-by Simon Cosyns

NESTLING in the heart of the wild and windswept Outer Hebrides is the island of North Uist, population about 1,200.

It’s the home of folk singer Julie Fowlis, bearer of a voice as clear and pure as the blue Atlantic waters that lap its shores.

Julie is Radio 2’s Folk Singer Of The Year and her spellbinding album Cuilidh got a rare 5/5 from SFTW.

Yet all but a tiny fraction of her listeners will actually understand what she’s singing about.

Her wonderfully expressive interpretations of traditional songs from her local surroundings are sung in her first language — Gaelic.

They translate into titles like My Brown-Haired Lass, The Dun-Coloured Old Men Of Hoghaigearraidh and I’m Fond Of Potatoes And Butter. Simple stories beautifully told.

You’ll have to thumb through the CD booklet to find the lyrics in English but such is Julie’s way with a song that you can’t fail to be mesmerised.

Here she tells her remarkable story:

CAN you describe North Uist?

Remote, unique, friendly, windy and wild.

What was it like growing up there?

Tiny school (only 12 in the school at one point) with lots of attention, music and Gaelic.

Do most people speak Gaelic as a first language?

Mostly, yes. The Hebrides are the last place in Scotland where Gaelic is a first language.

How musical is your family and what were your first experiences of music?

I remember singing at ceilidhs when I was very wee and playing the chanter (which you learn before the big bagpipes). My family were musical and always encouraging of me and my sister.

When did you first start writing and performing?

In a way, I always have. On a professional level though, probably since I was around 16.

Who inspired you?

Everyone around me! Older singers and musicians in the community, teachers, my peers. I think you take influences from everyone you encounter, in some way.

And when did you think "I can make a living out of this"?

I don’t think I have ever thought that! I took the plunge when I was juggling a full-time job, a full-time music career and was going through a tough time in my personal life — my mother was ill and the family went through a difficult period. I thought "life is too short" and resigned from my job to follow a dream.

How do you source all the traditional songs?

I learn them from friends, family, old recordings. Anywhere!

How specific are they to the Outer Hebrides?

Most of my songs are very localised, it’s just a choice I made years ago. I wanted to sing the songs from the area I belong to.

Why did you call your latest album Cuilidh (which means treasure in English)?

I think it sums up the treasures that can be found in the tradition of the Gaelic language and culture. It’s like a hidden gem, which should be celebrated the world over.

What’s the oldest song you’ve sung and what story does it tell?

Well one of the older songs started out around 300 years ago. It is a love story, which could have been written last week! Some things never change — we all feel and experience the same sort of things our ancestors did 500 years back — love, fear, jealousy, sadness.

Tell us about Eamon.

Well my husband Eamon Doorley plays bouzouki and fiddle, and is well known in his own right and as part of the Irish tour-de-force Dan. He is the backbone to the musical arrangements. We work well together, coming up with tunes, songs and ideas and we then share these with the great musicians we get to play with.

And your work with Dochas?

A wonderful way to catch up with some of your best pals in the world! We love touring together and performing our own music, which hails from all parts of Scotland and Donegal. We are working on album number three, so watch out for that.

What do you think are the key ingredients of a good song?

Same in any language — great lyrics, a catchy melody and that something you just can’t put your finger on, that factor "x".

Tell the story of a typical song?

They are so long, we might have to publish an extra edition of the paper!! That’s Highland stories for you.

Why do think so many non-Gaelic speakers love your music?

Maybe people are looking for a more satisfying form of music — as a nation, we are forced to listen to an amazing amount of manufactured nonsense. I think a large part of the public want something with a wee bit more depth and meaning. And there is plenty of it out there! The internet is a wonderful way of checking music and artists out — hear our music at Myspace, Bebo and Facebook.

How much do all the awards you’ve won mean to you, including BBC Radio 2 Folk Singer of the Year?

These kinds of awards are great for raising the awareness of our industry as a whole. There are so many amazing musicians and singers out there — not all of whom are recognised individually with awards. BBC Radio 2 should be applauded for the work they do keeping traditional, folk and acoustic music on air.

When will you be working on your next album and any clues as to what it will be like?

We are just starting on that! There may be one or two surprises on the way — you never know.