At only 19 years old, Rachel Sermanni has supported Mumford and Sons, KT Tunstall and Newton Falkner, and is taking the festival circuit in her stride this August. With deceptively tender vocals and a charming stage presence, it’s difficult not to fall for her soft folk sound and poetic lyrics. On the 17th of August she and her full band performed at the Queens Hall as part of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, where she was met by a full and welcoming audience.
The entire band is incredibly talented, lending backing vocals or switching instruments, which only enhances the delicate but unfaltering voice that carries the melody. There is great variety in the composition of songs: sometimes only Rachel sings with her acoustic guitar; once even a mandolin is produced; and Admiral Fallow lead singer Louis Abbott joins her for a duet to the beautiful “Waltz”.
Her stage presence is unpretentious and in fact a little shy, helping to create the expectation of a delicate performance and taking the audience by surprise with some incredibly powerful pieces. Barefoot, and with a hole in her tights, she sings of love, home and vice through beautiful storybook lyrics with chords to illustrate them perfectly.
Rachel is truly gifted, both in her own music and with the talented friends she has with her. Together they make for an absorbing performance which you will feel all the better for having seen.
Rachel’s next performance in Scotland will be supporting Ron Sexsmith at the 02 ABC in Glasgow, 5 September.