Singer, Songwriter, Radio Presenter. The last decade has seen Elles Bailey move into the upper echelons of the UK blues rock scene. It has not been an easy road, but there is a determination within the Bristol-born artist that has seen her gain reward for her efforts.
Elles Bailey – Can’t Take My Story Away
Release Date: 16 January 2026
Words: Paul Hutchings
For those who follow the scene, Bailey’s smoky rasp is instantly recognisable. And whilst she has been almost mechanical in her work ethic, with the release and touring cycle very much the dominant part of her life, she is clear that the newest addition to the discography has taken significantly longer to craft.
“There’s definitely an empowerment to this record,” Elles says. “I feel like that has actually evolved since I first started making it – as though I was a different person.”
Now, I am no expert on Bailey’s back catalogue. My listening has been restricted to tracks on the radio, usually her enjoyable Planet Rock show, which she has been delivering with an endearing, likeable style over the past couple of years.
But one listen to her 2017 debut Wildfire before diving into Can’t Take My Story Away shows the evolution of the recipient of the 2024 Vocalist of the Year at the UK Blues Awards, one of several top awards she has collected in recent times.
It is not a surprise that her own tours are now moving into venues of 1000+ capacity, or that she has spent time opening for Van Morrison, Jools Holland and Rag ‘n’ Bone Man.
Deep down, she admits having taken some time to overcome imposter syndrome, although her performance here suggests that she may have climbed well over the top of that hill now. She is quick to credit producer Luke Potashnick for much of the album. The Temperance Movement guitarist has a huge CV in the production world, from Paloma Faith to Katie Melua, to name but two, and Bailey is clear that he is vital to the success of this record.
“This record is, at its heart, a true collaboration with Luke, who has poured countless hours into shaping and refining these songs with me,” she says. “Over the three years we’ve spent bringing this record to life, I’ve learned so much from Luke – his patience, his vision, and his deep care for songcraft have truly left a lasting mark on me musically.”
Can’t Take My Story Away is 45 minutes of classy Americana with that blues-soaked rock Bailey does so well. The album has a beautifully comfortable flow, from the defiance of the title song that opens the album, through to the delicate piano-led conclusion of Starling.
Between these two tracks sit nine others, brimming with emotion and heartache. There is Blessed, a deeply emotive song with strings and gentle guitar, born from sessions with long-time collaborator Ash Tucker as well as Potishnak’s velvet touch.
It links two of the deeper songs on the album – Better Days, which draws on the original work of Catfish singer Matt Long, who sadly passed away in October 2025 after a battle with cancer. When he died, his parents showed Bailey a song he had written, which turned into Better Days. “I started inviting our friends to come and sing it with me,” she explains. “I felt like I wanted to bring a piece of him onstage with me, and it’s a beautiful song with a simple message that I think we need to hear.”
Blessed also links Constant Need To Keep Going, which has the laidback feel of the jam room yet has an underlying charm and character few can match. Bailey sparred with renowned producer and multi-instrumentalist Ethan Johns (Paul McCartney, Michael Kiwanuka, Laura Marling) on this, with a gentle jam slowly evolving. It is a Country track filled with melancholy that Bailey manages to deliver with an organic naturalness.
By the time you reach Starling, a song inspired by the death of a close friend, you will be an emotional wreck but somehow ready to go again.
Can’t Take My Story Away brings Elles Bailey to the forefront of the scene once more. It is evocative, beautifully delivered and concludes a period in her life which started in a dark place, but which has flowered into possibly her best work so far.
A snapshot of a moment in time is how it is described. It is a perfect record, and one that will surely propel her to the next level.
Elles Bailey releases Can’t Take My Story Away on 16 February 2026 via Cooking Vinyl & Outlaw Music. Pre-orders are available from https://ellesb.lnk.to/CTMSAPR.
Elles will also celebrate the release of the album with a run of stripped back, acoustic instores through January. All dates can be found at EllesBailey.com/tour. Elles and her band then head out on a run of UK and EU dates through February and March 2026.
