A gig held at Bristol Folk House on Thursday 25th June. The event starts at 20:00.
India Arkin is a British-Cypriot singer, songwriter and visual artist, crafting music that blurs the edges between the delicate and the defiant. Now based in Bristol, Arkin has entered a new era — one defined by a softer, more intricate sound that draws from Middle Eastern and Japanese tonalities, and informed by the fluid freedom of jazz. Her songs breathe with intimacy, where every word and texture feels hand-painted, reflecting both her fine art roots and her instinctive sense of emotional depth.
Arkin first emerged from the North East, where she studied Fine Art and was swiftly discovered — becoming the first artist ever signed to HMV’s 1921 Records. The release that followed saw her recognised by Forbes, NME, and National Album Day, where she stood as an ambassador alongside Sam Ryder, Franz Ferdinand, and KSI. From the outset, she was hailed as an artist with a rare blend of vision and authenticity.
In the years since, Arkin’s live presence has matched the ambition of her recordings. Performing with her full band, she’s supported Tom Grennan and The Feeling, taken the stage at festivals including Bingley Weekender, Spring Classic, and 100Above, and become a two-time headliner at Rotterdam’s Left of the Dial, where she was named one of the festival’s top 15 artists from over 115 international acts. Recognition from BBC Introducing, who named her a Top Tip Artist, and continued support from Tom Robinson’s Mixtape, further cement her place as a rising voice in the UK’s alternative landscape.
Now 25, Arkin’s new work marks a turning point — more fluid, spacious, and reflective. She’s shaping songs that trace the line between vulnerability and strength, grounded in the timeless art of storytelling. In this new chapter, India Arkin isn’t just redefining her sound — she’s reimagining what modern indie can feel like: intimate yet expansive, poetic yet bold, unmistakably her own.
ZENA:
Fusing the sounds of folk and neo-soul with sharp, relatable lyrics, ZENA has become an ever growing talent on the South-West music scene. With her value placed in poignant and honest lyricism and a love for experimentation with instrumental arrangement and genre mixing, ZENA finds power in connecting with audiences through performance.
Florence Knight:
A modern soul-grunge sound anchored by big, expressive vocals. Florence writes music that speaks to the corners of the soul; the depths, the dark bits, the shadows and light, the joy and the pain. Her sound is rooted in her soulful, powerful voice, accompanied by guitar with a lot of body and a little crunch. Florence has been a staple part of the Bristol music scene for many years. Now living in Devon, she's back making a rare solo appearance, sharing some of her latest compositions.