Laura Marling

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Laura Marling
Laura Marling 3.jpg
Performing at The Queen's Hall, Edinburgh, in November 2009.
Background information
Born (1990-02-01) 1 February 1990 (age 23)
Origin Eversley, Hampshire, England
Genres Contemporary folk, folk rock, indie folk
Instruments Vocals, guitar, bass, piano, ukulele
Years active 2006–present
Labels WayOutWest, Virgin, Ribbon
Associated acts Noah and the Whale, The Rakes, Mystery Jets, Johnny Flynn, Mumford & Sons
Website lauramarling.com

Laura Beatrice Marling (born 1 February 1990) is an English folk musician from Eversley, Hampshire.

Marling became prominent with 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 and was nominated for the same award at the 2012 Brit Awards.

Contents

Biography [edit]

The youngest of three daughters, Marling was born in Hampshire, England, to a music teacher[1] and learned guitar at an early age. Her father Sir Charles William Somerset Marling ran a recording studio, introduced her to folk music and shaped her musical taste,[2] an experience that Marling later described as "a bit of a blessing and a bit of a curse. I couldn’t slot myself into the age-appropriate genre".[3] Marling was educated at Leighton Park School, a private Quaker school in Reading, Berkshire.[4] Marling later revealed that during her high school years she felt uneasy around other people and was afraid of death—in 2013, Marling described her teenage self as "weird".[5][2]

At the age of 16 years, Marling moved to London, where she soon joined a cluster of intertwined bands that were drawn to acoustic instruments and tradition-tinged melodies—the group formed a musical movement that was labelled "nu-folk" by the British press.[3] Marling joined the original line-up of indie folk band Noah and the Whale[4] and appears as a background vocalist on their début album Peaceful, the World Lays Me Down; however, she left the group before the album's 2008 release due to a dissolved relationship with a fellow band member.[6][2] Marling 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 and contributed guest vocals to the single "Young Love" that was released 24 March 2008.[7][8]

Alas, I Cannot Swim [edit]

She was personally invited to tour with Jamie T 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,[9] and later nominated for the 2008 Mercury Prize.[10] 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".[11]

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.[12][13]

I Speak Because I Can [edit]

The follow-up to Alas I Cannot Swim, titled I Speak Because I Can, 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."[14] The album is preceded by the singles "Goodbye England (Covered in Snow)", released on iTunes in December 2009[15] 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.

A Creature I Don't Know [edit]

[icon] This section requires expansion. (May 2013)

Marling's third album, A Creature I Don't Know, was released on 12 September 2011.[16]

Once I Was an Eagle [edit]

From October 2012, Marling played a short tour of America. She announced that she had finished writing the fourth album, Once I Was an Eagle, and that it would be released in February 2013, although this was later delayed until May. On 8 March 2013, Marling confirmed that the album would be released on 27 May, and would be released in the US one day later.[17]

The first single "Master Hunter" was released on 18 April 2013.

Personal life [edit]

Marling's former relationships include Noah and the Whale singer/guitarist Charlie Fink, from whom she separated in 2008,[18] and Marcus Mumford, from whom she separated in late 2010.[19]

Marling relocated to Los Angeles, California, U.S. in 2013. In an interview with The Guardian, Marling explained that she believes that Americans are "a lot more poetic" and also provided an insight into her perspective on relationships:

I sound awful saying it but I think it can be like that. I see a lot of people in unstimulating relationships. And not just boyfriend-girlfriend relationships. They find themselves in stagnant friendships. If people were a little less scared [of ending things] they'd get more out of life… You meet the right person at the right time and they fulfil a certain something in your life. You fulfil something in theirs. But there's a time limit to that. Unless you choose to be bloody good company for the rest of your life, do you know what I mean?[2]

Discography [edit]

Main article: Laura Marling discography

Awards and nominations [edit]

Year Organisation Nominated work Award Result
2008 Mercury Prize 2008 Alas, I Cannot Swim Mercury Prize Nominated
2010 Mercury Prize 2010 I Speak Because I Can Nominated
RTÉ Radio 1 Album of the Year Nominated[20]
2011 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards "Rambling Man" Best Original Song Nominated
Brit Awards Best British Female Won
NME Awards Best Solo Artist Won
2012 Brit Awards Best British Female Nominated
NME Awards Best Solo Artist Nominated

References [edit]

  1. ^ Bernard Zuel (12 September 2011). "I Don't Believe in Romanticism...". Sidney Morning Herald. Retrieved 1 January 2011. 
  2. ^ a b c d Tom Lamont (28 April 2013). "Laura Marling: 'Americans – they're just a lot more poetic'". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 May 2013. 
  3. ^ a b Pareles, Jon (4 September 2011). "Goddesses and Beasts in a Dusky, Lilting Roar". New York Times. Retrieved 10 October 2011. 
  4. ^ a b Fisher, Alice (26 October 2008). "Little gal with a full-grown talent". London: The Observer. Retrieved 25 January 2010. 
  5. ^ Cairns, Dan (14 February 2010). "Laura Marling is cut from different cloth". timesonline.com (London). Retrieved 23 February 2011. 
  6. ^ Lusk, Jon (8 August 2008). "Fans of Belle & Sebastian, Arcade Fire and Bill Callahan may well enjoy this disc (review, Peaceful, The World Lays Me Down)". BBC. Retrieved 28 January 2010. 
  7. ^ Amrit Singh (14). "New Mystery Jets (Feat. Laura Marling) Video – “Young Love”". Stereogum. SpinMedia. Retrieved 17 May 2013. 
  8. ^ "Young Love (feat. Laura Marling)". iTunes Preview. Apple Inc. 24. Retrieved 17 May 2013. 
  9. ^ "Laura Marling - Discography". lauramarling.com. Retrieved 1 February 2013. 
  10. ^ "Bearded magazine". Bearded magazine. Retrieved 1 February 2013. 
  11. ^ The George Lamb Show on BBC 6 Music
  12. ^ Jude Rogers. "Observer interview". Guardian. Retrieved 1 February 2013. 
  13. ^ "YouTube - laura marling busking part 1". Uk.youtube.com. 2 October 2007. Retrieved 1 February 2013. 
  14. ^ "I Speak Because I Can, First Listen". NME. Retrieved 1 February 2013. 
  15. ^ "Laura Marling - News". Retrieved 13 December 2009. 
  16. ^ "Laura Marling To Release New Album 'A Creature I Don't Know' In September". Gigwise. 21 June 2011. Retrieved 1 February 2013. 
  17. ^ http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/music/news/a464203/laura-marling-announces-new-album-once-i-was-an-eagle.html
  18. ^ Fisher, Alice (23 August 2009). "Tell Laura I love her – at least I used to". London: The Observer. Retrieved 25 January 2010. 
  19. ^ "Marcus Mumford dated Laura Marling - Celebrity Break Ups". Zimbio. Retrieved 1 February 2013. 
  20. ^ "RTÉ MUSIC: Tune in before midnight strikes on New Year’s Eve, when RTÉ Radio 1’s Album of the Year will be revealed.". RTÉ Press Centre. 25 December 2010. Retrieved 1 February 2013. 

External links [edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Laura Marling
Laura Marling
Studio albums
Live albums
  • Live from York Minster (2012)
EPs
  • My Manic and I (2007)
  • London Town (2008)
  • Cross Your Fingers (2008)
  • Mumford and Sons, Laura Marling and Dharohar Project (2010)
Singles
Related articles
Noah and the Whale
Studio albums
Singles
Related articles
Authority control
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