Callum Beatty wants to rack up what he calls “milestone moments” in 2026.

The Scottish singer-songwriter has a busy year ahead of her. He has released his first album as an independent artist, played a huge show at Edinburgh Castle and headlined Belladrum’s opening night.

“When I was younger, I didn’t really have anything rewarding to do other than music,” he said.

“I had big dreams and all of a sudden they are becoming reality.”

Beatty’s first two albums (2020’s People Like Us and 2023’s Vandals) achieved number one success in the Scottish album chart.

His third album, INDI, will be released on Friday, and is the first he has released without signing to a record label.

“This is a pretty big challenge for me,” Beatty said. Her previous songs include “Heart Stops Beating,” “We Are Stars” and “Salamander Street.”

“I think it’s a really great album.

“The song came very naturally, so I think if it comes easily, you’re in the right place and it’s probably going to be a good song.”

Beatty said it was refreshing to have complete control over his music and “make an album based on art.”

He said he no longer feels pressured to talk about music streaming platforms’ algorithms or to be told who he should sound like.

The musician, who grew up in Musselburgh, said: “I love songs that have an identity that people can relate to, whether it’s a place or a situation in life.”

One of his new songs that is clearly rooted in a place is Always Rains in Glasgow.

“I literally wrote it last year in my apartment in Glasgow,” Beattie said.

“It’s a cliché, but I think it was raining outside and banging on the window, and I was listening to Bruce Springsteen or something like that.

“I wrote it in 10 minutes.

“I wrote the chorus first. I just thought of a story of being lonely and missing people and how you can survive anywhere in the world. But if you don’t have the right people around you, you’ll always feel isolated and alone.”

He adds with a laugh that he hasn’t written any breezy pop tunes yet.

“Maybe I should write a book,” he said, “Maybe it would be nice to cheer myself up a little.”

Beatty is very pleased to be making his first headline appearance at the Belladrum Tartan Heart Music Festival in the Highlands.

He has a long association with the event, first as a fan and then as a performer.

Beatty dreamed of playing with Bella when he was only 15, but joked that his songs were crap and that he was just a kid who had no idea what he was doing.

This year, he will be the festival’s main act on Thursday night.

“For some reason, whenever I go to Highland to perform, Highland always follows me,” Beatty said.

“There was always a great atmosphere and they accepted me as one of them.

“I think performing as a headliner at a festival will be a pinch moment for me, so I’m really looking forward to it.”

But before Bella performed live at the famous castle in her hometown in early July.

“It’s a mental thing,” Beatty said.

“When I was younger I used to play a lot in pubs around Edinburgh, especially the Royal Mile.

“I was always waiting for the fans to come out of the gig, and I might have seen The Who, Paul Weller, Noel Gallagher, but when they stormed into the pub I was ready to play my songs to them and try to steal some of them.”

He added: “It’s going to be quite emotional. It’s one of those things you’ll never forget.”

“It’s a milestone moment. They never leave you.”

Beatty said the show will be a tribute to the family and friends who have been with him throughout his journey, adding: “These are the people who begged me to go to the show on Monday night and I didn’t know how to get through it.”