Stephanie Finegan

Stephanie Finegan

Stephanie Finegan is a folk singer-songwriter from Aberystwyth, known for acoustic, anthem-like songs and a live style built around voice and guitar. Raised on soul and Motown, she writes from an early age and says her first song is a rap written as a toddler. Her later work moves into folk, with a sound often placed alongside artists such as Ani DiFranco and Joanna Newsom.

Background and style

After spending six months in the north west performing and developing her style, Finegan returns to Aberystwyth with a sound and stage presence described as direct and self-possessed. Her performances are noted for their impact despite a small physical frame, with songs that can dominate the room and shape the mood of an audience. She presents herself with a self-deprecating humour and says the pressure of playing to unfamiliar crowds keeps her alert and working hard.

Writing and live work

Finegan writes and performs her own material and has a catalogue of several albums’ worth of songs. She appears on stage as a solo act rather than as part of a fixed band. Her music develops prolifically through live performance, and she has plans around festival appearances and performances outside the UK, including Holland and possibly Sweden.

The Living Room

Alongside her own songs, Finegan founds and leads The Living Room, a Wednesday-night community focused on live music and emerging talent. The project features performers from farther afield as well as local acts, including 9Bach and Anhrefn, both of whom have appeared on the John Peel show. The Living Room runs from January and forms part of her wider work as a promoter and organiser of live music.