Under the Radar: Lizabett Russo

Lizabett Russo was a big hit at our Wide Days showcase last week, where she opened proceedings on the Friday night at Sneaky Pete’s. Based in Scotland, she merges her native Romanian traditions with elements of contemporary jazz, avant-garde folk and world music, topping this heady mix with a beguiling vocal style.

As well as playing in Asia, Canada and throughout Europe, closer to home she has graced the stages at Cambridge Folk Festival, Celtic Connections and Latitude, and has supported the likes of LAU, Rozi Plain, Tim Edey and Trembling Bells. And when it comes to media, she has enjoyed plays on 6 Music, Radio 3 and Radio Scotland, and she recorded a Scotsman Session in 2020.

Russo has seen her compositions used in several films including the short Bloodloss and the documentary Ioramm. She also appears and performs in George Ezra’s musical travelogue, End To End, where he walks from Lands End to John O’Groats.

Last month she completed her own tour, where her merchandise included soap and glass earrings she had made, and is now gearing up for her next musical adventure. This will see her collect old songs from Romania and rework them in her own inimitable style. Expect the results to continue the magic. See www.lizabettrusso.com

Olaf Furniss and Derick Mackinnon run music industry seminar and social night Born To Be Wide, www.borntobewide.co.uk Find them on Twitter @olafwide and @newfoundsound

Off Axis is an artist-to-artist, non-profit gig swap network, enabling bands and solo acts to build a nationwide fanbase by playing meaningful gigs throughout the UK. They offer a transparent touring model, where musicians keep 100 per cent of profits, showcase at festivals and benefit from expert mentoring. If you have a hometown fanbase, you can join, it’s free, supported by Creative Scotland register https://offaxistours.com