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Laura Marling
Marling performing at Underage Festival, in August 2007.
Background information
Born	1 February 1990 (1990-02-01) (age 20)
Origin	Hampshire, England
Genres	Alternative, folk rock
Occupations	Singer/songwriter
Instruments	Voice, guitar, bass, piano
Years active	2006–present
Labels	WayOutWest, Virgin
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 a folk-pop, singer-songwriter from Hampshire, England. Initially predominant within the London folk scene, she has also toured with a number of well-known indie artists in the UK. Her sound is characterised by striking melodies and poetic lyricism.

Early years

Marling was born in Hampshire, England. She was part of the original line-up of indie folk band Noah and the Whale and was romantically linked with singer/guitarist Charlie Fink.^[1][2] 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.^[1][3]

She also appeared on The Rakes track "Suspicious Eyes," from the band's 2007 album Ten New Messages. Marling was found by singer Alan Donohoe on the social networking site Myspace, before she was asked to appear on the album. Marling would later collaborate with Mystery Jets, contributing guest vocals to the single Young Love, released 10 March 2008.

Alas I Cannot Swim

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 single "Ghosts" on WayOutWest Records.

Her debut album Alas, I Cannot Swim was released on 4 February 2008^[4] which was later nominated for the 2008 Mercury Prize.^[5] 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".^[6]

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.^[7][8]

I Speak Because I Can

The follow-up to Alas I Cannot Swim is due for release on 22 March 2010. Produced by Ethan Johns and entitled I Speak Because I Can, the album is reported to show a definite maturity in Marling's sound and lyricism, dealing with "responsibility, particularly the responsibility of womanhood."^[9] The album is preceded by the singles "Goodbye England (Covered in Snow)", released on iTunes in December 2009^[10] and "Devil's Spoke" on 15 March 2010.

Releases

Albums

• Alas, I Cannot Swim (2008) #45 UK
• I Speak Because I Can (2010)

EPs

• London Town EP (2008)

1. "London Town"
2. "She's Changed"
3. "Failure"
4. "Tap at My Window"

• My Manic and I EP (2007)

1. "New Romantic"
2. "Night Terror"
3. "My Manic and I"
4. "Typical"

Singles

• "Ghosts" #108 UK
• "Cross Your Fingers/Crawled Out of the Sea" #113 UK
• "Night Terror"
• "Goodbye England (Covered in Snow)" #133 UK
• "Devil's Spoke"

References

External links

• Official Website
• BBC London article
• Later with Jools Holland: Watch Laura Marling perform My Manic and I
• Later with Jools Holland: Watch Laura Marling interview, Nov 2007
• Interview with Rob Townsend
• Laura Marling at NPR Music
• Sunday Times article, February 2010