Deborah Rose brings Atlas home to Ludlow and Birmingham

Fresh from a solo tour in Belgium, Rose brings a distinctive blend of folk, songwriting and atmospheric vocals to Ludlow – a particularly appropriate setting for an artist whose work draws heavily on landscape, poetry and place.

Atlas takes inspiration from everything from Pre-Raphaelite art and the Psalms to Rose’s travels through North Africa and America, alongside the landscapes of her native Shropshire. The new songs also look closer to home, with Living Waters and Bright Field inspired by the River Teme, local poet A.E. Housman and walks through the surrounding countryside.

For these dates, Rose is joined by two highly regarded musicians: cellist Gabriella Swallow, currently performing in the West End production of Jesus Christ Superstar, and guitarist Chaz Thorogood, who has recently performed with Robbie Williams at the London Palladium.

Rose’s career has taken her well beyond the borders of Shropshire. She has performed alongside artists including Judy Collins, Jimmy Webb and Ralph McTell, while her work has also seen her lead songwriting workshops in prisons and work extensively with people living with dementia.

There is an added reason to celebrate in Ludlow: the same evening sees the Shropshire Music Awards, where Rose is nominated for Best Music Video for Atlas. Filmed in Morocco’s Atlas Mountains, the video brings together the landscape that inspired the song with Rose’s music and a collaboration with Moroccan filmmaker Mohammed Ali Essaghraoui.

With new material, a new live line-up and a hometown audience, the Ludlow show looks set to be a particularly intimate return for an artist whose music has always been rooted in a strong sense of place.