Maryen Cairns’ latest single, “Flew Away” pays homage to Joan Taubman, a trailblazing female pilot from Australia.

Released on International Women’s Day, the song reflects Cairns’ deep admiration for Taubman’s courage and resilience, despite her initially knowing much about her extraordinary life.

The song draws from folk influences, with Cairns’ exquisite vocals and intricate guitar work. 

Performing the song solo, Cairns shares her personal connection to the track including her unique approach to the whistling solo originally composed by her friend Paul Stockton:

“When my children were little, I used to take them to the swimming at the pool in my parents building in Sydney. They were, like most children, very noisy! An old lady who lived in the building used to waylay us on the way to the pool, and demand to know who gave us the right to use the pool. Years later my mum told me that she had been one of Australia’s first female pilots and that she used to reminisce about flying under the harbour bridge with her friends! Joan Taubman’s flying suit and helmet are in Sydney’s Powerhouse Museum, and I wrote Flew Away to celebrate how we never know what another person has gone through, what they have achieved, just by looking at them.

Now when I see an elderly person I wonder what adventures they’ve had, what made them laugh or cry, if they were able to follow their dreams, what they regretted, if they had a great love… I’m aware that we cannot see what a person has been through by looking at them, and this was a big lesson to me, that resulted in me writing Flew Away. I wrote this just after I had made the Femina Australis album, and of course it would have fitted beautifully on that album, being about an amazing Australian woman! The original recording of this song is on my album Come To Me from 2019. It features a beautiful whistling solo from my London friend Paul Stockton. Having been a leading choirboy at St Paul Cathedral school many many moons ago, this was only his 2nd time in a recording studio, and he came up with an incredible melody to whistle as a solo. Now, I can’t whistle, not at all (!) but I love Paul’s melody so much that I feature his solo by singing it!

Recorded at Echotown Studios in Dorchester, England, and produced by Chris Kimsey, “Flew Away” forms a pivotal part of Cairns’ upcoming debut vinyl release, marking a significant milestone in her music career.

With an extensive catalogue comprising of seven solo albums and collaborations with esteemed artists like Fish and Chris Kimsey, Cairns has solidified her position as a notable figure in the indie music scene.

Born in Scotland, and then emigrating to Australia, she began writing songs at the age of thirteen. She pioneered a home recording studio with tools like the Tascam 4-track, and Cubase. In the 2010s, she broke barriers with albums like “Stories from the Red Tent” which challenged taboos with its groundbreaking birthing imagery, and “Femina Australia” celebrating the lives of Australian women. 

Beyond her solo work, Maryen founded The Mfest, a celebration of motherhood and women’s creativity, and hosted Sydney’s first originals-only open mic night. Collaborations included backing vocals for ex-Marillion vocalist Fish. She even played a grand piano in an extinct volcano for a promotional video.

Inspired by her recent solo tour across the UK in August 2023, Maryen continues to engage with her audience through platforms like The Cairns Club, where she shares her personal stories, as well as a popular livestream series.

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