Emily Barker

Born in Bridgetown, Western Australia, Emily Barker looks right at home in the lavish setting of Australia House, along with her chamber-folk trio ‘The Red Clay Halo’. Her compelling lyrics, and soft yet powerful voice have the audience of around 100 captured throughout her set. It isn’t just Emily’s unique voice that lock the audience, but the way in which the beautiful harmonies and melodies are weaved together with her trio.

The show begins with her fourth and current single ‘Billowing Sea’ taken from her third album ‘Alamanac’. There is then a breathtakingly beautiful performance of ‘Pause’, which was used as the theme music for the BBC 2 thriller ‘The Shadow Line’. Emily sings with just her acoustic guitar in toe; the result is truly mesmerising and a definite highlight.

Theme tunes are definitely a forte for Emily, as she also sang ‘Nostalgia’ which was a hit on the BBC 1 television series ‘Wallander’. The one upbeat track of the evening is a duet with James de Malplaquet of the ‘Miserable Rich’, which is a very enjoyable and energetic performance amongst the string of ballads.

References and anecdotes about her homeland Australia are shared throughout the show, including her song ‘Home’ which she wrote on her journey back from the UK to Australia. Another song which educated the audience on her roots is ‘Bones’, which unfolds the history of indigenous Australia. And staying on the theme, she also shares a humorous story about the Australian tim-tam chocolate bar which receives a few laughs.

Having been compared to Laura Marling, it is possible that Emily has more to offer: her sound more unique, eerie and compelling. In terms of her influences, she mentioned Neil Young, Gillian Welch and PJ Harvey, when speaking to me after the show.

She closes with an exquisite rendition of Ewan MacColl’s ‘First Time I Ever Saw Your Face’, which, according to Emily is ‘one of the most beautiful love songs ever written’.