Not every rising artist’s breakthrough can be traced back to a single viral moment – and for Scottish singer/songwriter RED, the journey has been far more deliberate. While platforms like TikTok have helped amplify her reach and connect her with a growing audience, her ascent has been driven by something deeper: a commitment to craft, consistency, and an unmistakable voice that cuts through the noise.
Years of live performance have shaped that voice into something instinctive – honed in real time, in rooms where emotion isn’t optional and connection can’t be faked. It’s in those settings, often at weddings and intimate gatherings, that RED learned how to read a room, hold a moment, and deliver a song in a way that feels personal rather than performed. That foundation now underpins everything she does, from the viral clips that first introduced her to a wider audience to the original music she’s beginning to share – marking a shift from interpreter to storyteller in her own right
RED – NEVER (OFFICIAL LYRIC VIDEO)
Now, as she steps into her next chapter, RED is taking that foundation on the road – heading out on her first ever solo headline tour across the UK this month. It’s a defining moment for an artist who’s built things on her own terms, and one that brings her closer than ever to the audience that’s grown with her.
We caught up with her ahead of the tour to talk about what fans can expect from the live shows, the realities of financing a tour as an independent artist, her creative process, and the sense of freedom she’s found in carving out a path entirely her own.
Hey RED! As it’s May, so we can now officially say: you are going on tour this month!
That is so crazy! I honestly cannot believe all of this is happening! I’m nervous, excited, apprehensive, thrilled, overjoyed… I just can’t wait to get on stage and perform for everyone. I feel like this moment has been a long time coming.
‘An Evening with Red’ will see you visit Glasgow, Manchester and London, and then Cardiff later in the year, what can audiences attending expect from your show?
I want this show to be a fully immersive experience, and for people to feel like they’re escaping all of their troubles and cares… if only for one night. Music will be at the heart of the whole show, because for me, music is like a universal language that everyone understands – it connects us, so I’ll be performing all of the big ballads that everyone’s seen me sing online, as well as some of my original material. My hope is that anyone attending heads home feeling like they’ve experienced a little bit of magic. I’ve been dreaming about doing this for years now, so I’m ready to give it my all!
Was there a moment, or a conversation where you realised you were ready to take that leap and make this dream a reality?
I would say the reason this tour is happening now, is because of the choices I made in 2024. So going into 2024, I decided to take a bit of a step back from everything work related because of everything I had going on in my personal life. I was turning 30, I was getting married, and I wanted to enjoy everything that was happening whole heartedly without distraction. I was still constantly posting content, and touring and doing my weddings and performing at private functions of course, but I scaled things back a lot because I really wanted to be completely present for those personal moments – to fully take them in, cherish them, and make sure that when I look back, I know I experienced them wholeheartedly rather than feeling like I missed something. And I feel like I did. Getting back into full on work mode after the wedding, I felt like I was ready to put on my first headline show, which I did in 2025, and it was a great success! A tour felt like the next logical step.
As an independent artist, what have been the biggest challenges in putting this tour together, given the scale of the undertaking?
Putting together a tour is a mammoth undertaking for anybody! But doing it as an independent artist… it’s a lot (laughs). I wish I was made of money, but – and I have no qualms in saying this – I’m not! I’m totally self funded, I’m a one man band, and I’m investing all of my own money into this tour and praying that it’s a success. For the longest time I’ve had this huge vision for the kind of tour I want to put on, which is not to dissimilar to the many shows I’ve had the privilege of watching over the years – where you see an artist front and centre, backed up by a five piece band, a brass section, backing vocalists, the works! I wanted to go big, but the reality is, I don’t have the budget to do all of that. I’ve worked hard for a number of years now, performing whenever and wherever I can – obviously I do my weddings, and I’ve been very lucky to have booked some pretty major tours… I’ve paid my dues basically (laughs), so I’m thinking the time has come where my savings have to come out, and I have to invest in myself! Is it a risk? Maybe. But I see it the same way any entrepreneur does – you make decisions, take calculated risks, earn what you can, and reinvest it back into yourself, trusting it’ll pay off in the long run. I’ve reached a point in my career where I want to really focus on building the RED live brand, so that people can experience first hand what I’m all about as an artist.
I don’t think the average concert goer realises just how expensive it is to host a live event…
Myself included (laughs). I’ll be very open and transparent, and say that I had no idea how expensive all of this was going to be! You’ve got venue costs to cover, insurance, lighting, sound and security to pay for. You need to hire a tour promoter, you need to pay your band and cover their travel and accommodation fees… the list is seriously endless. I know I’m not going to make a single penny from this tour, and I’ve made my peace with that. I’m doing it for the love of singing and performing live, and hoping that it (the tour) will act as a launch pad for the next phase of my career.
RED – DEFYING GRAVITY (LIVE)
What parts of the tour (creative direction, setlist, visuals) are most important for you to control personally?
I like to be across all of those things… and more (laughs). I wouldn’t say I’m a control freak, but I definitely like to be the one making the decisions! Has that always been the case? Yes and no. I think for a really long time, my creativity and the vision for the kind of artist I wanted to be was stifled by some, not all, of the people I was working with. I was often told that my voice was too big to be played on the radio, and that my singing style wasn’t mainstream enough for me to be successful on the charts, so I was… encouraged shall we say, to suppress my vocals, and go down a specific route musically, in order to have “hits”. I didn’t respond well to that way of working, I actually found it really hard, so when I found myself in the position to have more control, I made a promise to myself that I would hold onto it no matter what.
How do you approach transforming a cover into something that truly feels like your own in a live setting? What choices do you make – whether vocally, emotionally, or in the arrangement – to bring your identity into a song people might already know?
First and foremost, I think it’s important to always show respect to the artist, and the original version of the song that they made a hit! But truthfully, it can be hard to know what to do sometimes. You don’t want to stray so far that you lose the very magic that made the song resonate in the first place. But at the same time, you don’t want to get on stage and simply deliver a note-for-note replica of what people can already hear at home. Sometimes it’s just a case of going with my heart and the emotion in the moment, and hoping that whatever notes and vocal choices I chose on the night resonate with people and they feel some sort of connection to what I’m doing.
What’s your process for shaping live versions of your original songs?
Myself and the band are working on putting together some incredible new arrangements for tracks like ‘Never’ and ‘Finally’ so that they can really have their moment on this tour. Those two songs in-particular are quite sentimental, so we’ll definitely be leaning into the emotion that they convey. I’m so excited to hear my songs played live – especially my new single ‘Slow Motion’ that I co-wrote with the amazing Tim Gallagher.
What kind of vibe are you hoping to create on the night, and how do you want people to feel from the moment the show starts to the final song?
In a time where everyone likes to have their phone out, and to record a lot of what they’re watching on stage, I’m hoping we can create an atmosphere where people feel more present and in the moment, so that they’re not really thinking about what kind of content they can get… which I suppose is rich coming from me, who’s job it is to capture the majority of my work on camera so that I can post it on social media (laughs).
RED – SLOW MOTION (OFFICIAL LYRIC VIDEO)
People have really come to recognise the power of your voice and your ability to reinterpret other artists’ songs, but I’d love to turn the focus to your original material. You’ve shown such range in your style and sound – how would you define your artistry in 2026?
Artistically I feel like I’m in a really good place. Like I said before, in the past I’ve worked with different managers, and teams of people who have tried to limit my creativity, by putting me in a box and having me believe I can only be one thing – i.e. a girl in a gown, who sings big ballads. And for some people, that’s fine, but I’ve always wanted more for myself. Now I’m completely independent, and I have no-one really holding me back, or blocking my ideas, I feel liberated… and because of that, I don’t really like to define who I am or what I’m doing as an artist, I’m just me.
When you’re writing, do your songs usually begin with a specific real-life moment, or does it start more abstractly with a feeling or lyric?
For the most part I’d say I like to write from reality… which probably explains why I’ve written so many love songs over the last couple of years, because I’m very, very happy and in love with my husband – to the point where people are probably like: “enough already, we get it you’re happy, sing about something else PLEASE!” (Laughs). But in terms of how I like to write – I don’t think there’s one set formula I follow. I’m a vibe kind of girl, and as long as my energy matches with the songwriter I’m collaborating with, then I’m good to go! It doesn’t matter who else they’ve worked with, or what writing credits they have with other artists, it’s all about the magic we can create together.
In terms of themes, do you ever consciously shape a song with your fans in mind, or is it more important for you to stay instinctive and let the song unfold naturally?
That’s a really interesting question. Do you know what? As so many of my performances at weddings have garnered quite a lot of attraction and attention, I do sometimes feel like I want to write a series of original songs that could be played as someone walks down the aisle or during a couples first dance, I think that could be quite cute! But for the most part, I just like get into the room and see what happens naturally.
You’ve spent years performing live – has witnessing people’s real-time reactions to certain songs or lyrics sharpened your instinct for what truly resonates with an audience?
Yeah, I think so. And when you’re booked to perform at something like a wedding, or corporate gig, that’s a really important skill to have. But in my world of being an artist in my own right, I feel it’s important to always try to do what feels right and authentic to me. Don’t get me wrong, seeing an audience respond positively to what I’m doing is an amazing feeling and it brings me so much joy, but I can’t live my life always trying to please others. Luckily though, the kind of music my followers connect with is the same style I genuinely love creating, so that’s a win (laughs).
What role has social media played in building your career and connecting with your audience?
Oh I have no problem in saying that I would be nothing without social media! Whilst I understand how damaging it can be, I’m also the biggest advocate for it because look at how – when used in the right way – it can change peoples lives! I could never, and will never, dismiss the role social media has played in helping me to get to where I am today. Now, I hate to even mention this, but I feel like I need to in order to make my point effectively (laughs). When I was 16 I was on The X Factor. I did pretty well, and I made it all the way to judges houses but, sadly, that’s where the experience ended for me, and I don’t mind telling you, I was devastated! Having to go back to my hometown, and back to school, and tell everyone it hadn’t worked out was. just. awful! I was crushed. I felt like I’d gotten so close to my dream, and within the space of a few days, it was all over and I was back at square one, and completely unsure of what I was going to do next! I wanted to build on the momentum of the moment, but didn’t have a clue how. Fortunately though, this was all happening around the same time that artists like Esmée Denters and Shawn Mendes were breaking through and going viral on YouTube. So I decided to follow their lead, and I got to work recording and uploading videos of me singing a load of different covers. Then, luckily over a period of time, I was able to build a huge following on there, and that was the start of me doing what I’m doing now. Without having a platform like YouTube, I would have been completely lost. So this is what I mean when I say, when used in the right way, social media platforms can do so much good.
Given how much the music business has shifted since then, how do you see your place in the industry as you enter this new phase of your career?
Hmm… do you know what? It’s not something I really think about. I’m just happy doing what I’m doing, and staying in my own lane. I’m so cool with knowing that my music probably won’t ever make it onto the Official Charts here in the UK, and that I won’t be a No.1 selling recording artist – it would be nice if that happened don’t get me wrong, but I’m content with knowing that in 2026, there are other ways for artists to see how their music is connecting and making an impact. Comparing yourself to other artists, and second guessing why you’re perhaps not doing the same things as them can make you miserable, so I think it’s best to just focus on yourself, and work hard towards achieving your own goals and aspirations.
There’s power in walking the road less traveled, and defining your own version of success…
Absolutely! I’ve tried doing things other people’s way, and it never quite worked out, so I’m going to trust my instincts and do things on my own terms from here on out. I’m really happy with the music I’m making and the career I have now. Of course I would love to sell out The O2 Arena! Of course I would love to play a show at Wembley. But I’m okay if I don’t, because in my own little way I know what I’m doing is legitimate and authentic, and most importantly, it’s connecting with people. To me, that’s a sign of success.
What one piece of advice would you give to your younger self?
Don’t seek or chase validation. You’re enough little girl, you’re enough.
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