It's Always a Fine Day With Billie Marten
Written by: Claire Peters-Seymour
Billie Marten, a singer-songwriter from Ripon, Yorkshire, delivered a mesmerizing live performance on November 11th, at Metro Music Hall.
I heard Billie Marten for the first time when I was a freshman in high school. I was obsessed with the song "Milk & Honey" from Marten's 2016 album Writing of Blues and Yellows. At the time, I didn't know how to play the guitar, so I would ask my brother to play the chords while I sang along, trying to recreate Marten's angelic voice. When I heard Marten was coming to Chicago as an opener for the equally wonderful band Half Moon Run, I listened to her newest album, Drop Cherries.
Listening to the first song on the album, "New Idea," I was excited by Marten's ability to weave delicate humming harmonies with the gentle cadence of her acoustic guitar. I would say the album is best described as comforting and warm like a cup of tea late at night. After experiencing Marten's music in many different stages of my life, it was only fitting that I finally heard her perform live. To say the least, I was obsessed with the entire experience.
When Marten made her first appearance on stage, she walked out so casually that it was almost like she wandered on stage and randomly found herself singing for us. The first thing she said to the crowd was, "Well then, how are we?" It was cheeky and disarming. It is impactful when an artist is present with their audience, and it was so obvious Marten was basking in every moment of her performance.
The Metro music venue is relatively small, so it encourages a good-sized crowd and makes a performance feel pretty intimate. This felt especially true because of her choice to deliver a stripped-down version of her songs, just Marten and her guitar. Instantly, after the first song I was reminded of Martens' naturally emotive voice. I could tell I wasn't the only one who felt engaged by her performance. There was a moment when I looked over the crowd and did not see a single person on their phone. Everyone was watching so attentively. In this generation, that's unusual.
Marten would talk to the audience between every couple of songs, joking about her music-making or nightlife endeavors. After the first three songs, Marten started telling a story about how she used to work at a restaurant and would watch people and write songs about them. She joked about being a voyeur, and I cackled from the balcony because it was so relatable. I thought it was funny because as a singer myself I totally understood. Random strangers are the best to write music about. Marten went out of her way to form a connection with the crowd. Performers like this make a concert experience so enjoyable and fulfilling, her performance was honest and thoughtful.
Aside from Marten's funny and engaging disposition, she was also just really naturally talented. Her voice was so easy to listen to. Her runs were timed perfectly, and it never felt like she needed to do more or less. Leaving the concert, I had Marten's song "I Can't Get My Head Around You" stuck in my head all night, and I definitely wasn't mad about it.
Follow Billie Marten on Instagram & check out her Spotify below!