Isla Grant: Farewell tour keeping it country

Scottish singer/songwriter Isla Grant will be in Hawke's Bay next month as part of her New Zealand Farewell Tour.

Setting foot on New Zealand soil feels like "coming home" for Isla Grant.

But the singer/songwriter travels to the country for her farewell concert tour knowing it could be the last time she takes to the stage Down Under.

"My arm might be twisted if this goes well, I would be really be sad leaving if I thought I'd never come back," she said down the line from Scotland.

Aotearoa holds a special place in her heart - thanks to a host of loyal fans.

"When I go there I feel like I'm coming home - I don't know what it is, it's just a feeling I get when I land in New Zealand, I feel like I'm home again - it's such a beautiful country."

Last here in 2012 on a 25-date tour, Grant brings her signature country-folk sound to Napier Municipal Theatre on Sunday, September 6.

The new show is more than a catalogue of hits - there's storytelling, a couple of tracks from husband Al Grant, who also plays bass, as well as a few surprises.

"We always have a lot of fun on stage - we really enjoy doing what we do."

Being in front of a crowd was all the more special following a serious car accident in 1995 which had specialists telling her she would never perform again.

Singing turned out to be her "saviour" and after a five-year hiatus she was back with plenty of new material and a different perspective on life.

"The accident wasn't our fault, there was a chap on our side of the road going about 140 miles per hour and it was a head-on impact. You go to hospital and you're told you have broken bones. You get over all that, then the mental stuff takes over. It was devastating, at that time I realised there's only one person going to get you through this and that's myself."

The song Dream Come True was a reflection of her appreciation for all she had been through to get back in front of the microphone.

Music was a life-long love affair which began at an early age growing up in a musical family. Her mother had a wonderful singing voice, her father was a pipe major and her older brothers were multi-talented instrumentalists.

By the age of 14, Grant was singing in folk clubs. As she got older she included jazz and country to her repertoire.

"I played with the likes of Billy Connolly, of course he's known as a comedian, but back then he was in a group called the Humblebums. I started out with some wonderful people and learned the craft from them," she said.

A knack for penning her own music led to a recording contract.

She has released 11 albums, some of which went triple platinum, and launched her own record label, IGE, in 2008.

"I'm incredibly lucky that I was signed for my music and more importantly that there's an audience out there that wanted to come and see me."

Part of her longevity stems from creating tunes people can relate to. She loved hearing and seeing how they impacted on the lives of others.

"My songs all tell a story. When I stand on stage I can see people, perhaps a husband kissing his wife's hand, and I think 'there, the song is working' it's a lovely feeling."