Ali Barnes is a fiddle player specialising in celtic & traditional music, with a vast repertoire of Irish, Scottish and also English folk tunes at her hand.

An experienced performer, Ali has numerous TV credits including performing on reality TV shows like Made in Chelsea (twice) and TOWIE, talk shows including Loose Women and This Week and the recent period drama Sanditon. She has also played fiddle for celebrities including David Mitchell, Natalie Dormer, Jeremy Clarkson, Emma Watson, Charlie Boorman, Trinny Woodall, Noel Gallagher, Kirsty Alsop and Theo Wallcot among others.

Ali grew up around traditional music with both of her parents and step-dad being singers and performers, spending her childhood at festivals, folk clubs and sessions. She didn’t pick up the fiddle until her teens but progressed quickly and began performing just a few years later.

Ali runs award winning ceilidh band Licence to Ceilidh, perhaps the busiest function band around, who she regularly performs with both as a Fiddle player and also dance Caller. It was with Licence to Ceilidh she also developed an enjoyment for playing pop music on the fiddle.

She performs as a duo with husband Philippe Barnes, as well as playing solo and frequently depping with many other Irish and ceilidh bands, including Crossharbour & Calum Stewart. Ali has played for dance teams including Mary Rose & Royal George, Victory Morris and Chequered Flag Appalachian and is also a regular on the London Irish music scene and can be found performing in pubs across the city numerous times each week.  She alsorecently taking part in a recorded concert series for the Irish Cultural Centre Hammersmith “The ICC Seisiúns”

As a fiddler and singer Ali has appeared at festivals across the country including Return to Camden Town, Sidmouth Folkweek, Bromyard Folk Festival, Banbury Folk Festival, Beachbreak Live, Enfield Town Show, Chippenham Folk Festival, Alexandra Park Summerfest, Wimborne Folk Festival, Crediton Folk Weekend, The Festival of Steam & Transport and Kent County Fair and has performed across the world in Florida, Salt Lake City, Chicago, Marrakesh, Malta, Italy, Portugal, Majorca, Sweden, Germay and France.

Since the pandemic Ali has been focusing more on on remote recording. She recently recorded music for a new Sky Mobile TV Advert on air now, featuring Lily James (“Wouldn’t it be Nice” by the Beach Boys but done in a Scottish style). Ali recorded tracks for an Irish musical for Chichester College, library music and an EP with Philippe Barnes.