Spotlight Session: While And Matthews
This page features an archived interview from 2023, included as a temporary example while we prepare new Music Episodes. Fresh interviews will be added throughout the next month.
Chris While and Julie Matthews are widely regarded as the longest‑running and most influential female duo in British folk music. Across nearly three decades together, they have performed more than 2,500 shows, appeared on over 100 albums, written hundreds of original songs, and reached audiences around the world with their unmistakable blend of harmony, storytelling, and musicianship.
Crowned the 2018 Port Fairy Artist of the Year, While & Matthews are celebrated for their first‑class songwriting, “to‑die‑for” harmonies, and melodies that linger long after the final note. Their sound is rooted in folk, but their ethos is pure DIY - running their own label, producing their own albums, and maintaining full creative autonomy from their studio in a small village near Sheffield, far from the London‑centric music industry.
Their work spans the political, the personal, and the deeply human, drawing on real‑life stories and social issues with honesty and heart. Even after 27 years, they remain as vital, fresh, and fiercely authentic as ever — best friends who still challenge, inspire, and occasionally argue, all in service of the music.
With a loyal following in both the UK and Australia, and bi‑annual tours across Australia and New Zealand for more than two decades, While & Matthews have earned their place as festival headliners and beloved icons of contemporary folk.
Watch the Video Podcast
The undisputed queens of British folk duos on longevity, creative freedom, and the power of harmony.
Listen Up
Prefer audio? Here’s the full conversation with While & Matthews in podcast format.
Behind the Music of While & Matthews
In this episode, While & Matthews speak with LOTL about their remarkable 27‑year partnership, their commitment to creative independence, and the stories behind their most powerful songs. They reflect on the evolution of their sound, the political and personal themes that shape their writing, and the unique chemistry that has made them the longest‑enduring female duo in British folk.
They also share insights into their Australian tours, their connection with audiences here, and the energy that continues to drive their live performances - the same energy that has earned them a reputation for lighting up every room they walk into.