Hailing from Bridgetown, Western Australia, Emily Barker is a compelling songwriter with a gift for weaving melody and words. Her talent is perfectly complemented by the magnificent arrangements of her band The Red Clay Halo, whose rootsy ensemble playing underpins Barker’s agile vocal blend of strength and fragility.

Emily has been based in the UK for the past seven years, during which she has recorded three albums, dazzled audiences at Glastonbury festival, invited by WA’s Agent General to Britain to play an exclusive concert at Australia House and seen her song ‘Nostalgia’ become the BAFTA-winning theme tune to BBC One drama series Wallander starring British actor Kenneth Branagh.

2011 saw the UK release of Emily’s third album Almanac, attracting strong radio support from BBC 6 Music and Radio 2. A stream of sold-out UK tour dates followed, accompanied by single releases such as the stunning, stark ‘Pause’, which featured as the theme to BBC 2 TV conspiracy thriller The Shadow Line starring Christopher Ecclestone (now licensed to the ABC TV in Australia).

Billowing Sea was one of the first songs that Emily wrote for Almanac. She played it to her band (Jo Silverston – cello, Gill Sandell – accordion, Anna Jenkins – violin) and they set about arranging it in the shed out the back of Jo's house in south London on a beautiful summer's day. Emily said of the song, “It’s about the end of a relationship when you realise you've put everything you can into trying to save it only to have it blow up in your face anyway. It's also about seeing the positives that come from this sort of loss. It rejoices and celebrates the freedom that follows and embraces the change.”

Now finally released in Australia, Billowing Sea introduces this accomplished artist and her contemporary chamber-folk quartet back to Emily’s homeland, setting the tone for the 2012 release of Almanac and the long awaited Australian tour dates. This December, Emily will be appearing live at the following venues

Sat 10 Dec – Perth, Rosemount Hotel - WA
Tue 20 Dec – Sydney, The Supper Club @ Oxford Hotel - NSW
Wed 21 Dec – Melbourne, Wesley Anne - VIC
Fri 23 Dec – Bridgetown, The Cidery - WA

“…there is a sense of abandonment to the playing here that is too often ignored by her contemporaries. Talk of a ‘new Laura Marling’ is fatuous, but Barker could easily find the same crossover success.” **** Mojo

“The crisp, tight vocal harmonies provided by The Red Clay Halo make this a mesmerizing, angelic piece of music that somehow lifts you out of its own loneliness.” Drowned In Sound