Emma Swift was in a rut. Devastated by the state of the world, the policies of President Trump, and a pandemic eating up so many of the comforts and connections humans have come to rely on, Swift sunk into a depression, unable to write music.
And so, for her newest album, Blonde on the Tracks, Australian singer-songwriter Emma Swift, decided to perform Bob Dylan’s music instead. Choosing songs from the rambling catalog of Dylan’s work, from Blood on the Tracks and Highway 61 Revisited to his 2020 release Rough and Rowdy Ways, Swift’s takes on the songs of one of the most singular performers in modern history are revelations.
Blonde on The Tracks not only received glowing reviews and ended up on lots of Best-of 2020 lists, it won an audience without a standard marketing roll-out across streaming platforms like Spotify.
Instead, Swift first released a small amount of the albums on vinyl and CD through Bandcamp. “I honestly didn’t think I would sell more than 300 copies,” Swift tells Harcourt, noting that the effort pushed herself to promote her own work and really stand by the album. Something some artists struggle with.
She’s reaped the rewards, and now that Blonde on the Tracks is on streaming platforms, it’s only getting more listens.
Watch her interview with Harcourt above.
