Ever-rising star of Americana, Blues, Rock and beyond, Elles Bailey earned further acclaim in the UK music Scene by picking up two awards from the UK Americana Awards 2023. Not only did Elles win the highly coveted Artist of the Year Award, she also walked away with the very first Live Act of the Year Award (a brand-new category voted for by the music-loving public). What’s more, Elles’ guitarist Joe Wilkins was also nominated as Instrumentalist of the Year, showing the high regard he’s earned on his own merit.
“In 2018, I went to my first Americana Awards at the Hackney Empire after showcasing for the first time,” Elles remembers, “Back then, I was a completely unknown artist to almost everyone there, but over the last five years this community has welcomed me, and so many other artists, with open arms”
“To win Artist of the Year means absolutely everything (especially when so many of my favourite artists, whom I look up to and respect, have previously won this award).”
As fans know full well, Elles has been a passionate performer and champion of live music, so winning the AMAUK’s inaugural Live Act of the Year Award has special significance for her. “There is nothing more special than the magical connection that sparks between artist and audience in a live setting,” says Elles, “It’s honest, real, raw and utterly spectacular. To win the inaugural ‘Live Act of the Year’ (as voted for by the public) is quite frankly the hugest of honours. This award is a testament to all the incredible musicians who share the stage with me and help me tell my story, and I am so grateful to each and every one of them.”
The nominations and wins were earned by another year of passionate creative effort, inspiration, and achievement, in particular the release of Elles’ hit, critically acclaimed, third album ‘Shining in the Half Light’; also, her deep commitment to live touring and performance.
This self-confessed ‘rolling stone’ will soon be rolling out her headline 2023 tour and enthusiastically appearing at festivals in the Summer.
The 18-date 2023 headline UK tour starts, 3rd February. She’ll also be appearing at the Black Deer Festival and Maid of Stone Festival this Summer.
She’s also been shortlisted for 3 awards at the forthcoming UK Blues Awards 2023: UK Blues Vocalist of the Year, UK Blues Album of the Year, and UK Blues Artist of the Year. Voting opens 4th February.
“The UK Blues community have championed me from the off” says Elles “I am thrilled to have picked up three nominations at this year’s awards. A huge thank you to everyone one who nominated me. I am also delighted to see Shining in the Half Light pick up a nomination for album of the year. I am very proud of this record’s story both the writing and recording process and subsequently its release story. To have this nomination and recognition for this body of work is the icing on the cake.”
Check out the video to ‘Who’s That’ taken from Shining in the Half Light. The track is currently number 20 in the global Spotify blues chart and ‘Shining in the half light’ made its way to the top 40 biggest selling Americana albums of 2022.
Headline 2023 Tour
FEB 2023
3rd – Winters End, Trecco Bay
4th – Academy 2, Manchester (co-headline with Chantel McGregor)
5th – The Stables, Milton Keynes (co-headline with Chantel McGregor)
MARCH 2023
3rd – The Globe, Cardiff
4th – The Phoenix, Exeter
9th – O2 Academy 2, Liverpool
10th – The Social, Hull
11th – The Firestation, Sunderland
14th – KK’s Steel Mill, Wolverhampton
15th – The Crescent Arts Centre, York
16th – The Caves, Edinburgh
17th – The Brudenell Social Club, Leeds (co-headline with Chantel McGregor)
21st – Komedia, Brighton
22nd – Junction 2, Cambridge
23rd – 1865, Southampton
APRIL
1st – Lafayette, London
14th – Arlington Arts, Newbury
15th – Trinity Centre, Bristol
MAY
18th- Nottingham Rescue rooms (Co-Headline with Chantel McGregor
19th – Sheffield Corporation
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