This month we caught up with the lovely Billie Marten and it was all kinds of wonderful. We’ve been big fans of the indie-folk songstress for some time now, so we are incredibly humbled that she took the time to speak to us ❤️
Big love to Kelly Morrison for this lush illustration too x
Big love to Kelly Morrison for this lush illustration too x
Hey Billie! How are you doing today?
I’m good! Currently in Dublin awaiting soundcheck, desperately trying not to look at the Guinness.
Haha praying for you! Please describe your sound in five words to our lovely readers:
I was recently told that I make ‘ethereal grunge’, so let’s add that to soft acoustic melancholia (?)
Sounds delightful. How have you been coping with these continuously mad times? Where are you based currently?
I’m based in East London, so times have been relatively normal of late, but for the first 6 months of the pandemic I was up North at my parents’ place, so that allowed me to do a lot of recovering and rehabilitating before re-entering the madness.
You released your incredible album ‘Flora Fauna’ last year – are there any themes running through the album?
Lots of themes in there yep, mostly renewal, growth, experiment, mistakes, our relationship with nature, environmental anxiety, bad relationships, all sorts of stuff.
You also released your gorgeous ‘Acoustic EP’ last year – what made you decide to release this entirely acoustic record?
I think it’s important to give people the beginnings of songs as much as the ends, I write pretty much everything on my acoustic bass, so maybe people enjoy hearing the bare bones sometimes amidst all the noise.
We think they definitely do! What’s your songwriting process like?
Sporadic, momentary, honest and difficult.
Who would you say are your biggest influences?
I admire anyone who makes this job look easy, from John Martyn to Feist, but musical influence changes all the time depending on what I’m listening to.
We were lucky enough to catch you in October last year performing at Wild Paths Festival in the stunning St Andrews Hall in Norwich – do you have a favourite venue / location you’ve performed in?
I once did a gig for Lauren Laverne in Shakespeare’s Sam Wanamaker Playhouse. It was candlelit and pretty much unplugged, such a beautiful setting to sing out to.
Stunning! What advice would you give artists starting out in the music industry?
Trust that gut of yours, it clearly wants to do something, and it feels when another thing isn’t right. Also don’t ask for opinions when you already know the answer, it is easy to be swayed in this game.
Are there any emerging artists you’d recommend?
Really enjoying the band Coco at the moment, although I know absolutely nothing about them, which I’m enjoying. Also this Canadian lady under the name PACKS – really good.
What are your plans for 2022?
It’s actually looking like a pretty busy year, which is a relief and a privilege. I’ll be finishing the Palace support tour soon, then heading out to the US in May, making an album in-between that and another end of year UK tour.
After that I might retire.
We don’t blame you. Any final pearls of wisdom?
I recently read an Alan Watts book, and a quote I found fascinating read – ‘Belief clings, faith lets go.’
So profound! Love it and we love you, thanks Billie xxx