London’s folk scene is experiencing a vibrant revival – fuelled by fresh talent, dedicated grassroots venues, and a new wave of artists blending tradition with bold, contemporary ideas.
On a relaxed Monday evening in Camden Town, warm light spills from the doors of Green Note as people arrive, exchanging greetings and conversation at the entrance.
Widely regarded as one of London’s leading hubs for folk and roots music, Green Note pairs its intimate, independent charm with a rich line-up of local and international acts – including its dedicated ‘Folk Rising’ night that spotlights the city’s most exciting up-and-coming musical talent.
The basement fills with people, old and young, gathered closely around the stage. What stands out is the venue’s informality; the audience sits level with the performers, making the night feel more like an intimate gathering than a conventional gig.
Before and after the sets, musicians and audience members mingle easily, united by a shared love for live folk music. Downstairs, the noise of the city fades, leaving space to be present and simply listen to great music.
Folk Rising is a monthly music night hosted and curated by singer-songwriter Ormella, who carefully handpicks each act.
This evening’s performers included Ormella alongside guest artists Mary Eckert and James Józef, stylistically diverse yet united by folky undertones and equally compelling sets. “I wanted to put on a night where artists were paid fairly, and where we could build more of a community,” Ormella says.
Ormella is a folk artist from East London whose name already carries weight in the city’s folk music scene, despite still being in the early stages of her career.
Her understated vocals and narrative-driven songwriting draw on gothic and otherworldly themes, placing storytelling at the heart of her work.
Folk music is rooted in community. The term ‘folk’ comes from the German word ‘volk’, meaning ‘the people’, and the genre has long been understood as music that belongs to them.
Traditionally shared at gatherings with friends and family, folk songs carry stories, emotions, and sentiment from one voice to another. There is something spiritually uplifting about music that exists to bring people together.
Artists with traditional folk roots, such as Joni Mitchell and Bob Dylan, later proved that folk music could evolve – mixing genres and experimenting in ways that redefined what the genre could be.
Today, bands like Big Thief and caroline are at the forefront of a folk revival, crafting distinct, innovative sounds while still honouring the tradition and rich history of the genre.
The London-based alternative folk duo, lilo, blend indie rock and pop with modern folk influences. Made up of childhood friends Helen Dixon and Christie Gardner, the duo’s sound is rooted in a lifelong bond that has grown from a shared dream to a musical partnership years in the making.
“lilo came about because Christie and I met at school when we were about twelve,” Helen says. “We’ve been making music together almost ever since, which is crazy to think about now that we’re both nearly 29. It’s been a long time.”
The duo channel bands and musicians such as Brown Horse, The New Eves, Katie J Pearson, and Clara Mann – artists who epitomise the folk music revival by forging distinct, innovative sounds while still honouring traditional folk music and its roots.
“I do think we’re experiencing a folk music revival, but I will also say that I think it has been there the whole time. I’ve known people on the grassroots indie circuit who have been making folk music very much all along. But I do think it’s become much cooler – I think it’s quite trendy now, which I’m fundamentally glad about.”
The duo also draw inspiration from the classics – Simon and Garfunkel, Emmylou Harris and Joni Mitchell. “Folk music is integral to us,” says Helen. “It’s where we started; it’s the music we’ve grown up listening to.”
Around 2010, when the duo was still in school and making music informally, Helen recalls what she describes as a “really brilliant” British indie folk scene that existed at the time – a scene that she and Christie found exciting and wanted to be a part of.
“It was people like Laura Marling – she was a big one – Nick Mulvey, Ben Howard, Keaton Henson – all of them at the absolute height of their careers, and we were obsessed with them as teenagers.”
Helen and Christie’s official introduction to folk music was in their early teens, when a friend’s mum would take them on a yearly trip to the ‘End of the Road Festival’ in Dorset.
While not strictly a folk festival, many of the artists who perform there have deep roots in the genre. Both still attend today, and for Helen, those early trips played a formative role in shaping her understanding of folk music.
“For me, folk is the best vessel there is for channelling raw human emotion,” Helen explains. “That’s why we will always make music that revolves around the genre, even if it’s not trad (traditional) folk.”
London is home to grassroots venues that pulse at the heart of the music capital. Legendary spots like The George Tavern, The Ivy House, and MOTH Club are the foundations of the city’s folk community, nurturing the bands defining this generation.
“The thing about London is that the live music scene is world-class,” says Helen. “I honestly don’t think there’s anywhere else I would rather be making music. We’re so lucky to have the grassroot venues that we do, and long live those venues, because they’re literally all under threat of closure constantly.”
“I think one of my favourite gigs I’ve ever played was when lilo headlined The George Tavern, and it sold out; it was so fun,” Helen recalls. “We played very quiet music, but there was a real silly energy to this gig. We had Robbie Williams ‘Angels’ as our walk-off music, and everyone was singing it. I remember thinking, ‘This is it. I don’t need to play anything bigger than The George Tavern if this is what it’s like.’”
Up-and-coming indie artist and enthusiast Dani is hoping to break into London’s folk music scene. At present, her project is a collaboration with her friend Ben.
Although the indie-folk duo has only recently started making music together, both bring prior experience from Camden’s huge open mic circuit, including performances at iconic venues such as The Fiddler’s Elbow.
“Live performance is what really matters; that’s the crux of folk music,” says Dani. “It’s performance-based and community-based, so seeing it live is a completely different experience.”
“The thing about London is that the live music scene is world-class. I honestly don’t think there’s anywhere else I would rather be making music.”
Helen Dixon
Dani’s introduction to folk music came through friends recommending artists who were in that world. “It felt quite organic, like I found it naturally. It feels almost like it found me.”
Among her biggest inspirations are artists Jessica Pratt and Adrianne Lenker, the lead singer of American indie folk band Big Thief: “She’s one of the best, and probably one of the more mainstream folk artists,” Dani notes.
She’s also into more experimental sounds, particularly KatieJane Garside’s Lullabies in a Glass Wilderness, an album that blends folk with strange, alternative layers, creating something almost spooky. The band caroline is another great example of this interesting, kind of weird, witchy strain of folk music.
“Live performance is what really matters; that’s the crux of folk music.”
Dani
Living in an increasingly digital age, where technology is beginning to disrupt the conventional view of the arts, changes that have sparked a renewed craving for authenticity.
During the summer of 2025, The Velvet Sundown climbed the charts, racking up over one million monthly Spotify listeners. Initially presented as a 1970s-inspired folk-psychedelic rock band, the project released two albums before admitting that both the music and the band itself were AI-generated, with entirely fictional members.
Today, there is a growing desire for experiences that feel tangible and emotionally resonant: choosing physical media, swapping an iPhone camera for a digital one, or buying records instead of streaming music.
It’s a search for something innately human over the artificial, echoing the origins of folk music as a form created by and for “the people”.
“What I think makes folk appeal to young people is that it’s a complete juxtaposition to the whole digitalisation of our reality that is being forced on our generation. It’s an unmistakable human form of art that can carry centuries of history,” says folk music fan Liya, aged 22.
“For me, folk is the best vessel there is for channelling raw human emotion.”
Helen Dixon
“I think that there’s something very raw, real and human about folk music, particularly trad folk,” Helen observes. “In my opinion, that is what’s driving this trend at the moment, because everything in the world feels very artificial. Obviously, AI is making music now, which is messed up, and everything feels processed, curated and just a bit artificial.”
“I think the thing about folk music is that it comes from a place that feels very raw, and I think that’s really beautiful,” Helen notes. “People are finding it important to hold onto those human connections in this day and age.”
Nostalgia is everywhere right now, from social media throwback trends to the way people are re-engaging with music. In that climate, Helen says that folk’s resurgence is partially to do with people looking to fill an empty void. “I think that folk feels cosy, safe and rooted in the past; I really think that’s what people are after at the moment.”
Nostalgia may have lit the fuse for folk music’s revival, but it’s clear that the movement now extends far beyond just longing for the past.
“The more I’ve been going to open mics, the more I feel that folk is opening up to a new audience, especially with hybrid genres,” says Dani. “It’s not just traditional folk anymore. For a while, it felt like everyone was just regurgitating the same ideas. Now it feels like new genres are coming out and blending.”
While traditional folk continues to leave a mark, artists are reshaping it through genre-blending and experimentation, injecting the form with something new. The result is a revival rooted not only in nostalgia, but in reinvention.
Featured image courtesy of Katie Silvester.