Martha Tilston

Martha Tilston has grown up immersed in music. Her singer/songwriter father Steve Tilston and renowned folk singer Maggie Boyle (step-mother) were obvious influences on the young Martha.  Musicians of the 70s folk-revival such as Bert Jansch, John Rebourn and John Martin would often gather and sing in her kitchen.

Her subsequent musical journey has taken her from the acoustic stage at Glastonbury to touring the far reaches of the globe.  She has also earned a nomination for Best Newcomer at the BBC Folk Awards while releasing six albums and featuring on the Zero 7 album ‘Yeah Ghost’.

Tilston began her musical tenure in folk duo Mouse (alongside Nick Marshall) and built up a dedicated word of mouth audience playing the London underground music scene, often sharing stages with the likes of Kate Tempest, Damien Rice amongst others. Her first lo-fi solo album released in 2003 then accompanied extensive touring with Damien Rice.

Her earthy compositions and delicate melodies swiftly attracted a sizeable fanbase and considerable record label interest, which she eschewed in favour of starting her own label, Squiggly Records. This led to 2004’s ‘Bimbling’ album and the free to download ‘Ropeswing’ two years later, the latter of which was credited to Martha Tilston & The Woods.

A period with The Woods established a musical relationship with Matt Tweed that has endured to this day via the albums ‘Milkmaids & Architects’ (2007), ‘Lucy & The Wolves (2010) and ‘Machines of Love & Grace’ (2012). In 2014 her highly acclaimed folk album ‘The Sea’ was named by BBC 6 Music’s Cerys Matthews as her album of the year.

With a voice like spider-webbed hollows and lyrics that inspire and captivate, Martha has built a large captive audience worldwide via her astute lyrical observations and mesmerising songs that range from stripped down acoustic arrangements to textural electronica with sparkling melodies and her beautiful crystal-clear vocals.

QUOTES

“Sharp, original songs that dissect the modern world. She captures both the harshness and enchantment of life”

Guardian

“Redolent of early Kate Bush. Soulful vocals that soar around on an understated masterpiece”

Acoustic Magazine

“She has the power to draw an audience into her world”

Time Out

“Let her silky voice wash over you”

Independent