Azalea - coming 11 July

I’m delighted to announce my new single, Azalea, a contemporary folk ballad that explores memory, nature, and the enduring presence of those we’ve loved and lost. The single from my upcoming album FortyFive marks the second in a year-long campaign to celebrate the art of the 45rpm single in my 45th birthday year.

Produced by acclaimed folk artist Kris Drever (Lau), who also contributes guitar and backing vocals, Azalea is a gently powerful piece rooted in the rich storytelling tradition of contemporary folk music. The track also features evocative performances by John McDonald on double bass and Cameron Henderson on fiddle, and surprisingly – bowed saw - adding warmth and emotional texture to the song’s delicate arrangement.

Lyrically spare and profoundly evocative, Azalea centres around a vivid portrait of a beloved figure in a garden—muddy boots, honey-scented air, and the quiet rituals of planting and remembering. The song’s soft repetition and imagery of blooming white flowers in May form a moving tribute to memory and eternal love.

Azalea is about remembrance, and also about the cyclical comfort of nature. It’s about the people and places that shape us, and how certain moments—like the blooming of a flower—can bring them back to us in ways words alone can’t.

Azalea is available on all major streaming platforms from 11 July. It marks the second chapter for Wave Of The Flood, with thoughtful, emotion-infused songwriting continues to resonate with audiences in the UK and beyond. My June release, All Ends Will Come, received acclaim and radio play including being championed by BBC Radio Scotland.

I can also be heard live, supporting Eddi Reader at Fringe By The Sea in North Berwick on 3 August.

Special thanks to Creative Scotland for funding this project.

Pre-save Azalea here: https://listen.scot/wotfa