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“With her gravel’n’smoke voice, ability to be both cheeky and heartbreaking, and a dirt-kicking live band, her rise and rise is inevitable” – MOJO
After the release of her highest charting album to date last year Elles Bailey is back with brand new album Can’t Take My Story Away, which comes January 16th on Cooking Vinyl and Outlaw Music. Alongside the announcement Elles releases the record’s first cut with ‘Growing Roots’ and announces a run of 2026 UK and EU dates, including London’s Islington Assembly Hall on March 19th. Listen to ‘Growing Roots’ HERE.
Fiercely independent, the British singer-songwriter has been steadily honing her craft for the better part of a decade. Her magnificent voice – instantly recognisable, full of grit – weaves stories of resilience and survival, of hope and new beginnings. In her music, we find liberation as she picks at the threads of human connection, carefully unravelling the truths we might not have realised about ourselves.
Produced by Luke Potashnick and recorded with a stellar lineup of musicians separate from her live band, the eleven tracks of Can’t Take My Story Away tie together to form the album Elles has been destined to make. An honest and vulnerable glimpse into Elles’ story, the record was created over a three year period, using songs whose origins can be traced back almost 10 years, Can’t Take My Story Away is Elles’ life placed carefully together to form a dazzling, kaleidoscopic story.
“There’s definitely an empowerment to this record,” Elles says. “I feel like that has actually evolved since I first started making it – as though I was a different person.” She continues, “there is a quiet strength running through this album and a deep-rooted honesty and whilst there are some moments that reflect on some of the hardest chapters of my story, there’s a feeling of joy threaded through every note. It’s like a kind of light has found its way in, even in some of the darkest moments.”
The album is available to pre-order on multiple formats including CD, CD Zine, Coloured Vinyl and cassette – with signed copies also available. Fans who pre-order from Elles’ store gain access to pre-sale tickets to Elles’ forthcoming tour. The pre-sale will commence at 10am on Wednesday 24th September before general sale at 10am on Friday 26th September.
The album’s first single comes in the form of ‘Growing Roots’. A groove filled track, the shimmer and sway of the instrumentation take a backseat to Elles’ raw, soulful vocals. “The track is a love song about finding your person—the one who makes you want to set aside your gypsy heart and finally settle down,” Elles says of the record. “It’s about choosing to put down roots and to grow together but it is also about what that person teaches you, who you are when you’re with them, and the beauty of truly living in the moment.”
While this album marks a departure from Elles’ previous work and was recorded with new musicians, her long-standing touring band will return for all the live performances. They will head out on a run of UK and EU dates through February and March 2026 to support the record. Kicking off at Im Wizermann in Stuttgart on February 20th, the 11 date tour includes a date at London’s Islington Assembly Hall on March 19th and a hometown show at Bristol’s Electric on March 21st. Elles will also play a very special date at Sun, Sand and Soul Festival in Miramar Beach in Florida with Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit and Drive-By Truckers on Friday April 24th. More info HERE.
Elles Bailey plays the following UK & EU dates:
February
Fri 20th Stuttgart, Im Wizemann
Sat 21st Munich, Ampere
Sun 22nd Nuremberg, Hirsch
Mon 23rd Aschaffenburg, Colas-Saal
March
Thu 19th London, Islington Assembly Hall
Fri 20th Warwick, Arts Centre
Sat 21st Bristol, Electric
Tue 24th Manchester, Band on the Wall
Wed 25th Glasgow, St Luke’s
Thu 26th Gateshead, Glasshouse 2
Fri 27th Holmfirth, Picturedrome
With Can’t Take My Story Away Elles cements herself as one of the most exciting talents in the UK. Picking up acclaim and accolades along the way, she was crowned Live Act of the Year at the UK Americana Awards 2024, as well as Album of the Year, Vocalist of the Year and Broadcaster Of The Year at the 2025 UK Blues Awards. With an already prolific career under her belt the story is far from over and we have many chapters to come.
Can’t Take My Story Away Tracklisting:
Can’t Take My Story Away
Growing Roots
Better Days
Blessed
Constant Need To Keep Going
Take a Step Back
How Do You Do It
Angel
Dandelion
Tightrope
Starling
More information, HERE
Photo Credits: Rob Blackham
