Manchester-based Colorado native, Bay Bryan, is delighted to announce the release of their exquisite new single, Sweet Joan.
A multi-talented performer and creative, Bay is as comfortable in their drag persona of Queen Bayard, as they are in creating ornate, ethereal alt.folk vignettes, as well as exhibiting a penchant for weaving fantastical tales. The song follows the story of a sorceress who risks her own life to save her mortal lover Joan from a mysterious and magical illness, with the track premiering on Folk Radio.
Having grown up in Golden, Colorado, a nomadic lifestyle honing their craft in the world of music and theatre wasn’t the most obvious career trajectory for a young Bay Bryan. However, moving to Scotland to study at Glasgow’s renowned Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (RCS) shaped Bay’s future.
2021 was a breakout year for Bay with the successful release of singles ‘Let Go’ and ‘Sticky Shadows’. Now, Bay is aiming to share their music with a wider audience. Part Donovan part Laura Marling, Bay Bryan’s music straddles the line between the unorthodox and the flower power-era sonics of troubadours of days gone by.
Sweet Joan is the latest single from a singer-songwriter who continues to evolve with each release. Opening with Bay’s shimmering, emotive vocal, Sweet Joan trots into a toe-tapping beat, accented beautifully by undulating viola and clarinet, as Bay explores themes of self-sacrifice in the name of love. Meticulously crafted, the song follows the story of a sorceress who risks her own life to save her mortal lover Joan from a mysterious and magical illness. Sweet Joan is a soul-searching, beguiling piece of music; powerfully bittersweet and refreshingly earnest.
The track is taken from Bay’s upcoming debut concept album, The Meadow, due for release in 2023. Bay has performed at Philly Fringe, Minneapolis Fringe, Edinburgh Fringe Festival, as well as a number of Pride festivals across the UK. Illustrating their diverse creativity, Bay co-composed the songs for “The Not So Ugly Sisters,” named in The Guardian‘s 25 best Christmas shows of 2021, and scored the music to the short film “Egg Party”, winning the audience choice award at Cinequest Film Festival (2021). Sweet Joan will be one of a flurry of releases over the course of 2022 as Bay sets their sights on sharing their art with music lovers far and wide.
Sweet Joan is out now via Ginger Records.