Words and photos by: Lucy Williamson
Cornwall has always been a place for stories, and singer-songwriter Ezmay Grace has brought new ones to life with her debut album, Lien Gwerin, meaning “Folk Tales” in Cornish. She is quickly becoming one to watch in the South West folk music scene. In this interview, Ezmay talks about what it’s really like to be a full-time musician in Cornwall, behind-the-scenes info about her debut album, and exciting plans for 2026!
Thank you so much for joining us today! You’re a folk singer-songwriter who proudly hails from Cornwall. Cornwall has such a vibrant community for the South West music scene. And it’s a pleasure to be chatting with you!
Thank you for having me!
How has being based in Cornwall shaped the way you create music?
Moving to Cornwall at the age of 13 was a bit of a culture shock. I was born and raised initially in the rugged foothills of the Pennines in West Yorkshire. With a brief stop in Devon, our family eventually landed in Cornwall, which, while also having its own ruggedness, was a much softer landscape by comparison. I felt immediately inspired by the coast, the sea, the moors and the countryside between, and this has all bled into my songwriting over the years.
Looking at this question from a completely different angle, Cornwall is a buzzing hub for music, and I discovered this while at Falmouth Uni between 2015-2018, studying music. Since my uni days, I have never struggled to find willing collaborators or wonderful venues to play at, nor have I ever felt unsupported by my fellow musicians here. It’s a very special and inspiring place for creatives.
As a full-time musician and music teacher in Cornwall who has graduated from Falmouth University, do you have any tips for anyone looking to become a full-time musician in Cornwall? What’s your go-to tip for staying creative in the field?
My number one piece of advice is to remain present. Talk to everybody, go to every gig, try out every venue. People generally love to connect, and more seasoned musicians always have wise words to offer, so ask questions! Where to gig, who to record with, which musicians to collaborate with, etc. Be loud, make yourself known and be a friend to everyone. You want people to know you. Along a similar vein, I truly believe that keeping connected is the best way to stay creative, whether that comes from being inspired by your fellow musicians or directly collaborating with other musicians. Even as a solo artist, being a musician should not be a solitary thing.
2025 was a landmark year for you with the release of your debut album. Such a beautiful album that’s drenched in folklore stories. What was the process behind sharing these stories through your songwriting? What part of creating it or releasing it surprised you the most?
Thank you so much, it’s a piece of work I am very proud of, and I am so glad it’s out in the world now. When it came to my process with these songs, they all followed the same storytelling style of writing. With some of the songs, I simply read a book and felt inspired to retell the story in my own words, or draw from the themes. With others, I heard local or distant folklore, and longed to write about the mystical characters from these tales. With all of the songs, I started with an idea, then let my imagination run away with it. A lot of the time, I didn’t know how the story would end until I was writing the song… it sort of just flowed from me as I went! I would say it’s that part which surprised me the most, that these stories were always living within me somewhere, and just needed a means to escape.
The album feels like you’re set in a storybook. How did you choose the order of the tracks to create that magical storytelling feel?
In all honesty, my wonderful producer, James Bragg, actually chose the order of the tracks on the album. I’ve never worked with someone who ‘gets’ my music like James does. He understood exactly how I wanted everything to sound without me really verbalising it, and from that created an order for the tracks that made the album feel like it was expanding into its darkness and otherworldliness as you listened through.
How would you describe the visual world your music lives in?
Lien Gwerin definitely lives in a Cornwall long past… with sunny rivers and tall grasses whispering in meadows that border dark and strange forests that creep out onto foggy, jagged cliffs above angry, grey seas.
The music I am working on at the moment is not too far removed from this, but we are working toward a slightly more modern feel, folk songs rooted in honest flickers of my history that my listeners may be able to relate more closely to. What I have coming next feels like a little window into who I am as a person and the experiences that have shaped me into the musician I am today.
If your debut album were to be transformed into a film, what kind of story would it tell?
I love this question as I’m a very visual person. I think that the story would begin bright and dreamlike, with life being fairly pleasant and simple, but things would quickly take a dark and shadowy turn as the inevitable evil in the world creeps into the bright, summery landscapes from the start of the movie. There would definitely be love, and there would definitely be loss… and lots of magic, of course.
Which musicians are your inspirations behind your sound? When was the moment you found your beautiful folk sound?
My first foray into the world of folk was with my former singing teacher, Rosa Rebecka. I studied with her from the age of 9 to the age of 16, when I left secondary school. Rebecka is a folk musician herself, and her songwriting reflects her life growing up in the wilds of Sweden, weaving in strands of the ancient folklore of the land. She introduced me to Joni Mitchell, who, to this day, I always name as my main inspiration. When I was at university in Falmouth, I wrote a tryptic as part of an assignment and called it The Sailor’s Mistress. This was my first ever attempt at writing in the form of a story in my timeless folk style, and I don’t think I’ve written anything quite as good to this day!
You’re a singing teacher, and also teach music theory, songwriting and performance technique alongside, which is incredible! One of your previous music students, Kitty Crocker, has had quite an incredible 2025 with festival performances at Boardmasters and The Great Estate Festival. Has there been a highlight you’ve particularly been super proud of this year in Kitty’s growth as a musician? Do you think there may be scope for an Ezmay Grace and Kitty Crocker collaboration in the future?
Gosh, I could gush about Kitty Crocker til the cows came home. There are no words to explain how proud I am of that girl, and I think the most wonderful thing to come of all of it is the incredible friendship we have found. Seeing Kitty perform with her full band at her first headline show at The Underground in Plymouth on 21st November was a completely surreal moment for me. The room was packed, everyone was moving, people singing the lyrics Kitty had written herself. She looked totally at home on that stage, playing and singing so beautifully with her band, and I could only think of the nervous 15-year-old who first showed up for lessons all those years ago. She’s completely flourished into herself, and I am so excited to see how far she can take this. And yes, I think that a Kitty Ezmay crossover is probably inevitable! Watch this space.
Reflecting on 2025, what are your top 5 highlights, and what has this year taught you?
Well, spot number one definitely goes to releasing my debut album, and the launch concert that I held with Spare Peg Records really was the cherry on the cake. I was supported by Kitty and accompanied by Severn Duo on strings, with James Bragg doing the sound. We sold out on the day, and it was magical! Another highlight for me was supporting & singing with Ernest Aines in May as part of his UK tour. He is a phenomenal Australian folk musician, and the whole evening was just beautiful. Another standout performance for me was actually singing for my big sister at her wedding. Although it wasn’t technically a career highlight, it was still a big one for me as a musician to gift her a song. A weird highlight but a highlight nonetheless for me was reaching 12,000 followers on TikTok. In a world where social media rules all, I feel a certain amount of tolerance and even embracement must be observed as a musician when it comes to social media. It feels special to me that 12,000 people wanted to follow along on my journey after seeing a video of me singing. And finally, a gig I played very recently as part of Get Folk’d! Promotions run by fellow musician Seamus McKenna take the 5th highlight spot. I played in an old chapel full of silent people, and I really played. Nothing on this planet beats the feeling of knowing people are listening and absorbing your music to the fullest extent. I absolutely thrived on it, and I think it may have been the best I have ever performed.
This year has taught me that collaboration really is the key. Making bonds and building relationships, not just in music but in all walks of life, will feed your soul and awaken your determination in life. I’ve never felt so inspired as I do now at the end of 2025 having met and worked with so many amazing souls. I feel richer.
Looking to 2026, what are you most excited for? You have festival performances at Kernowfornia and the first-ever Morvala Festival at historic Mount Edgcumbe Country Park in June 2026. What else is on the horizon? Have you got any exciting plans coming up?
Yes, I am really leaning into festival season next year, which is something I haven’t done for a little while. I am beyond excited to be playing at both Morvala and Kernowfornia and am very appreciative for the opportunity. I am also booked for the Galway Folk Festival in Ireland in June, and have begun planning a mini tour around it. Being a folk musician, Ireland feels like a very sacred place to me, and I am so incredibly eager to get over there to share my music.
I am supporting one or two great names next year, too, and also sharing the stage with another Australian friend of mine, Isabel Rumble. I’ll be working on new music and hopefully lining up another big release. It’s going to be a year of more growth and more collaboration and I cannot wait.
What can people expect from an Ezmay Grace performance?
I would hope for people to experience emotion and connection when they come to one of my shows. I would want them to leave feeling like they learned something new, and to be infected by the folk music bug! I also like to befriend my crowd and share in conversation, so maybe they’ll leave with a new friend in me, too. Most of all, I would hope that people get to hear some bloody good music!
Where can people find you?
I am @ezmaygracemusic absolutely everywhere. My website is ezmaygracemusic.co.uk, and on there you can find my gig calendar, contact form and merchandise! There’s also a newsletter to sign up to, which will give you a close-up look at what I get up to as a musician and what’s to come.
Ezmay Grace’s debut album, Lien Gwerin, is out now via all major streaming platforms.