Shannon Gillespie is a singer-songwriter from the North West whose passion for heartfelt storytelling unfolds through rich indie-pop and alt-rock soundscapes. With a growing catalogue of emotionally driven releases, Gillespie has quietly built momentum — racking up over 24,500 Spotify streams across four singles — and now steps into a bold new chapter with her fifth release, The Runner. It’s a track that captures not only where she’s been, but exactly where she’s heading.
From the opening moments, The Runner carries a sense of movement and intent. There’s a forward-driven pulse at its core — a rhythmic push that mirrors the song’s central theme of chasing something just beyond reach. Musically, it feels more confident and expansive than her earlier work, blending polished indie-pop hooks with the emotional bite and grit of alt-rock. This is Shannon refining her sound without sanding down its edges.
Vocally, she strikes a compelling balance between vulnerability and resolve. Her delivery feels urgent yet controlled, allowing the emotion to breathe while still driving the track forward. There’s a natural warmth to her tone, but it’s edged with urgency, allowing the lyrics to land with genuine weight. She moves effortlessly between reflective restraint and moments of lift, giving the song its emotional rise and fall. Rather than overpowering the production, her vocal sits confidently at the centre of it, guiding the track forward and making every line feel lived-in, honest and intentional.
Lyrically, The Runner leans into the mindset of the hopeless romantic — clinging to belief, hope and ambition even when reality threatens to slow you down. It’s reflective without being inward-looking, tapping into themes of lost love, self-doubt and persistence in a way that feels quietly universal.
The Runner feels like a line drawn under one chapter and a bold underline beneath the next. With a music video on the horizon and a live date lined up at The Jacaranda for Independent Venue Week, Shannon Gillespie is clearly thinking bigger, wider and more cinematically than ever before.
The Runner isn’t just a song about chasing dreams — it sounds like one in motion. Honest, high-energy and emotionally charged, this is Shannon Gillespie stepping up a gear and refusing to look back. If this is the pace she’s setting heading into 2026, now’s the time to start running with her.
Gigs
Thursday 29th January 2026 – The Jacaranda Club Liverpool
Shannon Gillespie Socials
ThisIsTheMusic 
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