Rising UK Americana and blues star Elles Bailey continues to build anticipation for her forthcoming album ‘Can’t Take My Story Away' with the release of her new single ‘Take A Step Back.' The album will arrive on January 16, 2026, via Cooking Vinyl and Outlaw Music, marking a powerful new era for the Bristol-born singer-songwriter.
“Sometimes relationships can be all fire, all pleasure and all pain simultaneously and you either have to embrace it – or take a step back,” Bailey says of the new track. “This truly is one of my favourite moments on the album. I love the sound we captured in the room. It’s so live, so full of swagger, so soulful and yet equally just as playful. It’s definitely the kind of song that puts a strut in your stride.”
Produced by Luke Potashnick, ‘Can’t Take My Story Away' was recorded with a stellar lineup of musicians separate from her touring band. Written over a three-year period, with roots stretching back almost a decade, the record offers an honest and vulnerable glimpse into Bailey’s personal and musical journey. “There’s definitely an empowerment to this record,” she explains. “I feel like that has actually evolved since I first started making it – as though I was a different person. There is a quiet strength running through this album and a deep-rooted honesty, and whilst there are some moments that reflect on the hardest chapters of my story, there’s a feeling of joy threaded through every note. It’s like a kind of light has found its way in, even in some of the darkest moments.”
Following its release, Bailey will embark on an extensive UK and European headline tour in February and March 2026, with her acclaimed live band returning to the stage. She will also perform a special series of intimate acoustic instore shows throughout January to celebrate the album’s arrival, alongside a unique evening titled The Story By Candlelight at Rough Trade Bristol on November 24.
Elles Bailey UK & EU Tour Dates
Instore Shows – January 2026
Fri 16 – London, Rough Trade West
Sat 17 – Oxford, Truck
Sat 17 – Leamington Spa, Temperance
Sun 18 – Leeds, Vinyl Whistle
Sun 18 – Liverpool, Jacaranda
Mon 19 – Bury, Wax & Beans
Tue 20 – Nottingham, Rough Trade
Wed 21 – Southampton, Vinilo
Wed 21 – Brighton, Resident
Thu 22 – Marlborough, St Peters Church
Headline Tour – February & March 2026
Fri 20 Feb – Stuttgart, Im Wizemann
Sat 21 Feb – Munich, Ampere
Sun 22 Feb – Nuremberg, Hirsch
Mon 23 Feb – Aschaffenburg, Colas-Saal
Thu 19 Mar – London, Islington Assembly Hall
Fri 20 Mar – Warwick, Arts Centre
Sat 21 Mar – Bristol, Electric
Tue 24 Mar – Manchester, Band on the Wall
Wed 25 Mar – Glasgow, St Luke's
Thu 26 Mar – Gateshead, Glasshouse 2
Fri 27 Mar – Holmfirth, Picturedrome
Bailey’s upcoming release follows a landmark year of acclaim and accolades. She was named Live Act of the Year at the 2024 UK Americana Awards, and took home Album of the Year, Vocalist of the Year, and Broadcaster of the Year at the 2025 UK Blues Awards. With ‘Can’t Take My Story Away,' Elles Bailey continues to prove herself as one of Britain’s most compelling and authentic voices — and her story is only just beginning.
For more information, visit ellesbailey.com.
