From the UK, Arthur Coates & Kerran Cotterell are a two-man trad tornado tearing through the folk world with fiddle, guitar, foot percussion, vocals, and groove to spare. Mixing Scottish and English roots with modern flair, they deliver foot-stomping tunes, rich harmonies, and cheek and charm. Whether in a village hall or a festival field, their shows radiate connection and joy. As broadcaster Mike Blackburn put it: “One of the very best live acts I’ve ever seen - and I’ve seen a lot!”
Winners of the Robinson Emerging Artist Showcase at the Goderich Celtic Roots Festival in 2025, they’re fast becoming one of the scene’s most talked-about acts. As Folkworld put it, their sound is “powerful and dark, fresh and fun.” Musically, they straddle tradition and invention, bridging the folk archive with a fearless modern edge. Some tracks glisten with clean lines and elegant harmonies - crystalline structures that shimmer in the light of contemporary trad.
Arthur, a fiddler raised in Aberdeenshire, builds rolling, riff-heavy tunes grounded in his family’s musical traditions and shaped further by studies with Jonny Hardie (Old Blind Dogs). Kerran, a melodic schemer from Cumbria, draws on pop and choral training to weave in crisp harmonies and satisfying twists. Since first meeting at Sidmouth Folk Week (England) in 2018, Arthur and Kerran have grown from pub jam sessions to becoming festival favourites across the UK.
