UK singer/songwriter Freya Ridings has become quite the household name over the last few years. With her last album Blood Orange having been released in 2023, Ridings is working on new music and we cannot wait!

With a string of shows this summer, including a set at Glastonbury Festival, Ridings support slot with Snow Patrol at Westonbirt Arboretum has been massively anticipated.

The setting at Westonbirt was breathtaking. A beautiful sunny day, the atmosphere struck the perfect balance of relaxed yet full of energy—as the audience waited respectfully and eagerly for her to take the stage.

Freya took to the stage accompanied by just her piano and two backing singers (who were fantastic). Starting with the song Castles, Ridings had the entire crowd in the palm of her hand as they fell completeley silent, totally mesmerised by her vocals and piano playing.

Freya needs nothing more than just her piano and her voice. Music that is made for an open air setting, Ridings music soared beautifully across the arboretum within the summer breeze.

Playing various songs across her career, it was the acoustic, stripped back songs that stood out the most showcasing the raw talent in both her vocals and musicianship. There’s something spectacular about live music on just the piano – it strips everything back and lets the emotion shine through. I Can’t Hear It Now from the Netflix show Arcane was especially moving and clearly meant a lot to her.

The audience was treated with two new songs Undefeated and I Used To Sing. The latter was, as Freya explained “more of a bop“. Both songs brilliant and a taste of what is to come which makes it very exciting. On the Ukelele for Dancing In The Kitchen, Freya explains how the song was written when she was going through a tough time whilst at her parents.

River on The Vine was sensational but her closing number Lost Without You was incredibly powerful and heartbreaking. With her passionate tone, you could feel the pain in her words that she wrote at just 19 years old.

Freya Ridings is truly a captivating performer. A crowd completely lost in her performance, if you weren’t already a fan of Freya Ridings, you certainly were after her set. I can only imagine seeing Ridings in a venue such as The Royal Albert Hall being one of the most beautiful things to see and hear and one day, we hope to get that moment.