Laura Marling
Biography
Laura Marling remains one of the most vital and evolving voices in contemporary folk music, continuing to push boundaries while staying true to her introspective songwriting roots. Her 2020 album "Song for Our Daughter" marked another creative peak, written as a protective letter to a hypothetical future daughter, exploring themes of womanhood, resilience, and the complexities of growing up female in a challenging world. The album earned widespread critical acclaim and demonstrated her continued ability to channel personal experience into universal truths, cementing her position as one of Britain's most important singer-songwriters.
Throughout her career, Marling has garnered numerous accolades, including multiple BRIT Award nominations and Mercury Prize nominations for several of her albums. Her influence extends far beyond commercial success, inspiring a generation of folk artists with her fearless approach to confessional songwriting and her technical guitar prowess. She's become a mentor figure in the folk scene, championing other artists and contributing to the genre's continued evolution.
The late 2010s saw Marling experimenting with different sounds and themes. Her 2017 album "Semper Femina" was inspired by her relationships with women and featured a more electric, rock-influenced sound, while still maintaining her signature lyrical depth. This period reflected her growing confidence as both a musician and a woman, tackling subjects like female friendship, sexuality, and power dynamics with characteristic honesty and intelligence.
Her mid-career albums "Short Movie" (2015) and "Semper Femina" showcased an artist unafraid to reinvent herself. "Short Movie" was recorded in Los Angeles and featured a more stripped-down, intimate sound, while exploring themes of isolation and self-discovery. These works demonstrated her ability to evolve while maintaining the emotional core that made her early work so compelling.
The early 2010s established Marling as a major force in contemporary folk music. Albums like "A Creature I Don't Know" (2011) and "Once I Was an Eagle" (2013) revealed increasing sophistication in both her songwriting and arrangements. "Once I Was an Eagle" was particularly ambitious, featuring longer, more complex compositions that showcased her growth as both a guitarist and a storyteller. These albums solidified her reputation as an artist capable of creating cohesive, album-length statements rather than simply collections of songs.
Marling's breakthrough came with her 2010 album "I Speak Because I Can," which earned her first Mercury Prize nomination and established her as a leading voice in the British folk revival. The album's title track and songs like "Rambling Man" demonstrated her ability to blend traditional folk structures with contemporary concerns, creating music that felt both timeless and urgently modern.
Her journey began in earnest with 2008's "Alas, I Cannot Swim," recorded when she was just 18 years old. The album's maturity belied her age, featuring intricate fingerpicked guitar work and lyrics that seemed to come from someone with far more life experience. Songs like "Ghosts" and "New Romantic" announced the arrival of a major talent, someone who could channel the spirit of folk legends like Joni Mitchell and Nick Drake while maintaining a distinctly contemporary voice.
Before her solo career took flight, Marling was deeply embedded in London's folk scene, having been part of bands like Noah and the Whale and Mystery Jets during her teenage years. These early experiences in West London's musical community provided her with both technical skills and industry connections that would prove invaluable. Her collaborations with artists like Marcus Mumford and other future stars of the folk revival helped create a supportive network of musicians who would collectively reshape British folk music.
Born in Eversley, Hampshire, in 1990, Laura Beatrice Marling grew up in a musical household that encouraged her early interest in guitar and songwriting. Her father's record collection introduced her to folk legends, while her own discovery of artists like Leonard Cohen and Bob Dylan shaped her understanding of what folk music could accomplish. By her mid-teens, she was already writing sophisticated songs and performing in London venues, displaying a precocious talent that would soon captivate audiences worldwide.
Marling's musical style blends traditional British folk with American influences, creating a sound that's both rootsy and contemporary. Her fingerpicked guitar technique, influenced by artists like Bert Jansch and John Martyn, provides the foundation for her introspective, often complex lyrics that explore themes of love, loss, femininity, and personal growth with remarkable insight and emotional honesty.
