Since winning NPR Music’s Tiny Desk Contest in 2016, Gaelynn Lea has captivated audiences around the world with her haunting original songs and traditional fiddle tunes. Over the years, she has collaborated with artists such as Michael Stipe, The Decemberists, and the industrial rock supergroup Pigface. In 2022, Gaelynn Lea composed the original score for Macbeth on Broadway, starring Daniel Craig and Ruth Negga. Thanks to a recent Whippoorwill Arts Fellowship, her “soundtrack” will be released on 2 May 2025; a Music from Macbeth UK album tour will follow soon after.
Gaelynn Lea is a sought-after public speaker about accessibility in the arts. She has been featured on PBS NewsHour, On Being with Krista Tippett, The Moth Radio Hour, The Science of Happiness Podcast, and via two TEDx Talks. In 2024, Gaelynn was awarded the Disability Futures Fellowship, which spotlights the work of disabled creatives; she was also included on The Curious 100 by the Eames Institute in 2025.
One of Gaelynn Lea’s biggest passions is promoting Disability Culture. To that end, she co-founded RAMPD [Recording Artists and Music Professionals with Disabilities] in early 2022. The mission of this disability-led organization is to amplify Disability Culture, promote equitable inclusion & advocate for accessibility in the music industry.
Most recently, Gaelynn Lea co-wrote, acted, and sang in a new musical fable for the stage called Invisible Fences with disabled storyteller Kevin Kling. Their fantastical, music-filled production touches on disability, identity, and the stories we tell ourselves. It has enjoyed three sold-out runs since it premiered in July 2023.
Gaelynn also helped to develop and now co-directs the Music Inclusion Ensemble with fellow disabled musicians Adrian Anantawan and Molly Joyce. Their mission is to create a more explicit culture around classical music and disability.
Currently, Gaelynn Lea is in the middle of editing her debut book about touring and disability advocacy that will be published by Algonquin Press in early 2026. It Wasn’t Meant to Be Perfect is a love-letter to every body; it is a warm, funny and deeply-felt memoir about disability, music, and the messy creativity of an artist’s life.
Artists on stage: 3.30pmCurfew: 7.00pm
Stage: The Copper Bar
Audience: Unreserved Seating plus Ltd Standing