The release will be followed by a UK record shop tour in July and full UK tour of headline and festival dates running from August to October. The 19 date UK tour includes a Manchester gig at Manchester Academy 3.
New single Human Replacement premiered this Monday as Annie Mac’s Hottest Record in the World and comes accompanied by a video by Joe Wheatley. Marten’s Creature Of Mine is currently on the playlist at BBC R1, BBC Radio 6 Music and Radio X.
Flora Fauna builds on Billie Marten’s minimalist acoustic folk, embracing bass and rhythm, feeling more urgent. The album features Billie Marten’s response to breaking free from toxic relationships and learning to care for herself. As she explains, “I wasn’t really treating myself very well, it was a bit of a disruptive time. All these songs are about getting myself out of that hole – they’re quite strong affirmations. The name Flora Fauna is like a green bath for my eyes. If the album was a painting, it would look like flora and fauna – it encompasses every organism, every corner of Earth, and a feeling of total abundance.”
Speaking about the video for Human Replacement, which was directed by the award winning creative Joe Wheatley, Marten adds, “This video is absolutely needed to match the message of the song, which was initially something I shied away from talking about. As creative discussions began between Joe Wheatley (Director) and I it became incredibly important to convey the absurdity of simply not being able to go out anywhere at night as a woman particularly, without that hideous stone-cold fear of what might happen to you. Hence every woman in the video needing the comfort and protection of full army gear to carry out the simplest of everyday tasks (like going for a run or walking home from work) and every man is without it. My trusty safety tank gets me to the shop for a pint of milk. It’s a deliberately absurd illustration of a disturbingly real problem that needed to be addressed.”
When does Billie Marten headline at Manchester Academy 3?
Billie Marten headlines at Manchester Academy 3 on 29 September 2021. The Manchester gig is one of 19 headline and festival dates she has confirmed:
12 August – Southampton, Joiners Arms
13 August – Newquay, Boardmesters Festival
29 August – Portsmouth, Victorious Festival
12 September – Lancaster, Lancaster Library
16 September – Glasgow, Stereo
17 September – Leicester, O2 Academy
18 September – Oxford, Jericho Tavern
19 September – Sheffield, Leadmill
21 September – Birmingham, Castle & Falcon
24 September – Leeds, Brudenell Social Club
28 September – Cambridge, Portland Arms
29 September – Manchester, Manchester Academy 3
30 September – London, EartH
2 October – Ipswich, Sound City
3 October – Guildford, Boileroom
8 October – Wrexham, Focus
9 October – Reading, Are You Listening? Festival
10 October – Tunbridge Wells, Forum
16 October – Norwich, Wild Paths Festival
Billie Marten – image courtesy Katie Silvester
