Co-op x Belladrum 2025 Talent Search Winners!

If you’ve been following our social media and marketing recently you will have seen that we teamed up with our long-standing partners at Co-op to launch an exciting new talent search.

Open to emerging artists across Scotland, this competition invited musicians to showcase their sound for the chance to perform at Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival 2025, artists being given the opportunity to play at the Bella Bar (sponsored by the legends at Hootananny, Inverness) and the Co-op store onsite.

After an overwhelming number of entries and a seriously tough shortlisting process, our panel selected 8 finalists. These finalists then went head-to-head in a Co-op Members' Vote and a Panel Vote to determine the two winners.

Let’s meet them, below!

Introducing Our Panel Vote Winner: Luminary

Chosen by our industry panel of judges - Luminary is an acoustic duo made up of Shaun Dunbar and Mary Dawn.

Tell us a bit about who you are, how Luminary came to be and your journey as a duo so far…

We met as part of another band we were in and decided to explore song writing as a duo. We started in open mics such as Glachbeg & the Tooth and Claw and have started to have our own gigs. Our favourite places to gig have been Market Bar, Uilebheist Distillery and most recently as part of the Edge of the world cabaret at the Upstairs. We have had such an amazing response so far which has been really positive to us. We still can't believe we have won this. Thank you so much!

How would you describe your sound and style to someone who’s never heard you before?

We love to do harmonies with acoustic guitar. We also use a loop pedal to get a fuller band sound with just the two of us. We have songs that are pop, blues and a unique style.

What’s it like working together as a duo and how do you write and create music as a team?

 We start with Mary Dawn writing words, then she sends them over and I can usually hear a melody very quickly. We then get together and make full songs. We have just started recording them and hope to release an EP or album very soon!

You’ve been performing in and around Inverness for a while now, what’s the local music scene been like for you?

The music scene in Inverness is incredible, there is the obvious thriving trad scene but also such an encouraging network of supportive musicians who we are so blessed to know and work with.

What does playing Belladrum mean to you? Have either of you been to the festival before?

 Playing Belladrum means the world to us, we attend the festival every year and to be part of the original performer line up is such an honour and privilege.  Belladrum is always the highlight to our summer and we cant wait to share our music at such an iconic festival.

What can the Bella crowd expect from your set? 

We can't wait to share all our different styles of original songs and a couple of covers to get the crowd going. We love feeding of the energy of a crowd.

What are your festival essentials? 

 Amazing colourful outfits, good friends and some sunshine ☀️

And finally, are there any other artists at Bella 2025 you're buzzing to see?

We can't wait to see the big acts like Supergrass, Texas and Gok Wan. We also can't wait to see and support our friends in local bands such as Space Van, The Collective, Folk'd Up, Maryann & Bev, Lottie Grant, Strange Weather. ..the list goes on!

You can follow Luminary online, here… Make sure to check them out at Belladrum on FRIDAY at Bella Bar - 15:45 and on SATURDAY

at the Co-op from 15:30.

Co-op Members Choice Winners - DANA

Coming out top in the public vote was trad/folk four-piece Dàna — made up of Anna, Laura, Eleanor and Alex.

“We’re super excited to be heading to Belladrum! It’s such an iconic festival and we’re honoured to perform this year for the first time as a band.”

Formed during their time at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Dàna have made waves with their bold blend of traditional and contemporary sounds.

 How does it feel to be heading to Belladrum this summer?

We're super excited to be heading to Belladrum! It's such an iconic festival and we're honoured to have been chosen to perform this year for our first time as a band!

For those who haven’t heard your music before, how would you describe your sound?

For those who haven't heard our music before, Dàna's sound is a lively blend of traditional and contemporary folk music. We have arranged some of our own compositions as well as taking on new and old pieces of traditional music ranging in higher energy sets, to slower reflective sets.

Tell us a little bit about your musical journey, how did Dàna begin?

We formed Dàna while we all were studying at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. In our final year of uni, at a session in Glasgow, we decided we should get together and arrange some tunes.

One thing led to another and we've been fortunate enough to have been performing all over Scotland! In the last year since forming Dàna, we've played at festivals such as Celtic Connections, Piping Live, The Reeling and MOKFest and were very grateful to receive a Danny Kyle Award 2025 at Celtic Connections this January. 

Where did the name 'Dàna' come from, and what does it mean to you?

Dàna means 'Bold' and 'Audacious' in Gaelic and we thought this was the perfect name for our all female, 4 piece band. 

Who or what inspires your songwriting and performances?

We have all been inspired by current and older traditional bands in particular in the Glasgow folk scene. Folk bands such as Trip, Kinnaris Quintet and Blazin' Fiddles are all bands that have inspired us by pushing the boundaries in their own music while staying close to their traditional roots. Being based in Glasgow, we're lucky to get out to live gigs regularly which helps to inspire creativity within the band.

What can Belladrum festivalgoers expect from your live sets at Bella Bar and Co-op stage?

Our sets will be a selection of fast, lively reels and jigs great for dancing to, as well as strathspeys and slower tunes with rich harmonies and unique rhythms. 

Have you been to Belladrum before, either as a performer or a festival-goer?

We have never been to Belladrum as a band or as festival-goers so we're super excited to be coming along for the first time to play! Anna, our fiddle player, has worked as Artist Liaison for the past 3 years and has told us so many great things about the festival! We can't wait to experience it ourselves and share our music with the Belladrum crowd!

What are you most excited about for the weekend?

We're so excited to share some brand new music to a new audience! There's an amazing selection of bands playing that we can't wait to watch live, and we're really looking forward to discovering some new artists too! 

Any artists on the 2025 line-up you're particularly excited to see?

There's lots of bands we're excited to see during the festival! East Pointers and Beluga Lagoon are firm favourites within the band as well as legendary bands Texas and Natasha Bedingfield of course!

Where can people follow your journey or listen to your music ahead of the festival?

We have 2 brand new singles out on Spotify, Apple Music and all streaming platforms! We are also on Instagram and Facebook at @danaceol.

You can find Dana playing twice over the Bella weekend, FRIDAY at the Co-op stage from 15:30 and then again on SATURDAY

Bella Bar Stage at 15:45.

It’s safe to say we’re incredibly excited to be welcoming these two artists to Belladrum this year for our 21st birthday celebrations! Thanks again to everyone who applied, shared the love on social media and took time to vote and we will see you all in the fields very, very soon.