Biography
Born in Inverness, Scotland, in 1984, the Gaelic traditional singer Jenna Cumming earned early praise for the pure, sweet quality of her voice. As the daughter of celebrated Gaelic vocalist Chrissie MacVicar, she had already become a recognized figure on the traditional circuit well before entering a studio. Her mother’s encouragement began in childhood, and by her teens Cumming had claimed three gold medals at the Royal National Mòd, Scotland’s premier showcase for Gaelic music and culture.
Following secondary school she joined the Macmeanmna label—also home to Julie Fowlis’ ensemble Dòchas—and issued her first recording, Kintulavig, in 2005. The album took its title from the small Harris village of her mother’s birth and contained two original pieces co-written with Chrissie MacVicar alongside largely unaccompanied traditional material, some performed a cappella in the style of her competition appearances. Reviewers immediately highlighted the clarity of her singing and the understated elegance of the arrangements; the following year she received the Up-And-Coming Artist of the Year honor at the Scots Traditional Music Awards.
Although she had long treated music as a pastime and had begun training as a Gaelic teacher, the award and enthusiastic reception prompted a shift toward a professional path. Cumming changed course to study Scottish Studies at Glasgow University, completing the degree in 2007 before taking a position with Fèisean nan Gàidheal, the body that supports community Gaelic-arts tuition festivals across Scotland. An intensely private person who rarely spoke to the press, she remained committed to her daytime role and issued no further albums, yet she sustained an active performing presence with multiple appearances at the Celtic Connections festival and on various televised music programs.
Following secondary school she joined the Macmeanmna label—also home to Julie Fowlis’ ensemble Dòchas—and issued her first recording, Kintulavig, in 2005. The album took its title from the small Harris village of her mother’s birth and contained two original pieces co-written with Chrissie MacVicar alongside largely unaccompanied traditional material, some performed a cappella in the style of her competition appearances. Reviewers immediately highlighted the clarity of her singing and the understated elegance of the arrangements; the following year she received the Up-And-Coming Artist of the Year honor at the Scots Traditional Music Awards.
Although she had long treated music as a pastime and had begun training as a Gaelic teacher, the award and enthusiastic reception prompted a shift toward a professional path. Cumming changed course to study Scottish Studies at Glasgow University, completing the degree in 2007 before taking a position with Fèisean nan Gàidheal, the body that supports community Gaelic-arts tuition festivals across Scotland. An intensely private person who rarely spoke to the press, she remained committed to her daytime role and issued no further albums, yet she sustained an active performing presence with multiple appearances at the Celtic Connections festival and on various televised music programs.