Richard Walters: Songs From the Solent

Richard Walters: Songs From the Solent

Hampshire-based singer-songwriter Richard Walters spent the summer of 2025 as Artist in Residence for the Solent Seascape Project; meeting sea swimmers, interviewing the people of Portsmouth at the top of the Spinnaker Tower, gathering field recordings by the water's edge, and listening to the habitats of one of England's most distinctive coastlines. The result is Songs From the Solent: eight original songs that weave together Richard's words and music, local voices and natural sounds.

The album features Oscar winning legend Jeremy Irons lending his voice to centrepiece track Lanterns Part 1, members of Chichester's Big Notes Choir singing on Salt Forest, and the work of celebrated linocut artist Angela Harding, who created a bespoke illustrated map connecting each song to the place that inspired it.

Richard will perform music from the project and talk about the experience with Louise MacCallum of the Solent Seascape Project, the team working on the ground to protect these threatened landscapes.

Richard Walters is a critically acclaimed UK artist and Grammy nominated songwriter. As a solo artist, he has released five albums and four EP's since 2007. His music has featured on a number of TV shows including Grey's Anatomy, Netflix's After Life and CSI: Miami. Collectively, his work has amassed well over 200 million streams. Richard’s releases have gained notable support from Lauren Laverne and Guy Garvey at BBC 6 Music, Jo Whiley and Dermot O’Leary at BBC Radio 2, and a number of influential publications including The Guardian, The Line of Best Fit and Mojo Magazine.

The Solent Seascape Project is a five-year partnership of 10 organisations led by Blue Marine, restoring and reconnecting key marine habitats across the Solent. The project has already been endorsed as an official United Nations Decade Action as an initiative that contributes towards international goals for the protection and restoration of marine biodiversity.

Plus support from local singer-songwriter PJ Oborne