Based in Spain, La Sierra Casa was co-founded by Kyle Falconer of the Mercury-nominated band The View and Michael Ward, a veteran of Scotland’s music scene.
Wanting to enable aspiring songwriters from low-income backgrounds to participate, Oilfast launched the Oilfast Trust Fund to offer two scholarships.
The Oilfast Trust Fund: A commitment to equal opportunity
James Hughes, Business Development Manager for Oilfast said: “We believe that everyone deserves a chance to pursue their dreams, regardless of their financial background.
That’s why we launched the Oilfast Trust Fund to offer two scholarships. These scholarships cover the cost of camp, accommodation, food, and more, ensuring that talented songwriters from low-income backgrounds can thrive in an environment designed to foster their talents.
“The selection process focused on individuals who showed exceptional promise and a passion for music, but who may not have the financial means to attend such a prestigious retreat. We offered two launch scholarships – to Kieran Fisher and John Harrison – who have now returned from La Sierra Casa and updated us on their progress.”
Kieran Fisher
Philip Storm, Digital Marketing Co-Ordinator for Oilfast, provided an update on Kieran Fisher: “He’s been doing brilliantly since La Sierra Casa and has many fond memories of the camp. His favourite moment was creating the song ‘Broken Bottles’ with Kyle Falconer in an impromptu music session at the back of the camp.
“Kieran said this experience made him realise anything is possible. Before winning the scholarship position, he would never have imagined having the opportunity to attend the camp. Setting his sights to the future, he would love to go on tour. He and his band TONTO have been very busy in recent months and are due to release their new album ‘Hope, Faith and Carnage.’ Please listen to a snippet of one of their new songs ‘Kisses like Whisky’. Big things are on the horizon for the band, so be sure to keep an eye out!”
John Harrison
Philip continued with an update on the other scholarship winner, John Harrison: “John’s a massive fan of The View and has been following them since he was a teenager, so when he found out he was a winner of the Oilfast scholarship, he couldn’t have been more excited. He recognised that people from his neighbourhood don’t often get these kinds of chances.
“He said that the atmosphere at the camp was amazing, and everyone was in such good spirits through the whole process. John loved working with Kyle, and he also had the chance to write a song with him, creating ‘Million Miles’ which can be seen on his Facebook page.
“John said he learned a lot from the camp but one of the things that stuck was that a song doesn’t need to be perfect the first time. If a lyric isn’t hitting right, leave it and finish the song. These things can be fixed after.
“Since the camp, John has now agreed to support Kyle Falconer in HMV Dundee on the 7th of February. He’s also working on some new music but doesn’t have a release date yet.”
2025 winners to be announced soon
James added: “Oilfast is pleased to announce that after great success with the camp last year, we are continuing with the scholarship and offering a place on the Jamie Webster and Kyle Falconer camp on the 21st of April! We will be announcing the winners of the scholarship places on our socials soon!”
Images supplied by Oilfast