11 days ago, on the 21st June, Said The Maiden launched their debut album. It was a fantastic day, and, appropriately, it was the Folk Festival in St Albans too.
The girls began the day by singing in the Old Courtroom in the Town Hall. The acoustics of the room were ideal for singing a cappella, and this created an immersive feeling as the girls' wonderful voices bounced off the walls. And to my surprise and delight, the crowd joined in on their last song, Fiddler's Green! The team then moved on to Empire Records, who were kindly hosting the launch. The album and merchandise were laid out at the till (along with my business cards), ready for eager buyers! But they'd have to wait, as the girls were to sing first - not that anyone minded that! Singing in the corner, with the album lined up on the wall behind them and the shop completely rammed with fans (and more outside!), the girls braved the humid conditions and pulled off a wonderful gig. No'one would've known that Kathy was jet-lagged from having returned from Ecuador and that Jess had just undergone a knee operation. One of my favourite songs of the gig was False, False, which sounded awesomely eerie and funereal with Hannah's new accordion! A Sailor's Promise (Jess' self-written song) also sounded lovely. I even got a shout-out from Jess, thanking me for my work on the album and mentioning those business cards! ;-) After the set, people queued - to buy the album, and to chat to the girls. At this point, a lovely lady named Sian Northey came up to me and complimented me on the artwork - the first person outside of my family and friends! I really appreciated the feedback, and it was lovely to hear. Then another lady came up and complimented me too - this time on my Moomin dress! :-) After the gig, Joe and Naomi handed out delicious cupcakes outside, which had been baked by Naomi herself. These cupcakes featured the maidens: my drawing of them on rice paper! This certainly deserved another album launch pose (see below)! All in all, the day was everything we had hoped it would be and more. The girls had a fantastic reaction from fans old and new, and they are really excited for more people to hear and give feedback on the album. You can hear previews and buy it here. Enjoy! - Chloe Valerie |