The combination of Anna B Savage, a London-born singer-songwriter renowned for her introspective and emotionally resonant music, alongside acclaimed poetic prose writer Max Porter, is both unexpected and yet, simultaneously, the most natural duet in the world. 

The main event of the night drew open as Savage finished playing a haunting rendition of Elliott Smith’s ‘Between the Bars’ and slipped into the acoustic strum that would become the emotional scaffolding of the evening. Her voice—at once velvet and mournfully elegiac—was the band, the rhythm section, and the atmosphere. With the mastery of a seasoned architect, she wielded a loop pedal to build and layer textures, creating an immersive sonic landscape. 

Soaring and cracking above Savage’s soundtrack trod the arresting honesty of Porter’s poetry. He began a live reading of his latest work: ‘All of this Unreal Time.’ A writer known for his lyrical prowess, Porter brought raw candour and piercing insight to the stage. 

His spoken words intertwined with Savage’s music, their voices bleeding into one another with a beautiful synchronicity. Her looping and layering became a counterpoint to his prose—a dialogue that felt both well rehearsed and yet never manufactured. At one point, Porter’s voice cracked with an apology: “I AM SO VERY SORRY.” The vulnerability was palpable, yet never mawkish. The performance was both an exploration and an exorcism of personal history. 

One of the standout moments came around at the final moments of the night when Savage’s performance of “Lighthouse Keepers” brought the room to a hushed reverence. The song felt universal in its sentiment. “I know that he is home,” she sang. “I know he’ll guide me home. He’s my lighthouse, he is home.” Her delivery was mournful yet tinged with hope, a counterpoint to Porter’s often raw and traumatic prose. Together, their interplay balanced the evening’s emotional weight, offering moments of light amidst the shadows.

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The sentiment was a benediction. It was an appropriate ending for a night steeped in the complex feelings Christmas evokes: the nostalgia for childhood, the yearning for home, the trauma that can linger in the season’s corners. Porter and Savage’s collaboration was, at its core, a reflection of those complexities—a mirror held up to the audience’s own tangled emotions.

The working relationship between the two was evidently profound. They weren’t just two friends on stage; they were co-conspirators in an artistic endeavour that blurred the lines between performance and catharsis. It was an evening that lingered, not just as a memory, but as a feeling.

The British Music Embassy typically takes over a venue every year at SXSW in Austin, Texas, putting a spotlight on the best new music from around the UK. As the festival is virtual this year due to the ongoing global health crisis, the British Music Embassy has recorded live performances which can be watched on the SXSW portal. A selection of performances will also be made available after Easter for all to view on SXSW’s YouTube channel.

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The full British Music Embassy line-up for SXSW Online 2021 includes 404 Guild, Afronaut Zu,  Anna B Savage, Baby Queen, Beauty Sleep, Black Country, New Road, Chubby and The Gang, Connie Constance, Do Nothing, Drug Store Romeos, Ego Ella May, Enola Gay, Finn Askew, The Goa Express, IDER, Katy J Pearson, Lau.ra, Lilla Vargen, Matilda Mann, The Mysterines, Nayana IZ, Olivia Dean, Onipa, Penelope Isles, Phoebe Green, Porij, PVA, Ryan McMullan, Sinead O’Brien, Squid, Tayo Sound, TV Priest, Virginia Wing, Walt Disco and Yard Act.

Speaking about the event in a press release, Paul Pacifico, Chief Executive Officer at AIM said; “We’re delighted to be returning as a British Music Embassy partner for SXSW 2021. It has always been a key stepping stone for the careers of independent artists, and a valuable way to accelerate their journeys on the international stage. Although we can’t attend in person this year, the positioning of British Music within the virtual showcase platform is the next best thing and a crucial moment to showcase exciting British talent to the world.”

Northern Irish singer-songwriter Lilla Vargen shared her excitement about being on the virtual line-up saying; “The past year has been devastating for live music, and SXSW being able to go ahead in some form is a light at the end of the tunnel, and hopefully can signal the return of more opportunities like this. I can’t wait to head to Austin when it is safe to do so.”

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The British Music Embassy is brought to you this year by AIM, BBC, BPI, the Department for International Trade, PPL, PRS for Music, and PRS Foundation, with further support from ATC, media partner DIY Magazine and Belfast City Council. Since 2008 it has hosted over 450 UK artists, positioning them in front of a global audience in order to help them to break into new markets and advance their careers. The British Music Embassy also uses UK-only production and equipment, giving artists from the UK an unparalleled platform on the world music stage.

Check out the SXSW showcase at The British Music Embassy through the SXSW portal or on SXSW’s YouTube channel.