Wilde Roses – eponymous debut album

Wilde Roses

Wilde Roses is a musical collaboration between singers, multi-instrumentalists, composers, dancers and performers Anna Tam and Emily Alice Ovenden.

Musically and visually inspired by the medieval and renaissance world, they draw their repertoire from illuminated manuscripts, courtly song books, Elizabethan broadside ballads and the folk tradition. Fascinated by the stories in these songs – medieval religious imagery so beautifully infused with nature; renaissance tales of piracy, jilted lovers and general folly alongside some of the most sincere and tender love songs to reach to the heart of life and human relationships – they are moved by a desire to explore and recreate the sound world of this historical repertoire and to share these exquisite songs with present day audiences.

Emily and Anna come from different musical backgrounds and met whilst they were both part of the Mediaeval Baebes, soon realising how much they inspire each other and enjoy working together.

Anna (musical director, singer, nyckelharpa, viola da gamba, hurdy gurdy player) enjoys an eclectic career both in the folk and classical genres. She trained as a classical singer and instrumentalist at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and has a special interest in early music, which has enabled her to record and tour worldwide with such groups as the Mediaeval Baebes and recently give the premiere on BBC1’s Britain’s Hidden Heritage of a previously undiscovered aria by Vivaldi. During her early studies, she performed at the Wigmore Hall and on BBC Radio 3 and has been touring internationally since she was 15. Her debut classical album With Love… was released in 2014 and her first album of folk songs is planned for 2018. Anna lives on her beautiful boat just outside London taking inspiration from the woods and river.

Emily (movement director, singer, recorders) grew up in a castle in Cornwall and trained at The Arts Educational Schools where she received a scholarship from Andrew Lloyd Webber to continue her studies in

London. As a longstanding member of Mediaeval Baebes she has made several studio albums, live DVDs and recorded themes for BBC TV shows Victoria and Elizabeth with Ivor Novello winner Martin Phipps. Emily made three acclaimed albums with her symphonic Metal band PYTHIA and has recorded vocals for multi-platinum selling band Dragonforce on their last three albums. She continues to write music for her Classical Celtic Project with composer Chris Payne, Celtic Legend, her solo projects and is a published novelist. Emily owns music based pub, Chandos Arms in North London, is married to music producer Are Kolltveit, and she is the proud mum of Saxon.

Artist’s website: www.wilderoses.com

‘Man Mai Longe Lives Weene’ – official video:


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