Laura Marling
Encyclopedia
Laura Beatrice Marling (born 1 February 1990) is an English
folk
musician from Eversley
, Hampshire
.
Initially prominent within the London
folk
scene, she has also toured with a number of well-known indie artists in the UK. Her debut album Alas, I Cannot Swim
and her second album I Speak Because I Can
were nominated for the Mercury Music Prize in 2008 and 2010 respectively. She won Best Female Solo Artist at the 2011 Brit Awards
.
, introduced her to folk music
and shaped her musical taste. This was "a bit of a blessing and a bit of a curse. I couldn’t slot myself into the age-appropriate genre", she later remembered. Marling was educated at Leighton Park School
, a private Quaker school in Reading, Berkshire
. She has said that during this time she felt uneasy around other people and had a fear of death.
At the age of 16 Laura Marling moved to London, where she soon became part of a cluster of intertwined bands drawn to acoustic instruments and tradition-tinged melodies which formed to movement labeled "nu-folk" by the British press. She became part of the original line-up of indie folk
band Noah and the Whale
and was romantically linked with singer/guitarist Charlie Fink. She is featured as a background vocalist on their debut album Peaceful, the World Lays Me Down
; however, she left the group before the album's 2008 release and split up with Fink that same year. She also appeared on The Rakes
track "Suspicious Eyes", from the band's 2007 album Ten New Messages
, credited as 'Laura Marlin'. Marling would later collaborate with Mystery Jets
, contributing guest vocals to the single "Young Love
", released 10 March 2008. Previously, Marling was in a relationship with Marcus Mumford
; they broke up around Christmas 2010, but are reportedly still friends.
after he attended her second-ever solo gig. She has also toured with a number of other musicians from the UK and beyond, including Adam Green
from the anti-folk
band The Moldy Peaches
. She performed at the 2007 O2 Wireless Festival and also performed at the first Underage Festival in August 2007 at Victoria Park, East London
, before releasing her debut EP "London Town" on WayOutWest Records
.
Her debut album Alas, I Cannot Swim
was released on 4 February 2008, and later nominated for the 2008 Mercury Prize
. The album, as well as subsequent singles, were released on Virgin Records
. The third and final single from her album, "Night Terror" was released on 27 October 2008, coinciding with a 6-date "Night Terror tour".
Marling's television appearances include The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson
and Later With Jools Holland
, performing "Ghosts" and "New Romantic" respectively. In 2008 she appeared on Russell Brand
's Radio 2 show alongside her sister. She once chose to perform on the street after being denied entry to one of her own performances for being underage.
, was released on 22 March 2010. Produced by Ethan Johns
, the album has a more mature sound and lyricism, dealing with "responsibility, particularly the responsibility of womanhood." The album is preceded by the singles "Goodbye England (Covered in Snow)", released on iTunes in December 2009 and "Devil's Spoke" on 15 March 2010. On 28 March 2010, I Speak Because I Can entered the UK Albums Chart
at Number 4. It was also nominated for the 2010 Mercury Music Prize.
and the album was released on 12 September 2011.
Laura Marling also has recorded various songs such as "Soulless Child", "Candlelight", "Karma", "Mexico" and "Nature of Dust" (all of which can be heard on YouTube but are not yet for sale) as well as "She's Changed" (of which a live version is for sale, but not a pre-recorded version) and "Such a Shame" (which is neither for sale nor available on YouTube).
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
folk
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
musician from Eversley
Eversley
Eversley is a village and civil parish in the Hart District of North-East Hampshire, England, 21 km North East of Basingstoke. Its northern boundary is formed by the River Blackwater....
, Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
.
Initially prominent within the London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
folk
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
scene, she has also toured with a number of well-known indie artists in the UK. Her debut album Alas, I Cannot Swim
Alas, I Cannot Swim
Alas, I Cannot Swim is the debut studio album of British folk singer-songwriter Laura Marling. The album was nominated for the 2008 Mercury Music Prize.-Background:...
and her second album I Speak Because I Can
I Speak Because I Can
All tracks by Laura Marling.# "Devil's Spoke" – 3:40# "Made by Maid" – 2:51# "Rambling Man" – 3:16# "Blackberry Stone" – 3:28# "Alpha Shallows" – 3:42# "Goodbye England " – 3:45# "Hope in the Air" – 4:32...
were nominated for the Mercury Music Prize in 2008 and 2010 respectively. She won Best Female Solo Artist at the 2011 Brit Awards
2011 BRIT Awards
The 2011 BRIT Awards was held on Tuesday 15 February 2011.It was the 31st edition of the British Phonographic Industry's annual pop music awards. The award ceremony was held at The O2 Arena...
.
Biography
Marling was born in Hampshire, England, the youngest of three daughters of a music teacher, and learned guitar at an early age. Her father, who ran a recording studioRecording studio
A recording studio is a facility for sound recording and mixing. Ideally both the recording and monitoring spaces are specially designed by an acoustician to achieve optimum acoustic properties...
, introduced her to folk music
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
and shaped her musical taste. This was "a bit of a blessing and a bit of a curse. I couldn’t slot myself into the age-appropriate genre", she later remembered. Marling was educated at Leighton Park School
Leighton Park School
Leighton Park School is a co-educational Quaker independent school for both day and boarding pupils. It is situated in the large town of Reading in Berkshire, in South East England...
, a private Quaker school in Reading, Berkshire
Reading, Berkshire
Reading is a large town and unitary authority area in England. It is located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, and on both the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway, some west of London....
. She has said that during this time she felt uneasy around other people and had a fear of death.
At the age of 16 Laura Marling moved to London, where she soon became part of a cluster of intertwined bands drawn to acoustic instruments and tradition-tinged melodies which formed to movement labeled "nu-folk" by the British press. She became part of the original line-up of indie folk
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
band Noah and the Whale
Noah and the Whale
Noah and the Whale are an English indie folk band from Twickenham, London, England formed in 2006. The band consists of Charlie Fink , Tom Hobden , Matt "Urby Whale" Owens , Fred Abbott , and Michael Petulla .-Early years and Peaceful, the World Lays Me Down...
and was romantically linked with singer/guitarist Charlie Fink. She is featured as a background vocalist on their debut album Peaceful, the World Lays Me Down
Peaceful, The World Lays Me Down
Peaceful, the World Lays Me Down is the debut album by the English band Noah and the Whale. It was released on 11 August 2008 in the United Kingdom, and on 16 September 2008 in the United States...
; however, she left the group before the album's 2008 release and split up with Fink that same year. She also appeared on The Rakes
The Rakes
The Rakes were an English indie rock band from London. They split up in October 2009.-History:The Rakes formed in 2004. Since coming to fame in 2005, they were associated with the British post-punk/art rock scene, a genre shared by bands such as Bloc Party, Maxïmo Park, and The Futureheads...
track "Suspicious Eyes", from the band's 2007 album Ten New Messages
Ten New Messages
Ten New Messages is the second album from London based indie rock band The Rakes. The album was released on March 19, 2007 and reached number 38. The first single from the album—"We Danced Together"—was released on March 12, 2007 reaching number 38 on the British singles chart...
, credited as 'Laura Marlin'. Marling would later collaborate with Mystery Jets
Mystery Jets
Mystery Jets are an English five-piece indie band, formerly based on Eel Pie Island in Twickenham, London. The band was formed by Henry Harrison , Blaine Harrison and William Rees when the boys were still at school and would send each other songs on cassettes...
, contributing guest vocals to the single "Young Love
Young Love (Mystery Jets song)
Young Love is the first single to be released from Mystery Jets' second album Twenty One. It was released on 10 March 2008, on CD, two 7" singles and digital download. Unlike most Mystery Jets songs, which are sung by Blaine Harrison, the band's guitarist William Rees sings lead vocals on the song...
", released 10 March 2008. Previously, Marling was in a relationship with Marcus Mumford
Marcus Mumford
Marcus Oliver Johnston Mumford is an English lead singer of the Mercury Prize- and Grammy-nominated band Mumford & Sons. He plays many instruments with the band, including guitar, drums, and mandolin. He is recently engaged to Academy Award nominated actress Carey Mulligan.-Background:Mumford was...
; they broke up around Christmas 2010, but are reportedly still friends.
Alas, I Cannot Swim
She was personally invited to tour with Jamie TJamie T
Jamie Alexander Treays , known by his stage name Jamie T, is an English singer/songwriter from Wimbledon, South London.-Early life:Jamie Alexander Treays, was born in Wimbledon, South-West London...
after he attended her second-ever solo gig. She has also toured with a number of other musicians from the UK and beyond, including Adam Green
Adam Green (musician)
Adam Green is an American singer-songwriter.Green's off-kilter style has achieved a moderate college radio following in the United States, and enjoys increasing popularity in a number of European countries, particularly Germany.-Career:Green attended Emerson College for one semester in 1998 before...
from the anti-folk
Anti-folk
Anti-folk is a music genre that takes the earnestness of politically charged 1960s folk music and subverts it. The defining characteristics of this anti-folk are difficult to identify, as they vary from one artist to the next...
band The Moldy Peaches
The Moldy Peaches
The Moldy Peaches was an indie group founded by Adam Green and Kimya Dawson. Leading proponents of the anti-folk scene, the band has been on hiatus since 2004...
. She performed at the 2007 O2 Wireless Festival and also performed at the first Underage Festival in August 2007 at Victoria Park, East London
Victoria Park, East London
Victoria Park is 86.18 hectares of open space that stretches out across part of the East End of London, England bordering parts of Bethnal Green, Hackney, and Bow, such as along Old Ford Road, London E3 and Victoria Park Road E9. The park is entirely within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets...
, before releasing her debut EP "London Town" on WayOutWest Records
WayOutWest Records
WayOutWest Records is a London-based independent record label. They have released singles and EPs by the following artists:*Cajun Dance Party*Late of the Pier*Video Nasties*Laura Marling...
.
Her debut album Alas, I Cannot Swim
Alas, I Cannot Swim
Alas, I Cannot Swim is the debut studio album of British folk singer-songwriter Laura Marling. The album was nominated for the 2008 Mercury Music Prize.-Background:...
was released on 4 February 2008, and later nominated for the 2008 Mercury Prize
Mercury Prize
The Mercury Prize, formerly called the Mercury Music Prize and currently known as the Barclaycard Mercury Prize for sponsorship reasons, is an annual music prize awarded for the best album from the United Kingdom and Ireland. It was established by the British Phonographic Industry and British...
. The album, as well as subsequent singles, were released on Virgin Records
Virgin Records
Virgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny...
. The third and final single from her album, "Night Terror" was released on 27 October 2008, coinciding with a 6-date "Night Terror tour".
Marling's television appearances include The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson
The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson
The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson is a Peabody Award-winning American late-night talk show hosted by Scottish American comedian Craig Ferguson. Ferguson, the third regular host of the Late Late Show franchise, follows Late Show with David Letterman in the CBS late-night lineup...
and Later With Jools Holland
Later with Jools Holland
Later... with Jools Holland is a contemporary British music television show hosted by Jools Holland. A spin-off of The Late Show, it has been running in short series since 1992 and is a part of BBC Two's late-night line-up, usually at around 11pm to 12 midnight...
, performing "Ghosts" and "New Romantic" respectively. In 2008 she appeared on Russell Brand
Russell Brand
Russell Edward Brand is an English comedian, actor, columnist, singer, author and radio/television presenter.Brand achieved mainstream fame in the UK in 2004 for his role as host of Big Brother spin-off, Big Brother's Big Mouth. His first major film role was in the 2007 film St Trinians...
's Radio 2 show alongside her sister. She once chose to perform on the street after being denied entry to one of her own performances for being underage.
I Speak Because I Can
The follow-up to Alas I Cannot Swim, titled I Speak Because I CanI Speak Because I Can
All tracks by Laura Marling.# "Devil's Spoke" – 3:40# "Made by Maid" – 2:51# "Rambling Man" – 3:16# "Blackberry Stone" – 3:28# "Alpha Shallows" – 3:42# "Goodbye England " – 3:45# "Hope in the Air" – 4:32...
, was released on 22 March 2010. Produced by Ethan Johns
Ethan Johns
Ethan Johns is a record producer, engineer, mixer, musician, and songwriter who has worked with such artists such as Ryan Adams, Kings of Leon, Ray LaMontagne, Kevin Prosch, Rufus Wainwright, Howard Eliott Payne, Emmylou Harris, Crowded House, Laura Marling, Luthea Salom, and Crosby, Stills and...
, the album has a more mature sound and lyricism, dealing with "responsibility, particularly the responsibility of womanhood." The album is preceded by the singles "Goodbye England (Covered in Snow)", released on iTunes in December 2009 and "Devil's Spoke" on 15 March 2010. On 28 March 2010, I Speak Because I Can entered the UK Albums Chart
UK Albums Chart
The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
at Number 4. It was also nominated for the 2010 Mercury Music Prize.
A Creature I Don't Know
In 2010, Marling announced that she would release two albums in 2010, the first of which being I Speak Because I Can. She later announced that there was a change of plan and that she wouldn't be releasing a second album that year. She did, however, add that the album would be better due to the delay, and that she hoped to have it finished for February 2011. In June 2011, the new album's title was revealed to be A Creature I Don't KnowA Creature I Don't Know
A Creature I Don't Know is the third album by British singer-songwriter Laura Marling, released on 9 September 2011. The album was announced in June 2011, along with a preview of a new song, featured in a video posted on Laura Marling's official YouTube channel. The first track from the album to...
and the album was released on 12 September 2011.
Discography
- Alas, I Cannot SwimAlas, I Cannot SwimAlas, I Cannot Swim is the debut studio album of British folk singer-songwriter Laura Marling. The album was nominated for the 2008 Mercury Music Prize.-Background:...
(2008) - I Speak Because I CanI Speak Because I CanAll tracks by Laura Marling.# "Devil's Spoke" – 3:40# "Made by Maid" – 2:51# "Rambling Man" – 3:16# "Blackberry Stone" – 3:28# "Alpha Shallows" – 3:42# "Goodbye England " – 3:45# "Hope in the Air" – 4:32...
(2010) - A Creature I Don't KnowA Creature I Don't KnowA Creature I Don't Know is the third album by British singer-songwriter Laura Marling, released on 9 September 2011. The album was announced in June 2011, along with a preview of a new song, featured in a video posted on Laura Marling's official YouTube channel. The first track from the album to...
(2011)
Laura Marling also has recorded various songs such as "Soulless Child", "Candlelight", "Karma", "Mexico" and "Nature of Dust" (all of which can be heard on YouTube but are not yet for sale) as well as "She's Changed" (of which a live version is for sale, but not a pre-recorded version) and "Such a Shame" (which is neither for sale nor available on YouTube).
Awards and nominations
| Year | Organisation | Nominated work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Mercury Prize 2008 Mercury Prize The Mercury Prize, formerly called the Mercury Music Prize and currently known as the Barclaycard Mercury Prize for sponsorship reasons, is an annual music prize awarded for the best album from the United Kingdom and Ireland. It was established by the British Phonographic Industry and British... |
Alas, I Cannot Swim Alas, I Cannot Swim Alas, I Cannot Swim is the debut studio album of British folk singer-songwriter Laura Marling. The album was nominated for the 2008 Mercury Music Prize.-Background:... |
Mercury Prize | |
| 2010 | Mercury Prize 2010 Mercury Prize The Mercury Prize, formerly called the Mercury Music Prize and currently known as the Barclaycard Mercury Prize for sponsorship reasons, is an annual music prize awarded for the best album from the United Kingdom and Ireland. It was established by the British Phonographic Industry and British... |
I Speak Because I Can I Speak Because I Can All tracks by Laura Marling.# "Devil's Spoke" – 3:40# "Made by Maid" – 2:51# "Rambling Man" – 3:16# "Blackberry Stone" – 3:28# "Alpha Shallows" – 3:42# "Goodbye England " – 3:45# "Hope in the Air" – 4:32... |
||
| RTÉ Radio 1 RTÉ Radio 1 RTÉ Radio 1 is the principal radio channel of Irish public-service broadcaster Raidió Teilifís Éireann and is the direct descendant of Dublin radio station 2RN, which began broadcasting on a regular basis on 1 January 1926... |
Album of the Year | |||
| 2011 | BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards The BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards celebrate outstanding achievement during the previous year within the field of folk music. The awards have been given annually since 2000 by British radio station BBC Radio 2.... |
"Rambling Man" | Best Original Song | |
| Brit Awards 2011 BRIT Awards The 2011 BRIT Awards was held on Tuesday 15 February 2011.It was the 31st edition of the British Phonographic Industry's annual pop music awards. The award ceremony was held at The O2 Arena... |
Best British Female | |||
| NME Awards NME Awards The NME Awards is an annual music awards show in the United Kingdom, founded by the music magazine, NME .The first awards show was held in 1953 as the NME Poll Winners Concerts, shortly after the founding of the magazine.... |
Best Solo Artist | |||