Interview by Uchechi Adeboye
Blair Davie grew up in the quiet town of Perthshire, one I know all too well, but always felt there was something bigger waiting beyond its small-town streets. Now based in London, the singer-songwriter has built a name for themselves with music that is vulnerable and honesty. From discovering their identity to writing songs that have helped fans come out to their parents, Blair’s journey has been one of self-discovery, connection, and creating art that speaks straight from the heart.
When speaking about their upbringing in Perthshire, they described with fondness but also limitations. “My parents moved there a year or two before I was born, so I’d only ever lived in Perth, for better or worse,” they laugh. “It’s got a small pace to it, which is nice until you realize you want the quick pace. I didn’t really feel that until I was maybe 19 or 20. Now I could see myself retiring in Perth, it’s a lovely place to settle down, but back then, I wanted something more.”
That “something more” led them to London, a move that transformed both their music and sense of self. “London gave me the ability to feel like I could be whoever I am, without fear of judgment,” Blair says. “After school, I realized I’m non-binary and bisexual – things I always knew deep down, but there was no representation in Perth. In London, I could be anonymous. No one’s looking at you. It also helped me find my tribe of people to make music with. It took two years of speed-dating writing sessions with different people every day, but now I’ve found my team, about ten people I go to on different days. They became my best friends.”
With that community came new confidence in songwriting. Blair explains, “There was a time when queerness was at the forefront of my music. It was important – I needed to learn the lesson of being vulnerable. Those songs are still out there, and people still tell me they helped them come out to their parents or figure out who they were. That’s why you make music, to connect in beautiful ways.
“But now, I feel so comfortable in who I am that I don’t need to scream about it. I’m enjoying writing big, joyous love songs. Because me and my partner are who we are, they’re inherently queer songs – but love is the focus, queerness is the subtext.”
When asked to describe their music right now in three words, Blair doesn’t hesitate: “Joy, love, and warmth.”
Some of that joy comes from career milestones, like playing at Glasgow’s iconic Barrowlands. “It was my dream venue. I got to support my favorite band, Fatherson, there. The night before, their singer Ross called and said he’d broken his shoulder and asked me to play piano for one of their songs. At soundcheck, he asked if I’d sing the verses too. So I didn’t just support them, I played with them. I don’t know if it gets better than that.”
But Blair’s biggest focus right now? Touring. “I’ve never even done a headline show in Glasgow before,” they admit. “We might sell five tickets, but I’m going to do everything to put on the most amazing show I can. And after that, I’m so excited for New York – because it’s New York. But Glasgow comes first.”
Home remains close, even on the road. “I’m very not materialistic, I lose everything,” Blair laughs. “I lost my phone at Dublin airport yesterday and only got it back by some miracle. But I have a tattoo for my mum, a blue butterfly for Scotland and for her. That stays with me.”
When asked to describe their upcoming tour in three words, they said it will be “heart on sleeve.” So bring your tissues.”
Beyond touring, Blair has a new EP dropping in October and is already writing for the next one. They hint at another project too: “There’s a video game that may be taking one of my songs. That’s all I can say for now.”
Songwriting, for Blair, is also a form of release. “I need to write and release songs to have the full-circle healing,” they explain. “The scariest one was about being sexually assaulted. It was hard to write, but by the time you finish the song, make the video, put it out – that’s when you feel like you’ve grown from it. If I didn’t have songwriting, I don’t know how I’d speak about anything. Even with the love of my life for three years, everything builds up until I explode – unless I write a song.”
As for how they’d sum up their music in color? “Teal,” Blair says instantly, glancing at their nails. “It’s my favorite color. Gentle, with a bit of warmth. A mixture of things, like my music. It’s not just folk, or pop, or singer-songwriter. It’s fluid, like water.”
Before we wrap, Blair gives two song recommendations: their own track Crashing the Car“ a nice blend of happy-sad, a little drama queen but wholesome” and Trusty and True by Damien Rice. “It’s seven minutes long,” they warn, “but worth every second.”
With an EP on the way, a first Glasgow headline show, and the US waiting, Blair Davie’s next chapter promises joy, love, and warmth in abundance.
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