Billie Marten

Isabella Sophie Tweddle (born 27 May 1999), who performs under the stage name Billie Marten, is a British singer-songwriter and musician from Ripon in North Yorkshire. She first came to prominence at the age of twelve when a video on YouTube of her singing attracted thousands of views. She released her first EP at the age of fifteen in 2014, and her second EP a year later. At the end of 2015 she was nominated for the Sound of 2016 award.

Billie Marten
Billie Marten performing in 2015
Background information
Birth nameIsabella Sophie Tweddle
Born (1999-05-27) 27 May 1999
Ripon, England
Genres
InstrumentsGuitar
Years active2014–present
Labels
Websitebilliemarten.com

Early life

Isabella (or "Billie") Tweddle was born 27 May 1999 in Ripon in North Yorkshire.[1][2][3] She began playing guitar and singing when she was seven or eight,[4][5] and started writing songs soon afterwards.[6] By the age of nine she had her own YouTube channel on which she posted covers of pop songs, mostly for the benefit of her grandparents who live in France.[6] When she was twelve she performed some music sessions for a local YouTube channel called Ont' Sofa.[7] Among the songs she performed was a cover version of Lucy Rose's "Middle of the Bed", which quickly received thousands of views.[7] In a later interview Marten said "I didn't understand how quickly it could spread. I was super young and it was crazy."[8] She was educated at Ripon Grammar School.[9]

Music career

In May 2014, just before her fifteenth birthday, Billie Marten released the single "Ribbon" via Burberry's curation program.[10][11] She wrote the single with Fiona Bevan the previous year.[5] According to Marten, one theme of "Ribbon" is "the elusiveness of the city, and how quickly you can lose something amongst the people and tube stations."[5] In June 2014 she released her debut EP Ribbon.[12] In August 2014 Marten played the BBC Introducing stage at the Reading Festival.[13] She described her music in December 2014 as "a mix between acoustic and quite folky and a little indie."[14]

In January 2015 Billie Marten signed to Chess Club Records, a division of Sony Music and their RCA Records recording label.[15][16] She released the single "Heavy Weather" in April 2015 which premiered on Huw Stephens' BBC Radio 1 show.[11] A 7" vinyl version of "Heavy Weather" was released in May with her cover version of Royal Blood's "Out of the Black" on the B-side.[11] She released the single "Bird" in September 2015.[17] She wrote the song with Olivia Broadfield, and according to Marten, the song is about "how words can truly affect people, not always for the right reasons".[6] She toured for the first time in October 2015 as the supporting act for Lucy Rose.[9] Marten released her second EP As Long As in November 2015.[16]

In November 2015 she was nominated for the BBC Sound of 2016.[13][18]

In 2018 Marten's Blue Sea, Red Sea featured as Annie Mac's hottest record on Radio 1.[19]

In January 2021, Marten announced her third album titled Flora Fauna, set for a 21 May release.[20]

Personal life

Marten likes alpacas and has expressed a wish "to buy an alpaca".[21] She has said "I have this weird obsession with alpacas, I can't explain it. I think they're beautiful and I love them".[8]

When aged 18, Marten was diagnosed with severe seasonal affective disorder (SAD), causing some depression and anxiety.[19]

Discography

Studio albums
Title Details
Writing of Blues and Yellows
  • Released: 23 September 2016
  • Label: RCA
  • Format: CD, vinyl, digital download
Feeding Seahorses by Hand
  • Released: 26 April 2019
  • Label: RCA
  • Format: CD, vinyl, digital download
Flora Fauna
  • Released: 21 May 2021[20]
  • Label: Fiction
  • Format: CD, vinyl, digital download

Extended plays
Title Details
Ribbon[22]
  • Released: 23 June 2014
  • Label: Spilt Milk Records
  • Format: Digital download
As Long As[17]
  • Released: 13 November 2015
  • Label: Chess Club Records
  • Formats: 10" vinyl, Digital download

Singles
Year Title Album
2014 "Ribbon" Ribbon
2015 "Heavy Weather" Writing of Blues and Yellows
"Out of the Black"
"Bird"
"As Long As" As Long As
2016 "Milk & Honey" Writing of Blues and Yellows
"La Lune"
"Lionhearted"
"Live"
2018 "Mice" Feeding Seahorses by Hand
"Blue Sea, Red Sea"
2019 "Betsy"
"Cartoon People"
2021 "Garden of Eden" Flora Fauna

Music videos
Title Year Director Ref.
"Ribbon" 2014 – [23]
"Heavy Weather" 2015 Daniel Broadley [24]
"Bird" Franklyn Banks [16]
"Milk & Honey" 2016 Rob Brandon [25]
"La Lune" 2016 [26]

Awards and nominations
Year Organisation Award Result
2016 BBC Sound of...2016[18] Nominated

References
  1. "Tweddle – England & Wales Births 1837–2006". Genes Reunited. Retrieved 10 January 2016.
  2. "Billie Marten". rateyourmusic.com. Retrieved 10 January 2016.
  3. "WILD Profile: Billie Marten". The WILD. 18 August 2014. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 10 January 2016.
  4. "The sky's the limit". Ripon Grammar School. Retrieved 10 January 2016.
  5. "Joie Featured Artist: Billie Marten". Joie. 18 July 2014. Archived from the original on 8 May 2016.
  6. "Billie Marten (Acoustic)". Rough Trade Events. Archived from the original on 15 November 2015. Retrieved 19 January 2015.
  7. "Interview with…Billie Marten". Bitter Sweet Symphonies. 26 October 2015.
  8. "Interview: Billie Marten". Source Magazine. 19 October 2015.
  9. "Billie Marten looks set for stardom". The Northern Echo. 2 November 2015.
  10. "Premiere: Billie Marten – Ribbon". Hunger TV. 16 May 2014.
  11. "Billie Marten – "Heavy Weather" (Stereogum Premiere)". Stereogum. 6 April 2015.
  12. "Billie Marten – New Music "Introducing"". Just Music I Like. 16 June 2014.
  13. "BBC Music Sound Of, 2016 – Billie Marten". BBC Music. Retrieved 10 January 2016.
  14. "Sound Scout: Meet Billie Marten, the Songbird That's About to Soar Straight to the Top". Teen Vogue. 5 December 2014.
  15. "Signing: Billie Marten". Chess Club Records. Archived from the original on 10 March 2016. Retrieved 22 January 2016.
  16. "Billie Marten – "Bird" Video". Stereogum. 14 October 2015.
  17. "Billie Marten shares enchanting new single "Bird" ahead of new EP". The Line of Best Fit. 23 September 2015.
  18. "BBC Sound of 2016 longlist announced". The Telegraph. 30 November 2016.
  19. "Billie Marten: Having SAD made me write the happiest pop song – BBC News". Bbc.co.uk. 6 December 2018. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
  20. Krol, Charlotte (28 January 2021). "Billie Marten announces new album Flora Fauna with rollicking single 'Garden Of Eden'". NME. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
  21. "Interview: 2016 Must-Know – BILLIE MARTEN". Coup De Main Magazine. 20 December 2015.
  22. "Ribbon (2014)". 7digital. Retrieved 11 January 2016.
  23. "Billie Marten Ribbon". NYLON. 23 June 2014.
  24. "Watch Billie Marten's brand new video for 'Heavy Weather'". The 405. 15 May 2015. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 11 January 2016.
  25. "Premiere: Milk & Honey by Billie Marten". VMA. 20 May 2016.
  26. "Billie Marten - La Lune (Official Video)". Youtube. 17 June 2016.
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