Mae Karthauser

About the show

Mae Karthauser is lending her voice to a breathtaking new live performance: a heart-wrenching tribute to Joni Mitchell's seminal album Blue.

Mae, who has performed at Glastonbury Festival, on prime-time BBC1 and on BBC Radio 3 and Radio 6, identified Joni Mitchell as the first and most influential songwriter she discovered as a teenager, and was called to delve into recreating the album as a live performance when approached by friend and guitarist Rowland O'Connor at the end of a one-off live tribute to Radiohead at The Barrel House Ballroom back in early 2025. “Who's album would you most like to recreate?” he asked. Unprompted, they both came up with the same answer.

“Joni Mitchell's songs feel like dreams, like journeys off somewhere deep and familiar” says Mae. “It's great to go beyond memorising and really into the magic, the poetry and the stunning emotional landscapes Joni is able to conjure with her songwriting”

Breathing new life into the 1971 classic, Mae's silken and athletic vocals soar nimbly over Joni's melodies, and paired with her expressive piano playing she brings a raw and living presence to these timeless songs. Mae is joined by regular collaborators Rowland O'Connor on guitar, bass and Appalacian dulcimer, Ric Byer on drums and Tess Broach on backing vocals.