“Quietly, inexorably, The Breath have become one of the … most exciting folk acts" The Financial Times ★★★★★ 

The Breath is Manchester-based guitarist Stuart McCallum and singer/flautist Ríoghnach Connolly. They met on the city’s gig circuit in the late noughties. An unlikely pairing though it was, he an acclaimed guitar whiz, ex long-time member of The Cinematic Orchestra and a softly spoken Manchester urbanite, she a folk singer with a larger-than-life personality and a powerful voice to match. Their connection was immediate; they formed The Breath in 2016, a singer-songwriter duo to present their contemporary take on alt-folk. 

Signed to Peter Gabriel’s Real World label, the duo has released three albums. Their breakthrough, ‘Carry Your Kin’ (2016), explored a blend of rock, ambient, and Irish folk, showcasing layered vocals and intricate guitar work. This was followed by ‘Let the Cards Fall’ (2018), which featured a full band and highlighted themes of Celtic history and cultural loss through a mix of ballads and anthems. Stuart and Ríoghnach supported this album with stripped-down performances that emphasized their artistic connection. In 2019, they recorded ‘Only Stories (Let the Cards Fall Revisited),’ reinterpreting previous material along with new songs, which garnered Ríoghnach Connolly a Folk Award nomination and a win for BBC R2 Folk Singer of the Year. During the pandemic, they honored American folk icon Karen Dalton with a two-track single in 2021. As of Autumn 2023, they are set to release their new album, ‘Land Of My Other,’ featuring ten original tracks characterized by acoustic beauty and emotional storytelling.