WATCH: Samantha Crain - 'Garden Dove'

There's something pretty special about seeing people get the opportunity to do things that they love, and support things that they believe in. Time for some exciting news which I've been meaning to share for a few weeks - I was excited to learn that Lucy Rose has set up an independent label, Real Kind Records, as an imprint of Communion Records.  

Her first signing is Samantha Crain, an artist who Lucy has been a friend and fan of for a few years, and who she toured with last year. Listening to the new record which she had self-produced in her  US home, Lucy describes herself being struck by it as "one of the best albums I had heard in years, maybe ever" but finding that Samantha wasn't really sure how she would release it. Taking matters into her own hand, Lucy spoke to her label Communion, who have given her the opportunity to set up a label as an imprint of them, to release Samantha's record (and plenty more to come, I hope!) Lucy describes it as "one of the most exciting moments of my life [...] I have real ambition for Samantha and this album. It's a deeply personal album and one that I will continue to listen to and enjoy for all the years to come. I hope many, many more people will too." 

The record in question is A Small Death, due for release on 1st May. The first single An Echo was released a few weeks back, with the follow-up Garden Dove streaming now. Samantha explains that it is "about putting in the work on yourself, not only for yourself, but for someone you love too." 

About the record, Samantha describes that it was "written and recorded during and after some serious hardships in my life. I had lost use of my hands, sank into despair due to the apparent loss of my ability to perform on instruments. I was suffering from a mental and physical breakdown and when I eventually came out on the other side of it, with my capacities renewed, I found such joy and appreciation to be able to create again and put all of this into this record, because of this, in my eyes, it is the most important record I've made and I held it firmly in my arms and carried it through to completion. I saw this as my bonus round, my second chance, and a time to re-evaluate my principles as an artist and my objective as a person. The state of peace that I came to following this tumultuous time in my life allowed me a real clarity towards desires for this record."

Samantha tours the UK following the album release - tickets here.

6th May: Hope & Ruin, Brighton
7th: Omeara, London
10th: YES, Manchester
11th: Louisiana, Bristol
13th: Stereo, Glasgow
14th: Oporto, Leeds

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