Ruby Kelly achieved local success in her hometown in South Wales, with her debut EP ‘King of the World’ getting press coverage in The South Wales Argus and Radio Play on BBC Wales.
Once established on her own turf, she immediately set her sights on the North East of England – and it’s clear she approves: “I chose to move to the North East of England because I wanted to experience a new environment and meet new people. I had the fortunate opportunity to choose where I wanted to study and I just thought, ‘Why not’? Moving to the North East was one of the best decisions I ever made. I’ve really fallen in love with the place.”
When asked to compare the two, she muses: “To be completely honest, I think that both the Welsh and the North East music scenes are very similar; they both offer some of the most outstanding musicians and independent music venues and they really are two strong scenes. Similarly, I find that both scenes get a bit pushed aside and less recognition because of their locations, which is a shame because both places have got so much to offer.
Like most artists who move away from home, a sense of nostalgia hits home and Ruby’s new single ‘Hometown’ reflects her love for South Wales: “I moved up to the North East two years ago and in that time, I’ve found myself missing a whole load of things about my Hometown in Newport South Wales. I miss my family every single day; I’m getting used to not having them around as often, but I still miss their faces.”
Ruby has been playing all over the country at clubs and festivals to promote ‘Hometown’ – and she is loving it: “The highlight of this summer is the release of ‘Hometown’. It’s such a great feeling releasing music that you’ve put so much effort into, and seeing people enjoy it is an added bonus!”
Speaking about her plans for the rest of the year, she noted: “I plan on getting some more music out at the end of this year. Fingers crossed, if all goes well, it will be an EP, but if not, definitely another single! I’ve also got a lot of gigs going on in the North East this month, which is great.”
To find out more about Ruby and her new release and upcoming gigs, head to https://linktr.ee/rubykelly.music.
