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And Iona’s talents are recognised well beyond Mid Argyll. The Advertiser spoke to her on Friday November 1, just as she was preparing to head to Glasgow for After You’s gig at the Garage Attic.

“We are playing the Garage Attic tonight and are very excited really looking forward to it,” she said. “It’s been a while since I have performed there, however it is the first time performing there with After You.” 

Iona explained that the Glasgow concert was arranged through the band’s connections with West Kintyre Promotions.

She said: “West Kintyre Promotions have been gaining connections for years in music, one of them being Reaction Management, who I have worked with several times in the past supporting their artists for gigs and it was through them that we were able to gain a slot at the Garage Attic.

"We are now so glad to announce that due to ticket sales we are now the main support slot for tonight, performing directly before Absenthe Green.”

Although very proud of her Argyll roots, Iona explained that there are obstacles here to pursuing her lifelong passion for music.

“Music has always been in my life, my Papa was in a band called Gill Todd and the Tiki’s who were on Opportunity Knocks way back,” she said.

“I was always the annoying kid who sang Christmas songs in July and could sing every word to Annie by the age of five or six; probably off key and terribly, but I tried.

“But there can be a lot of challenges pursuing music in Argyll. Particularly if you are not a trad artist; you can feel isolated at times if you don’t play a fiddle or sing in Gaelic. That’s why I decided to move to the Central Belt where I could learn about the music I wanted to pursue, then come back and do gigs, whenever these amazing organisers would have me.”

Iona is determined to follow her songwriting goals and use those talents to inspire others. 

She explained: “What I want to achieve in the future is to make music that people can feel and understand and connect with on a deeper level. As I’m a singer/songwriter it is my passion to move people and make them feel something in my lyrics.”