Lady Maisery are an all-female English folk trio from Sheffield. They’ve been together for at least 15 years while also maintaining their separate musical careers. Musically they are very talented: they all play a range of instruments and their singing is beautiful. They combine in a rich vocal harmony which reminds me of songbirds weaving patterns in the air. They are Hannah James, Hazel Askew and Rowan Rheingans. They sing not only traditional folk ballads but also modern music which ranges more widely. Their heroes include modern female musicians such as Björk.
I saw Lady Maisery in concert at Farnham Maltings last night. I haven’t listened to much folk music but I loved their performance. It was educational as well. Every song was introduced by one of the band members who explained how it came to be written and what it meant for them. I found the traditional numbers the most moving, for example The Cuckoo, Equality and Love, Child Among the Weeds, and The Crow on the Cradle.
It’s increasingly hard to separate musicians from their worldview. Look at the recent controversy about Ed Sheeran. His officially non-political stance is no longer sustainable in a world where political positions interfere with musical freedom of expression. So where do Lady Maisery stand? They describe their music as stories of sisterhood, the human struggle and the joy of living. They are anti-war: they no longer stream on Spotify because its CEO is a big investor in the German weapons company Helsing. Early in their career, they released a charity download single (a cover of the Kate Bush song This Woman’s Work) on International Women’s Day to raise money for the End Violence Against Women coalition. Their band name is based on a name found in a number of traditional ballads, notably Lady Maisry which tells of a woman who refuses to abandon her true love and who suffers a violent death at the hands of her brothers.
Lady Maisery tour a lot. I hope to see them again soon.
