Polly Paulusma

Polly Paulusma, a British singer-songwriter whose music draws from traditional and contemporary folk traditions, first appeared on the scene in 2004 through her debut release Scissors in My Pocket, an album that drew strong critical praise. She aligned with peers Kathryn Williams, Karine Polwart, and Kate Walsh to form part of the emerging leadership in English folk music. Later projects such as Fingers & Thumbs (2007), Leaves from the Family Tree (2012), and The Pivot on Which the World Turns (2022) reinforced her standing, as did her launch of the independent label Wild Sound.

Childhood piano lessons marked the start of her musical path. At age ten she adapted a Paul McCartney melody with lyrics of her own, producing an initial songwriting attempt that led to many more. Influenced by the early-'90s music environment and figures such as Joni Mitchell and Nick Drake, she acquired guitar skills and played informally for school friends. Songwriting paused during college but resumed after graduation, initially as a hobby; she pursued other paths, among them a researcher role at the BBC World Service and placement of a novel manuscript with a literary agent, yet found none matched the satisfaction of music.

Two years of solo acoustic performances preceded her signing with One Little Indian and the 2004 release of Scissors in My Pocket. The album received widespread acclaim, leading to shared bills with Bob Dylan, Jamie Cullum, Coldplay, the Divine Comedy, Marianne Faithfull, Joseph Arthur, and Gary Jules, plus appearances at Glastonbury, T in the Park, V Festival, and Cambridge Folk Festival. A follow-up disc, Cosmic Rosy Spine Kites, containing live and acoustic renditions from the original set, arrived in 2005. Ken Nelson (Coldplay, Gomez, Badly Drawn Boy) helmed production on the darker, electric-oriented Fingers & Thumbs in 2007, which later generated the companion release Fights & Numbers (2008).

Seeking greater independence, Paulusma established Wild Sound in 2011 and delivered her third album, Leaves from the Family Tree, in 2012; the record included work with Erin McKeown, violinist Anna Phoebe, and composer Michael Price (Sherlock). The Small Feat of My Reverie followed later that year, along with her original score for the Canadian indie film Clear Lake.

Wild Sound also served as home to releases by folk artists Maz O'Connor, Dan Wilde, Mortal Tides, Harry Harris, Stylusboy, and Matthew the Oxx; in 2017 the label became a folk imprint under One Little Independent. That same year Paulusma issued Invisible Music: Folk Songs That Influenced Angela Carter, a set of traditional folk songs and spoken-word readings drawn from her Ph.D. research on the English novelist, short story writer, poet, and journalist. The 2022 album The Pivot on Which the World Turns presented an immersive collection featuring songwriting input from Kathryn Williams, David Ford, and novelist Laura Barnett, and it generated the sister album When Violent Hot Pitch Words Hurt in 2023.