A young Highland singer has described her whirlwind first few months after signing to the new Belladrum record label.
The last few months has taken Black Isle performer Tamzene from busking on the streets of Inverness to performing at a showcase in Los Angeles.
The 20-year-old is the first act to sign to Belladrum’s new venture, which was launched earlier this year.
The label yesterday was given a grant from the Scottish Government which will allow a digital release of Tamzene’s music.
She was confirmed as Belladrum’s first signed artist in Marrch and since then her life has been a blur of activity.
The Cromarty-born singer said: “It’s been busy, it’s awesome.
“I’m getting to play lots of different kinds of gigs and lots of firsts to its been great.
“I did a showcase in Los Angeles which was crazy, that was a really great experience getting to travel and play outside the UK which I’d never done before.”
This summer she is set to play at Belladrum and HebCelt – but will also travel to Sweden, Finland and Germany for festival dates.
She spoke in Inverness yesterday after Scottish Government Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop announced a £15,000 grant to Belladrum to support a digital release of Tamzene’s music.
Label manager Dougie Brown said Tamzene was discovered by festival bosses busking on Huntly Street in Inverness city centre.
He said: “The thing with the label is we’re brand new, Tamzene is our first artist and we want to make sure we get it right.
“Rather than saying ‘by December we need to seen six artists’ because that wouldn’t work for anyone.
“We wouldn’t have the time.
“We do want to get more acts but that will be a longer term process.”
Ms Hyslop confirmed the funding support for the project, out a of a grant scheme managed by Highlands and Islands Enterprise.
She said: “Tamzene’s story is a remarkable one – going from street busker to working with some of the industry’s biggest names in song writing and producing in the space of just four months.
“Support from HIE and its networks has allowed Belladrum to diversify and bring talent to new international markets. It also shows how modest investment with expert advice and access to networks can have an effective and successful outcome.
“It’s only the start for this exciting, and potentially life-changing, collaboration project and I look forward to seeing where the label and Tamzene go from here.”
