Billie Marten

Saturday and Sunday, July 27/28.

Billie Marten is among the rare that gain notoriety early in life through the internet and move onto a career in music. Born Isabella Sophie Tweddle, a popular YouTube video at age 12 plus parents who surrounded her with the music of key UK and American folk artists was this indie artist’s early grounding. Her critically acclaimed 2016 debut album, Writing of Blues and Yellows, was a diarist, open-hearted collection of quietly beautiful songs at age 17. The following year, she moved to London, where she worked on her 2019 follow-up, Feeding Seahorses by Hand, which one publication declared a "gentle and reserved masterpiece.” Built on her characteristic minimalist acoustic folk, Billie Marten’s new record Flora Fauna showcases mature songs whose bass experimentations create unique, punchy and direct rhythms. The album reflects more musical independence, allowing her to nurture herself and break free from toxic relationships, including a return to nature. She views the album as a flora and fauna-centred painting that encompasses organisms, different corners of Earth and a feeling of total abundance. Her original songs explore social commentary, the struggle with modernity vs tradition, nature, mental health, relationships, and a general voyeurism around her view of the world.