It is remarkably easy to underestimate the simplicity that is acoustic music. From the weekly guitar sessions at school to the one guy who brings out the hardware at parties, to the popular cover of your favourite song made by fans on YouTube, we often recognise acoustic artists from their appearances at local gigs in bars.
Growing up, that was always how I grew to understand acoustic rock. I was one of those students who had my weekly one-to-one lessons, until I simply gave up. Yet, I was still enamoured by these figures on-stage. In my youth, I appeared on stage at two small gigs – as part of a two-person group singing with an accompanying guitarist.
To cut a long story short, while my musical aspirations petered out, when I arrived at Brudenell Social Club on a red hot Saturday night in May, I was not expecting the room to be so full! Crammed into the tin that was one of my favourite gig venues in all of Leeds, one where I had seen countless bands and songwriters over the years, I was about to witness something special.
As always when attending a show of this nature, I decided to go in blind. With that said, I did take note of the 1,500,000 monthly listeners this headliner had on Spotify. I concluded that the artist must be well known for a smash hit somewhere along the way. Of course, this was incredibly short-sighted of me: something I would immediately learn.
Born in the cathedral city of Ripon in North Yorkshire, Billie Marten first cut her teeth as many of today’s songwriters do: garnering fame and fortune in the form of thousands of views on YouTube. From the age of nine through her adolescence, her singing and songwriting talents earned her such fame that, at the tender age of fifteen, she released her first EP, “Ribbon”. Since this, she has gone on to release four albums over the span of the past eight years, with her latest dropping last month, entitled “Drop Cherries”.
She certainly had her hardcore fans in attendance this evening, where among the discreet, respectful crowd a group of young ladies very vocally exclaimed their affection for her, even bringing Billie herself to engage with them on-stage.
It was a night of firsts for me, to not only witness this sensational songwriter deliver her craft through a sophisticated and developed presentation; but also to witness a full band of gifted individuals on piano, violin, saxophone, and cello. The atmosphere in the room was empowering and had me clamouring for more as the roadie continued to pass Billie guitar after guitar. It had a jazz band element, with the gentle harmonising of instruments and an almost improvisational sequence of numbers, all performed without a hitch.
The precise, perfectionist side of Billie truly revealed itself, when she declared the notes she’d played to start a song weren’t right, and she decided to start over. If that was a mistake, I am envious – it sounded great!
The artist who paved the way for the headliner was the talented Léa Sen. Born in Paris and living in London, the French-Martinican singer-songwriter only moved to the United Kingdom several years ago but very quickly became a household name with her avant-pop sound. Also an acoustic artist, she caught my attention with her decision to include backing beats to her guitar playing, to create an authentic 90s atmosphere, akin to that of a UK Top 40 chart-topping R&B ballad. Her fragile and soft-spoken voice truly set the tone for the evening, and it felt as though her confidence improved with each song. Her emotions flowed in the warm glow of the room’s low lighting, and when she was close to finished, we got to see what she had in exuberant song and dance. It was also incredibly touching to know how much this tour meant to her – saying she had idolised Billie Marten since her YouTube days, and now felt like a part of the band.
One thing is for certain. I will never underestimate the power that acoustic artistry can bring to a room. It goes without saying, particularly if you’ve witnessed the raw power of emotions that can be unlocked and provoked with strong performance. In a world where high levels of production can make or break, and be fruitful to a studio album; and in a lifetime we have been brought to accept the institution of electronic sounds as we know it, the acoustic guitar can never grow stale. For that matter, neither can some of the more classical instruments, including that of the cello, the violin and the saxophone. It can remain prosperous for many an artist coming up through the underground – and as this show revealed, such a combination can cultivate unforgettable moments that we will always cherish.
Billie Marten concludes her UK tour this week, with dates in Newcastle, Glasgow, and a double-header in London, before jetting off to the United States and Canada throughout June and July. Commemorating the release of her latest album “Dropping Cherries”, to witness her performance is a sensational experience. Listen to her music, book tickets and find out more at https://www.billiemarten.com/.
Léa Sen continues to make her mark globally after the release of her new EP “You Of Now, Pt. 2”. With recognition from publications in Los Angeles and New York, the French-Martinian continues to support Billie on her tour before commencing with her own headline tour in June. There are dates in London before jetting off to across the pond in Brooklyn, New York and LA. Head to https://leasenmusic.com/ to check out more.
All photography by Emma Gibbon.
