Multi award-nominated freelance journalist, creative copywriter, PR, podcast producer/presenter. Available for hire now.

 

I’m an award-nominated freelance journalist, copywriter, author, editor, radio and podcast writer/producer/presenter with 20 years of full-time experience across print, digital and broadcast media, currently based between Stockholm, Sweden and my native Scotland. I specialise in music and culture, history, travel, technology, food and drink, city scenes, nightlife, property, architecture, interiors and much more. I’ve produced journalism content for some of the world’s leading media organisations including TIME Magazine, National Geographic, The New York TimesThe GuardianThe Times, BBC Radio 4Time Out, The Big Issue, Huck, Homes and Interiors Scotland and many more. I write the weekly Home of the Week feature for The Times Scotland’s Bricks & Mortar property supplement. I edit the Sunday Times in Scotland’s biannual Review of Independent Schools. I’ve produced written and audio content for leading independent record labels including Secretly Canadian, Domino, Playground, Kobalt and Distiller. I’ve written and edited creative copy for major brands, branded content agencies and arts and cultural organisations such as Guardian Labs, Waitrose, Shure, Glasgow International and the V&A Dundee. I help to run an independent record label called Lost Map, based on the isle of Eigg, Scotland, creating press materials and writing a fortnightly newsletter called Waypoints.

My work.

For up to date samples of my work please see my profile pages for The Guardian, The Times and The Big Issue. For some recent selected samples, click on these links or on images in the grid below.

I gave a local's guide to the city of Stockholm as a guest on the – DK Eyewitness Where To Go Podcast, March 2024

A renovated cottage in Drem, East Lothian that’s full of character Homes and Interiors Scotland, March 2024

Inside the stylish transformation of a crumbling Italian countryside house – Homes and Interiors Scotland, March 2024

The 10 most beautiful places in Scotland – Time Out, February 2024

Scotland Independent Schools Review: Teachers have real hope for artificial intelligence – The Sunday Times, February 2024

The Coral co-founder Bill Ryder-Jones on beauty, sorrow and psychedelic new album Iechyd Da – The Big Issue, January 2024

‘The jumper made me a fashion icon’: how we made The Killing by Sofie Gråbøl and Søren Sveistrup – The Guardian, January 2024

Stop Making Sense review: a once in a lifetime Talking Heads show – The Big Issue, October 2023

Two features for Homes and Interiors Scotland, September/October 2023 edition: an Edwardian house in London given an ultra green makeover, and a 200-year-old cottage on Mull reimagined for a new era

Switzerland’s yodeling tradition is changing. Here’s how to experience it – National Geographic, August 2023

Green Man festival review: Self Esteem crowns success, Julie Byrne triumphs, Devo rock the muck – The Guardian, August 2023

Lost Map: How to build a DIY label on love, woolly hats and sheep dung – The Big Issue, August 2023

The common touch: an homage to Britpop icons and TRNSMT headliners Pulp – The List, July 2023

Bob Dylan’s Highland hideout could be yours for £3m – world exclusive for The Times, July 2023, picked up by media globally

I was the first journalist in the world to review Beyoncé's spectacular Renaissance tour on its opening night in Stockholm – The Guardian, May 2023

‘They’re coming up with devious ways to take your money’: the TV hackers taking on the scammers – The Guardian, May 2023

Swedish Eurovision favourite Loreen explains her plan to win a second time in Liverpool – The Big Issue, May 2023

Spend summer in the Alps, where the kingdom of raclette still oozes with life – The Times, May 2023

An architecture story about the beautiful Vriskaig luxury cottage overlooking Portree bay on the Isle of Skye – my first byline for Homes and Interiors Scotland, April 2023

Experience: I’ve seen Status Quo 487 times – The Guardian, February 2023

‘Oh my God – this is big!’ How the Cardigans went stratospheric with Lovefool – The Guardian, January 2023

The Cure review: top goths tease their bleak but beautiful new album – The Guardian, December 2022

Roxy Music review: arch art-rockers peacock their peerless anthems – The Guardian, October 2022

The Shoregate, Crail restaurant review: ‘The hole-in-one for the tastebuds never came’ – The Times, September 2022

One-stop shop: popping the cap on Berlin's sensational späti culture – EasyJet Traveller, July 2022

Harry Styles review: joy, tears and conga lines at Harry’s house party – The Guardian, June 2022

A podcast I wrote, produced and narrated about Jens Lekman, and the re-making of two of his classic albums – Secretly Canadian Records' Secretly Society Podcast series, April 2022

I wrote all but one of the entries in the highly influential Scotland's Best Places to Live supplement – The Sunday Times, April 2022

Next stop Beijing: Kirsty Muir cover interview – Scotland on Sunday Scottish Sky & Board, December 2021

Experience: our house was moved to a different town – The Guardian, September 2021

Edinburgh Fringe Is Back. Is a Smaller Festival Better? – The New York Times, August 2021

Greentea Peng: ‘Music has been a healing experience’ – The Big Issue, September 2021

Inside the AI Song Contest – a front page story for The New York Times, July 2021

Golf, whiskey... and rockets? Scotland's tourism scene aims for the stars – National Geographic, June 2021

Meet the Local Heroes Holding British Music Together; interview with Glasgow DJ Nightwave – Vice, March 2021

Fight the power: The rebel photographer who shot life behind the Berlin Wall – Huck, November 2020

Viktor Tsoi: Standing up to tyranny... with music – The Big Issue, September 2020

East Germans Were Welcomed to the West With Free Money. Here’s What They Bought After the Berlin Wall Fell – cover story for TIME Magazine, November 2019

Welcome Money – a documentary for BBC Radio 4, November 2019

From Dresden on the 50th Anniversary of Slaughterhouse-Five – The New York Times, March 2019