of the evening when we were all dropping off to sleep.”
Hannah wears her nan’s waistcoast in the DIY-produced video and she features on the single’s artwork.
“She had the biggest heart and I miss her everyday,” she says. “This song is for her and anyone who needs to recover.”
The song’s melancholic beauty is in its simplicity, with delicate harmonies and lush strings complementing Hannah’s tender, keening delivery. It’s a heartfelt song about, she says, “finding the light in the midst of grief, chronic illness and difficult life events.”
The EP explores these themes in depth. It was recorded with local artists Rowan Elliott and Beth Roberts, and will be released on Bristol label Cuculi Records.
Following the release, Fritillaries will embark on a tour that starts in Bristol, at Saint Ambrose church off Whitehall Road, on June 28. Find tickets at www.headfirstbristol.co.uk/whats-on/st-ambrose-church-whitehall-bs5-7an/fri-28-jun-cuculi-presents-fritillaries-jow-107613#e10761
Main photo: Hannah Lawson
Read next:
Our newsletters emailed directly to you
