There are songs that feel like confessions, and songs that feel like exorcisms. “Ghosts”, the new single from UK-based alt-folk collective Dryadic, is both — a trembling release and a reclamation. Led by singer-songwriter Zora, the track arrives on October 31st as a raw, piano-anchored meditation on shame, inherited pain, and the slow, stubborn work of learning to value yourself after years of believing you shouldn’t.
What makes “Ghosts” so affecting is its emotional honesty. The song was born, as Zora explains, “out of the messiness of doing the work — facing shame, unlearning the noise of self-doubt, and learning how to love the messy, imperfect self underneath.” The chorus feels like a declaration forged in fire — not just a lyric, but a boundary drawn against the voices that haunt us. It’s gentle, vulnerable, and defiantly alive.
The track marks a significant shift for Dryadic: their first official release centered around piano, an instrument that has always been part of Zora’s life but only recently stepped into the spotlight. The weight of the piano — its resonance, its physicality — amplifies the emotional force of the song, giving “Ghosts” a grounding heartbeat. Around it, the band builds their signature atmospheric folk tapestry: George’s double bass detuned to Eb for depth, Aly’s improvised violin lines tracing emotional contours, Emma’s drums rising into a cinematic storm. It’s a sound that feels carved from breath and bruise.
Recording “Ghosts” was an intense process. After the final take, the band found themselves in tears. Zora stayed alone in the booth, sobbing, until Aly came in to hold her. “You can’t sing this song without feeling it in your bones,” she says — and that truth is etched into every layer of the track.
Live, “Ghosts” has already become a moment of collective stillness. Audiences go quiet. People cry. Strangers approach Zora after shows to share their own stories. “It reminds me who I am underneath,” she says. “And that connection — that’s everything.”
Zora’s favorite line? “I know I’m more than enough.” Some days it still feels like a reach, she admits. But singing it makes it real.
“Ghosts” is out October 31st on all major platforms.
Watch the official video: https://youtu.be/Rydr28e8zps?si=G3TQTmGO32vQbMZw
Upcoming tour dates
October
24 – The Ropemakers, Bridport
26 – The Cabin, Camberley
November (Ghosts Tour)
18 – Blue Lagoon, Bristol
20 – The Tuppenny, Swindon
24 – The Grafton Arms, Manchester
27 – The Black Cat, Falmouth
29 – Wycombe Arts Centre, High Wycombe
30 – The Grove, Nottingham
December
13 – St George Community Centre, Bristol
More at: bandsintown.com/dryadic
About the band
Formed in 2017 by Zora McDonald and Joanna Dziecelska, Dryadic grew from shared roots in European folklore, feminist storytelling, and a deep love of raw, atmospheric folk. Today, the band features Zora on vocals and keys, Aly Rainey on fiddle, and George Pearson on double bass — a trio whose interplay creates a sound that is both ancient and immediate.
Dryadic’s music moves between protest, poetry, and myth. Fiddle lines weave like old tales, bass notes tremble like distant thunder, and Zora’s voice anchors it all with a quiet fierceness. Their sound — equal parts folk-pop, roots, gypsy-adjacent flair, and emotional catharsis — has taken them to stages across Europe, including Glastonbury Avalon, Chai Wallahs, Brighton Pride, Hackney Empire, and more.
With a steady run of singles planned for 2025 and a full album on the horizon for 2026, Dryadic step into their next chapter with a growing community behind them and a clear sense of purpose: to tell stories that make people feel less alone.
