Paula Fong is an americana singer-songwriter from Los Angeles with a sound that can vary from folk to upbeat country to soulful grit. She has announced the creation, during 2026, of a two-part 10-12 song album.
Fong will release the album series this year, created with producer Justin James Sinclair and showcasing her versatility as a songwriter and vocalist. The first instalment, due in May, takes an all-acoustic approach with Punch Brothers-inspired vibe and added string arrangements on select tracks. The autumn release will feature a more varied sonic palette, from full-band tracks with drums and electric guitar to stripped-down, vulnerable arrangements that need no special trappings to deliver the heart of the performance.
During her youth, she spent many summers in the French countryside and was deeply influenced by the local Breton folk music. She continued to explore singing various genres from Classical to Chinese opera and eventually joined an americana church band where the main musical focus was acoustic country and folk. She fell deeply in love with American roots music and became enamoured with the classic voices and songwriting of Joni Mitchell, Gillian Welch and Patty Griffin, but was also inspired by indie folk groups like Nickel Creek and The Wailin’ Jennys. From 2015-2019, she teamed up with Seattle-based singer-songwriter Tom Kell, and they released two albums of co-written music. After Kell passed in 2021, Fong went on to pursue a solo project under her own name and released her first EP, Chestnut Mare, in the autumn of 2024.
Ophelia from Chestnut Mare was a featured track here at Americana UK, described as “an anthem for the lost and silent ones.” The EP received favourable reviews in the UK and the US, with American Highways noting “Paula’s approach is deeply rooted in a folky tradition, but she glosses it up with gentle brush strokes of country zeal & bluegrass sweeps spiced with her effective vocal style.” You can see the video for the title track below.
She currently sings back-up vocals and tours with Abby Posner’s band – Abby Posner and the Big Fall, and acts as Musical Director for an americana/folk music church service. Fong was recently nominated as a finalist in the International Acoustic Music Awards.
Fong makes her London debut with a showcase at The Harrison in Kings Cross on 10th April 2026, performing material from Chestnut Mare and previewing songs from the forthcoming album. You can find tickets at this link.
