Joy Shannon – Grey Havens (Royal Tea and Fiadh Productions)
Irish harpist Joy Shannon’s album of original compositions as a setting for the poetry of J.R.R Tolkien is out on 31 October – from it we get the beautiful, ethereal, Grey Havens featuring Tolkien’s granddaughter Ruth.
Artist: Joy Shannon (featuring Ruth Tolkien and Maria Franz)
Track: Grey Havens
Label: Royal Tea and Fiadh Productions
Released: 10 October 2025
Find it: Bandcamp
For irish harpist and folk musician Joy Shannon, like many others, the world J.R.R Tolkien built in The Lord Of The Rings was not an escape into fantasy, but immersive storytelling carrying messages of ‘hope and purpose at the darkest times’. Going through a challenging period in her own life it was to this world and the associated works which Shannon turned again, setting Tolkien’s original poetry to her original compositions. Grey Havens is the first single to be shared from the full In The Forest Singing Sorrowless album, released today 31 October 2025.
In Tolkien’s world The Grey Havens, or Mithlond, is the port in Middle-earth from which Elves depart across the sea to the Undying Lands. Symbolically this is a place of healing from suffering, and the beginning of the transition to a place of comfort and rest. Comparisons have been drawn to our own end of life:: of facing mortality and going into the unknown, the sadness but acceptance for those making the journey and those left behind.
Shannon captures this in her intimate harp playing, mournfully keening cello (from Osi And The Jupiter’s Kakophonix), and ethereal layered vocals from Shannon and Maria Franz. It’s a stunning reflection of grief, of how memory of those who have gone can be both heartache and consolation, and is anchored to the works inspiring it by Tolkien’s granddaughter Ruth closing the track with spoken-word in Elvish.
Speaking of the track Joy Shannon said, “Grey Havens” is about Tolkien’s mournful description of going into the Elvish afterlife in the West, similar to the ancient Irish afterlife Tír na n’Óg. I was lucky enough that Tolkien’s granddaughter, Ruth Tolkien, agreed to perform backing vocals and spoken word in the Elvish language.”
Of the video Shannon said, “The music video was directed by horror film director Matt Kollar. It features hawks and an owl, to represent the ancient Irish idea of the soul shapeshifting into a bird to soar over the sea into the afterlife.”
Timeless in sound, this is a work which is pertinent to where we find ourselves in the world today: deeply emotional, intricate and intimate in style, highly evocative and encouraging both introspection and the importance of community and collaboration – something Shannon draws on from Tolkien and Irish folklore – in bringing light back when darkness seems inevitable.
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Grey Havens by Joy Shannon is out digitally now. Album In The Forest Singing Sorrowless is out on 31 October 2025 with an instrumental version to follow on 21 November 2025 through Royal Tea and Fiadh Productions.
Find Joy Shannon: website | Bandcamp | YouTube | Facebook | Instagram
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Sarah Lay
A long-standing music journalist she's also co-founder of independent record label Reckless Yes, an author of novels, and when not messing around with words and music, a digital strategist.
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