AWARD-WINNING Perth singer-songwriter Stella Reilly, a sixth-year student at Bridge of Earn’s Kilgraston School, is bringing out her debut CD next month, taking her another step closer towards musical stardom.
The tracks for the album were recorded in London’s British Grove Studio, Watercolour Music Studios in Ardgour and The Martin Taylor Studio in Kilgraston.
Stella, who is already National Young Songwriter of the Year, has high hopes for the yet-to-be-named album – which includes two versions of ‘It’s me, It’s You’ that gained rave reviews from the competition’s celebrity judges Midge Ure and Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason.
“I just hope the CD does well, that people like it and it helps me get more gigs and better known,” said Stella, a sixth-year day pupil from Perth.
The songs on the eagerly-anticipated new compilation are all self-penned apart from a cover of Nerina Pallot’s ‘Sophia’.
Along with a pared-down acoustic version, there’s also the original ‘It’s Me, It’s You’ track recorded at Mark Knopfler’s British Grove studios in London. Stella follows in the footsteps of top musicians such as Razorlight, Travis, Hayley Westenra, Ronan Keating and Bap Kennedy who have also recorded there.
Stella (17) explained how her musical career started.
“Mum and Dad aren’t musicians but I’ve always been around music,” she said.
“I started on the piano when I was three and picked up dad’s guitar when I was about fourteen. I taught myself the basics and it just grew from there.”
Her Mum is Lorna and Dad is Dr Barney Reilly, the well-known Perth GP. Her elder sister Anna left Kilgraston, UK Independent School of the Year, to study medicine last year while her two younger sisters Phoebe and Grace are also at the Bridge of Earn school.
To gain experience, Stella plays gigs wherever she can.
“I’ve played the Kinross Music Festival, Live in Troon, I’ve supported Siena, a well-known Perthshire band, The Dirty Demographic, one of Glasgow’s new up-and-coming bands and I’ve played at the Dundee Lights night.”
Her musical influences are varied, including David Bowie, Mumford and Sons and Laura Marling.
Next year she faces the daunting task of juggling her music along with University studies. She’s planning to go to Glasgow to read Psychology, and according to Stella there’s a very good reason for opting for that city.
“Glasgow’s great for music, so it makes sense to go there and combine the two,” she smiled.
Stella has been a pupil at Kilgraston for the last six years. Her Head of Music Andrew McGarva has encouraged and nurtured Stella’s burgeoning career.
He said: “Stella is a talented girl who always seems to find an original idea for her songs. She has a real gift for performing and I am sure this new CD will help her to find an even larger audience in the future.”
And Kilgraston Principal Mike Farmer added: “We are very proud of Stella’s achievements. She is both a talented musician and an outstanding academic. She has a very bright future and is one to watch.”
Stella’s CD is currently being mastered and will be available at the end of April. Priced £5, copies can be ordered by email at music@kilgraston.com
