Rebecca Downes Biography
Birmingham-based Rebecca is a fully independent artist creating original blues/rock music with her co-songwriter Steve Birkett and releasing it on her own label, Mad Hat Records. She usually plays live within a 5-piece band, performing her original tracks along with one or two classic covers.
Wolverhampton-born Rebecca’s current music began when she linked up with co-songwriter Steve to write blues-infused material for their excellent first album, Back To The Start (2013) which was followed by Believe (2016) and the live album BeLive (2017). Rebecca was voted Female Vocalist and Emerging Artist of the Year at the British Blues Awards 2016 and Female Blues Vocalist of the Year in the FORM UK Blues Awards 2018.
More Sinner Than Saint (2019) contains material honed with advice from producer Chris Kimsey, famous for working with the Rolling Stones and Peter Frampton, and the tracks were mixed by California-based producer Bill Drescher and Thunder’s bassist Chris Childs. The album received considerable critical acclaim and the second single – Hurts – was playlisted by Planet Rock Radio UK.
Stripped Back (2021), is an album created under lockdown conditions, with ten tracks from Believe and More Sinner Than Saint each re-presented in a laid-back style, together with two previously unreleased tracks.
The Space Between Us (2022), produced by Steve Birkett and mixed and mastered by Gavin Monaghan, features ten original songs and one cover in a collection of raw, passionate, multi-hued tracks that allow Rebecca to deliver her very personal lyrics with vocal conviction.
Stranger Blue EP (2025) is a collection of cover songs recorded in ‘stripped back’ style.
A Storm Is Coming, an album of ten new original tracks, dropped on 31 October 2025. Three singles had been released earlier with Falling Into You playlisted by Planet Rock Radio, and Waiting For The Morning included on their Blues Power playlist.
“With less blues and more hard rock, and some entrancing ballads, Downes has made an album that might make artists like Black Stone Cherry or Beth Hart look to their laurels and consider their next move.”
Philip Wilding Classic Rock Magazine January 2026
“…a thunderous, emotionally charged masterclass in modern blues-rock.” Glen Parkes Jace Media Music October 2025
“…it gets a five stars from me.”
Bernard Doherty Planet Rock Radio November 2025