Fritillaries is the original project of contemporary folk songwriter Hannah Pawson, a Bristol-based musician using guitar, banjo and harmonium. Taking her name from the Snake’s Head Fritillary, a flower of rebirth and hope, Hannah weaves worlds into her songs.
Whilst Hannah has been honing her songwriting and live performances since 2017, the arrival of her 2022 debut album resulted in her gaining much well earned attention and acclaim. Fritillaries was nominated for FATEA’s debut album of the year for 2022, was chosen as Folk Radio UK’s album of the month, and received reviews from RNR magazine, Folk Radio UK, Folking and Americana UK among other publications. Her music has been featured on BBC Radio 6, BBC Radio 2, BBC Bristol, BBC Wales and BBC Devon.
Having performed as a duo for many years, Hannah’s future focus is as a solo artist. Fritillaries 6-song EP Thank God I have the Songs was released on 26 June 2024 on Cuculi Records, preceded by singles ‘Harvest Moon’ and ‘As The Rain Falls’. The six-song EP explores themes of loss, death and chronic illness, all articulated by songwriter Hannah Pawson’s characteristically sensitive and sensory songwriting, and captured live in beautifully rich sonic detail. Recorded at The Roost in East Bristol with producer Rowan Elliott (Tamsin Elliott & Tarek Elazhary / Solana), Hannah explains that it was “very special to begin making the EP with some strands of the songs still fresh and unfinished, especially now I’m recording as a solo artist. We made this EP in the neighbourhood I live in, and created the tracks as they happened, allowing the songs to be vulnerable. And that’s what I needed as well.”
“Touchingly poetic, Fritillaries is an enthrallingly scenic, tranquil and fruitful debut … purity, inventiveness and talent” – Folk Radio UK
Fritillaries have toured extensively in the UK in the last 5 years, headlining notable grassroots venues around the UK, such as Kitchen Garden Cafe (Birmingham), Green Note (London), Cafe #9 (Sheffield), Bristol Folk House, as well as performing at plenty of festivals, (Purbeck Valley Folk Festival, Bristol Folk Festival, Gate to Southwell, Hyde Park Folk Festival) and occasionally doing some international touring.
Hannah has received funding from Help Musicians and The Drake YolanDa award. Her debut album (released on Pear O’ Legs Records) was partly funded by her fans via a successful crowdfunding campaign.
Cuculi Records 