Reviewed in April 2023 by Americana UK when supporting The Mammals, The Rye Sisters were praised for their 'simply exquisite harmonies'. The Rye Sisters (Ishani and Sue) are a duo from Lincolnshire who write and perform Americana and folk-country songs in close harmony to guitar and fiddle.  They pull from broadly American influences, such as The Secret Sisters, Gillian Welch, Sarah Jarosz, The Small Glories and The Chicks. Their new (second) album ‘Distant Light’ is due to be released in December 2023.

Although they have both been performing music of various kinds for years, they played their official 'debut' gig as The Rye Sisters in May 2016 at The Rogue Saint, Lincoln. Sue has performed, written, recorded and won awards with bands including The Woodberrys, before the incarnation of the Rye Sisters. She has played several festival stages as well as running harmony and song-writing workshops for festival-goers.  Ishani has a classically-influenced background. During her youth, she spent much time on stage performing musical theatre, jazz and as a member of multiple youth choirs and orchestras. She sang and toured with Pembroke Chapel Choir between 2008 and 10, venturing into the folk and country music scene in 2015 with the emergence of The Rye Sisters. She is a regular singing/ harmony teacher at the annual Adelboden ‘Sing in the Swiss Alps’ residential, led by Roger Jackson.

This summer The Rye Sisters performed at Crossover Festival, Valefest, The Gate to Southwell Festival, and conducted workshops in harmony singing at some of these festivals and at Arisaig Americana festival in June 2023. They have also performed up and down the country at local folk clubs and pubs. Sue and Ishani team up regularly with composer and Fabulous Festival Choir man, Roger Jackson, and often team teach at events such as 'Three Days in May' (www.sing.co.uk), 'Folk on the Farm and Sing in the Swiss Alps. Sue and Ishani have been regular singing tutors at Sore Fingers Summer School (Chipping Norton) in October and Sue is tutoring Song-writing there this October 2023.