Bella Gaffney

Bella Gaffney

Bella Gaffney is a folk and acoustic singer from Bradford. She writes folk-influenced songs and also performs her own arrangements of traditional material.

Career and repertoire

She begins her acoustic music career at the Topic Folk Club, where the first song she performs is John Martyn’s “May You Never”. Her songwriting is shaped by lyrical writers and narrative-led artists, including Richard Thompson, Jez Lowe, Billy Bragg, Jack Savoretti, Roger Davies and Michelle Shocked.

Performances and activity

Gaffney performs at folk festivals and venues in Yorkshire and beyond, including Otley Folk Festival, Hull Folk Festival, Dent Music Festival, Filey Folk Festival, Southwell Folk Festival, Cleckheaton Folk Festival, Holmfirth Festival of Folk, Luddenden Festival, Saltaire Festival, Howarth Music and Arts Festival, Raise Your Banners in Bradford, Norman Rae Gala, Hannah Fest and Shipley Music Festival. She also supports Altan at Saltaire Live and Mark Radcliffe & the Foes at Otley Courthouse.

She has regular bookings at clubs, festivals and private functions in Yorkshire, and she also performs in Nottingham while studying there.

University work and recordings

At the University of Nottingham, she serves as President of the Folk Society and later as Treasurer. Her song “Centenary Square” is used for Positive Bradford Day, and “Too Old” is featured on BBC Radio Leeds’ Best of Bradford programme. Both songs appear on her Homegrown CD. She also releases The Clock that Didn’t Stop.