Our Easter feature interview is with Scottish country performer Robyn Red. We were so happy to say hello again because we spoke to Robyn back in 2022 at the time of her first single release, “Like a Bullet” (160K+ listens now on Sokify). Since then we have been watching her gain a strong band of fans who often appear in their red hats and sing along to the songs. We had a lot to chat about this time as Robyn has an EP out in May and is also back on the road doing a range of shows to support it in 2025. You can check in and get tickets for any of her shows on the artist website here.
For those in need of the background! Robyn Red is one of country music’s most electrifying rising stars, blending a vibrant, pop-infused twist with traditional country. Her dynamic performances and bold, empowered style are making waves. With themes of female empowerment and confidence, she’s carving a unique space in the genre.
Robyn’s signature red hat has become an icon in her home country’s growing country scene. She debuted on the DF Concerts stage at Country 2 Country in Glasgow (2022), returned in 2023, and will headline in 2024. She’s also played Millport Country Music Festival, Buckle and Boots, The British Country Music Festival, TRNSMT, and more.
Beyond festivals, Robyn has headlined King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut and performed at legendary venues like Liverpool’s Cavern Club, The Half Moon in London, and Birmingham’s Symphony Hall. She’s self-promoted and sold out shows across Glasgow, growing from The Garage Attic to King Tut’s. At the time of this interview, she was about to support Morganway at their Glasgow gig, where, I believe, she also jammed with the band.
We began the interview with the hard work it requires an independent artist to gain traction in 2025, as there is a lot of noise out there. In the case of Robyn Red, she actually hasn’t released that many singles, but she has been out there playing gigs and building up her following. Did she have that as a deliberate strategy?
Robyn: To be honest, that was more accidental. The last single released was “Luke Jackson” (previous to “Just Need the Wine”), but that was October 2023. I was supposed to release a couple of singles in 2024, but things didn’t work out as I wanted. The songs came back from Nashville and I wasn’t happy with what I had. I then went to a studio in Glasgow and I still wasn’t happy. So I took it to Graeme and Jamie Duffin and they made things how I wanted them. It’s not really a right or wrong way of doing it; it just depends on the feel. And, as for releasing, it doesn’t make sense to just release if you don’t have the numbers; there is too much noise out there but you have to have an audience. The live base is so important, as they are your potential listeners.
Robyn has also been playing support for some great names in country recently; Laura Aston springs to mind as we have featured her in the magazine in the past.
Robyn: I didn’t do the tour with her; I just played support on her Glasgow show, but it was great. And support shows are good for finding audiences; I am supporting Morganway in their Glasgow show next.
Next we noted how music often connects the people of a region and is such a feature of country music. As our editorial for April noted, country music has always had that storytelling element to it, from the Appalachian ballads of Dolly Parton through to the gritty narratives of Johnny Cash. Does Robyn bring her Scottish self into her storytelling and lyrics?
Robyn: Recently, yes. I have a song called “Caledonia Looking Good on You.” You know, Scotland is a beautiful place, and we wanted a song that I could just run onto the stage to! “I feel it in my bones; I feel it in my boots…” So we have compared an audience with the countryside in Scotland and the different parts of Scotland, so you “take me higher than the highlands, the way you look at me.” The song lyrics are all Scotland-linked. It’s not released yet; it’s on the EP.
We all loved a previous single called “Luke Jackson”; the lyrics were full of storytelling, and the humor of the piece is clear. We wondered about Robyn’s thoughts on that track now.
Robyn: To be honest, I just think that someone made me really angry! I know that I didn’t want to make it too serious because I didn’t want people to think that I may have actually killed someone! It was a case of taking the seriousness of the situation and making it a song that people could like. We shot the video in Glasgow in a cool country bar, produced by Scott Somers. We also shot in a wooded area and we had a body that was faked up, but we had people walking by and asking us if it was a real body! It’s not on the EP that one.
How does Robyn approach set lists for shows, given that she hasn’t got that large a back catalog? Does she have some covers that she likes to include in the set?
Robyn: I have a habit of playing my songs live before I look to release; I like to test the reception. I test my audience to see if they like it, to see if it’s worth the money that it takes to record it. I don’t really do covers, one at the most. I will play my unreleased stuff and get a feel for the tracks and whether they are worth pushing on with.
Robyn Red headed off to Switzerland recently, a surprising trip perhaps; are there a good core of Robyn Red fans out there?
Robyn: Me and my fiddle player went out on a little tour of Switzerland; we did a few shows and some musicians over there joined sometimes. It was a really good experience; I didn’t always know how to communicate with them because English people, let’s face it, can struggle with the Scottish accent. So not only was English not their first language, but you have a Scottish girl with an account too! But they seemed fine, and the gigs were amazing. It was so nice to see so many people turn out for me in a different country, and there may not have been a hotbed of Robyn Red fans to begin with there, but I certainly hope there is now!
And news on the EP or shows?
Robyn: I’m not saying a huge amount about that yet! “Just Need the Wine,” the new single, is on it and “Between the Two of Us” will be on it as well. “Caledonia Looking Good on You” will be one of the new songs on there. There will be 5 tracks on it, and it will be out around May/June. As for tours, I am at the ‘Buckle and Boots’ country music festival (link here) May 22/25. Then I’m also heading to King Tut’s for the EP release on June 7, and there are also many festivals down South and I am playing in Edinburgh with Kezia Gill on 19 April; she is on a full tour currently. It will be a writers round style of event and I’m looking forward to that, as I do love writers rounds. There is the Ameri Cymru Festival on June 28 in Wales, and I’m also doing a joint headline in Edinburgh with Arbor North on July 6.
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Tickets and further information for Robyn Red live are here
Stream music from Robyn Red here
By Mark C Chambers
and
Lorraine Foley
