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Kick Up The Arts – Nicola Meighan with Jill Jackson and Carol Laula

Thursday 2 October, 2025

Part of Glasgow Americana

Cottiers Theatre, 93 – 95 Hyndland Street, Glasgow G11 5PU

Glasgow Americana is more than thrilled to be teaming up with Nicola Meighan and her excellent podcast “A Kick Up The Arts” during the festival this year.

Brining the podcast to the live stage with two of Scotland’s finest and most respected singer song writers in the shape of Jill Jackson and Carol Laula.

Come along for an evening of conversation, laughs and some really special musical performances.

Jill Jackson

Jill Jackson

Jill Jackson is a leading female artist in the UK’s Americana scene, known for her raw talent and honest storytelling. From her Paisley roots to performing on Top of The Pops and T in the Park and touring with Bryan Adams, her career has been a testament to authenticity.

Her latest album, Curse of The Damned (2024), marks a bold new chapter, where she fully embraces her true identity. Blending pop, country, and Americana, Jill explores the complexities of neurodiversity and life’s challenges. As she puts it, the album is “a front seat to my life,” reflecting her tumultuous journey with raw, vulnerable lyrics.

Known for her storytelling prowess, Jill draws comparisons to icons like Brandi Carlile, Joan Baez, and Joni Mitchell, fusing Americana with her Scottish roots in a sound that transcends genres. Curse of The Damned is a deeply personal, empowering album that showcases her deep growth as an artist and a person.

Carol Laula

Photo by Cheryl Doyle

Scotland is renowned the world over for its exports, and one of its finest is singer-songwriter Carol Laula. With a style that floats somewhere between the sweet, clear delicacy of Joni Mitchell and the edgier tones of Joan Armatrading, it’s little wonder she has risen from a young unknown to become a household name. She first captivated both the media and her audience in 1990, when her independent single Standing Proud was chosen to represent Glasgow during its year as European City of Culture.

Laula is passionate about supporting emerging talent and believes strongly in the need for more platforms to help new artists break through. From 2015 to 2018, her Wicked Women shows featured Carol onstage with her full band, performing alongside a vibrant range of new talent and helping to showcase emerging acts to wider audiences.

With eight albums to her name, she continues to inspire critics, who describe her as “one of Scotland’s leading singer-songwriters” and “an undeniably passionate and wholehearted singer” (Billboard). Q Magazine noted: “Laula’s songs deal with strength in adversity – especially from the modern woman’s perspective – on a personalised but universal level.”

Nicola Meighan

Arts writer and broadcaster Nicola Meighan has interviewed names like Dolly Parton, Joan Collins, Martha Reeves, Judas Priest and Russell Crowe on her BBC Radio Scotland show (Friday Afternoons, 2-4pm), along with contributions to Radio 4, 6 Music, STV, The Herald, The List, MOJO, the Quietus and more. She’s also worked at Monorail Music, the Arches, The Tron Theatre, Triptych festival (Grace Jones, Herbie Hancock, Karlheinz Stockhausen, Candi Staton), and with Nick Cave, Goldfrapp and Depeche Mode at Mute Records. A Kick Up The Arts is her Scottish Arts and Culture podcast: previous guests include Ian Rankin, Val McDermid, Clare Grogan and Deacon Blue. Listen via akickupthearts.org

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