Released on 9 October 2026, Cover Story marks a first for the Scottish singer and musical theatre star, who has recorded more than 30 albums throughout her career but has never previously devoted an entire collection to cover versions. Cover Story brings together ten songs Dickson has long wanted to record, drawing on the work of songwriters and performers including John Lennon and Paul McCartney, Jimmy Webb, The Everly Brothers, James Taylor and Nick Lowe. The project sees Dickson revisit familiar material through new arrangements, with an emphasis on intimate performances and the storytelling that has characterised much of her recording career.
The idea for the album came to Dickson while travelling in India, when she began considering songs she had always wanted to sing but had never committed to record.
Reflecting on the project, she said: "I'm so excited at this point in my career to have a project that has truly interested me, that is very different to what I've been doing these last twenty years or so."
Dickson explained that she approached Nick, who worked on the album's arrangements, with the idea of presenting the songs in a more intimate style, potentially allowing some of them to become part of her live performances. "I think it's lovely what he's done with these classic songs," she added.
The resulting album offers a different direction for an artist whose career has encompassed folk, pop and musical theatre, with each recording bringing her interpretation to material originally associated with other performers.
Alongside her success as a recording artist, Barbara Dickson has enjoyed a substantial career on stage.
She is particularly associated with Blood Brothers, having originated the role of Mrs Johnstone in the musical's 1983 London production, a performance which earned her an Olivier Award.
She also appeared in Spend Spend Spend, winning another Olivier Award for her portrayal of Viv Nicholson.
Her recording career includes some of the most recognisable British hits of the 1970s and 1980s, including “January February”, “Caravan Song” and her chart-topping duet with Elaine Paige, “I Know Him So Well”, from Chess. With Cover Story, Dickson returns to the songs and songwriters who have influenced her, offering ten new performances rather than revisiting recordings from her own extensive catalogue.
