Ida Mae

In collaboration with Ishtar Music

It’s quite some transformation from their grunge-blues band Kill It Kid, but former members, and now husband and wife, Chris Turpin and Stephanie Jean are opening up a whole new musical world. The duo is now emerging from a period of self-discovery and mutual creative power to create the rawboned and stripped back musical romance that is, Ida Mae.

Ida Mae’s magic lies in the sensuous dovetailing of two voices and the intimacy of their songs. Their chemistry on stage isn’t just a dramatic pose and is a truly captivating sight to behold. Chris' vocals are reminiscent of a Face’s era Rod Stewart or Steve Marriott, while Stephanie combines the delicacy of Patty Griffin with the effortless rock-chic of Alison Mosshart. Singing together, the couple have an unusual ‘which-is- which’ dynamic.

As Ida Mae, Turpin and Ward have found further acclaim with their bold sound that straddles classic English folk, sprawling Americana and abrasive, frenetic rock. A move to Nashville in 2019 led to the release of their debut Chasing Lights, produced by Ethan Johns (producer of Laura Marling, Kings of Leon, Ray Lamontagne).

Let Ida Mae take you on a journey through the vast expanses of America. Along the way you'll meet all sorts of eccentric characters - drunken poets, fallen oligarchs, broken-hearted country stars - and enjoy the chaos and carnage of a world on the brink.

This is the spectacular third album from the British folk-rock duo, Thunder Above You (REL: 25.08.23). The album was recorded in just seven days and marks the most creative phase in Ida Mae's career to date. It was preceded by a month-long tour of the USA with legendary artists such as Willie Nelson and Lucinda Williams. Ida Mae are husband and wife duo Chris Turpin and Stephanie Jean Ward. They met while studying at university, quickly found their shared passion for music and later formed their first band, Kill It Kid. With three critically acclaimed albums under their belts, they spent their early twenties touring Europe extensively.