Singer-songwriter Abigail Pryde releases her debut single, ‘Lady’.

On the single, available to download, Pryde is joined by Peter Nelson on lead guitar, David Callum MacMillan on drums and Keith Morrison – who co-wrote and produced the track – on keys, bass and guitar.

With the track recorded initially at Stornoway’s Wee Studio Records, Covid-19 travel restrictions (and the unpredictable Hebridean weather) meant some parts of the single had to be recorded on the mainland at Watercolour Studios in the West Highlands, and perhaps inevitably, some remote recording was done at home.

The Dunoon musician is also lead singer of traditional folk band Heron Valley – she graduated from The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland studying Scots Song and classical violin – but her solo work reflects her love of country-inspired music.

Pryde has been singing live since high school, and tells of how, often as the only woman in the band, she began to experience first-hand the challenges touring life can present for a female musician – especially when it came to the reception she received compared to her male counterparts.

“The single is about empowering women,” she says. “Encouraging them to follow their passions and carve out a life that they can enjoy and be proud of.

“The ambition behind the single is for it to be inspiring and help others to find the courage and drive to fight for their goals, no matter what those are.

“I have always recorded with my band Heron Valley,” she adds, “who are a traditional folk band, so recording something for myself has been really different. Firstly, due to the obvious genre differences but also because I’ve always had the support of five other people to make key choices, so it’s been a big change making decisions by myself on how I want the music to sound.

“I have really enjoyed the process and the musical independence recording the single has given me.”

More at www.facebook.com/AbigailPrydeMusician.