ARIA-nominated singer-songwriter Emma Swift has taken to social media to open up about a recent experience she had at Newport Folk Festival. The folk artist’s scheduled slot was canned in favour of a performance by three male musicians who were already scheduled to take the main stage later that day.
Emma Swift was set to take Newport Festival’s Pop-up stage to perform a Bob Dylan cover set, in celebration of her masterful 2020 Dylan covers album, Blonde on the Tracks. Hours before she was scheduled to perform, her set was cancelled in favour of “three guys.”
“I had a gig today that was erased because three men who were already playing the same festival on a main stage arrived early wanted a bonus set,” Emma Swift wrote in a series of tweets. “Folk Music 2021.”
Swift did not name the band that took her scheduled slot, but some of Twitterverse is pointing to American indie-folk trio Middle Brother.
“The worst thing about this is not that it happened,” Swift continued. “It’s that the managers, bookers, organisers and musicians who orchestrated it, thought I would not talk about it. What these people assume is that women will swallow their oppression. Like, fuck no.
“If I’m not required, please save me the flight and hotel fee.”
The worst thing about this is not that it happened. It’s that the managers, bookers, organisers and musicians who orchestrated it, thought I would not talk about it. What these people assume is that women will swallow their oppression. Like, fuck no.
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— e m m a s w i f t (@emmaswiftsings) July 26, 2021
I absolutely get that I am pointless and unnecessary and have nothing to contribute to the American folk tradition, I won’t fight that. My fave singers are Marianne Faithfull and Sandy Denny. But if I’m not required, please save me the flight and hotel fee.
— e m m a s w i f t (@emmaswiftsings) July 26, 2021
One Twitter user pointed out that Swift “was originally scheduled for a half-hour slot on the busking stage and she will now be playing a main stage for twenty-five minutes. slightly less time, but on a bigger stage w/larger audience.”
To which Swift explained that because of these changes, she has lost a weekend slot and now has to change an international flight and “stay an extra night for no extra pay.”
Tone Deaf has reached out to Emma Swift’s team and Newport Folk Festival for comment.
It all sucks so tremendously. Whilst you’re here, we recommend listening to Swift’s truly gorgeous Dylan cover album, her take on the 1965 track ‘Queen Jane Approximately’ is quite simply, transcendental.
