UK Broadside Ballad Singer Jennifer Reid Returns To NZ

Northern England broadside ballad singer Jennifer Reid returns to Aotearoa following the release of her fourth album, The Ballad Of The Gatekeeper – recently ranked #8 in The Guardian's Top 10 Folk Albums of 2025

Released in May 2025, The Ballad... weaves together working class narratives and contemporary edge, drawing deeply from the dialect and histories of Victorian and Georgian Lancashire.

Known for her evocative renditions of 19th-century broadside ballads and industrial folk songs, Reid visited Aotearoa for the first time ever in April 2025, wowing traditional and contemporary audiences alike.

Her current tour sees the performer visit the South Island for the first time, as well as key venues in the North Island that demanded her return!

As an actor, Reid has portrayed Barb in Shane Meadows' critically acclaimed period drama The Gallows Pole and performed at Chanel's Metiers d'Art show. She has supported Pulp, John Cooper Clarke and Eliza Carthy.

The Ballad Of The Gatekeeper is available now via Bandcamp. Find out where to see Jenn live in NZ below.

SEE JENNIFER REID PERFORM SONGS FROM THE BALLAD OF THE GATEKEEPER (& MORE)

23–26 Jan, Auckland Folk Festival
1–7 Feb, Artist Residency, Blenheim
15 Feb, House Concert, Invercargill
18 Feb, YOURS, Dunedin
21 Feb, Port Noise fringe, Christchurch
27 Feb, Cable Play, Nelson
1 March, Dunedin Folk Club
2 March, The Grainstore, Oamaru
8 March, Acoustic Routes, Nelson
13 March, Rocky Bay Folk Club, Waiheke
14 March, Titirangi Folk Club
17 March, Hamilton Acoustic Club
20 March, Jam Factory, Tauranga
22 March, Folk at the Fitz, New Plymouth
24 March, Sarjeant Gallery, Whangārei
25–26 March, Pyramid Club, Wellington
28 Mar–3 April, TUKU Festival, Nelson

Keep an eye on @jenniferballadss for more

ARTIST BIO

Jennifer Reid is a folk musician dedicated to keeping alive the rich heritage of nineteenth-century music. She performs Lancashire dialect and Victorian broadside ballads, carrying on the tradition of using music as a social provocation. As an actress, Jennifer has portrayed Barb in Shane Meadows' critically acclaimed period drama The Gallows Poleand performed at Chanel's Metiers d'Art show. She has supported Pulp, John Cooper Clarke and most recently Eliza Carthy on an 18-date sold out UK tour.

With a background in local history, she educates students and communities through live performances, talks and workshops. Jennifer's research has taken her worldwide, exploring connections between past and present. She has performed at the Venice Biennale, on the New York High Line, at Battersea Power Station and at the Liverpool Philharmonic. She will publish a book on her research into Bengali and Lancashire weaving songs in 2025. She collaborates with academic and cultural institutions, from the University of Cambridge to the Science Museum, contributing to stage and media productions. Her work has been cited academically in papers and PhDs.

She sits on the executive committee of the Society for the Study of Labour History and is a member of Hard Art, a collective of activists, artists and leaders working for social and political change.

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