Martha Tilston to play The Minack Theatre

Martha Tilston
Photograph courtesy of The Minack Theatre Trust

From the folk songs she has known since childhood to piano ballads and the odd cheeky bit of trip-hop, Martha Tilston has never been afraid to experiment with her writing and musical parameters. Her songs flow with the journey of her life and creativity, inspired by our interconnectedness with nature and with each other, her open-hearted questioning shines through her music.

To see Martha live is to connect with longed-for parts of ourselves…

Together with her band she has toured the globe, sharing sparkling melodies, filmic soundscapes and earthy baselines. In what has been a busy and swelteringly hot summer – she has so far played at Buddhafield and Medicine Festivals as well as curating and hosting her own songwriting retreats in the South West – Martha comes home for what must surely be the jewel in the crown of her live performances this year when she plays at the ‘Theatre Under The Stars’ in South West Cornwall later this month. It also happens to be the same month that The Minack celebrates the 90th anniversary of its first performance. The stars are aligned.

There’s a new tour planned for Autumn ahead of what will be her first studio album since Nomad in 2017 – a release which was born out of late night sessions of spontaneity, experimentation and ‘downtime’ while recording her previous release, The Sea (2014). Most recently however, came The Tape – an award-nominated feature film which Martha wrote and directed as well as playing the role of a folk singer who is disillusioned with the music industry, living out of her campervan.

Having been surrounded by music and musical luminaries most of her life – father Steve Tilston and renowned folk singer Maggie Boyle (step-mother), regularly entertained their friends Bert Jansch, John Renbourn and John Martin .. all have gathered and sung in the family kitchen – Martha’s own musical journey has seen her perform Glastonbury’s Acoustic Stage whilst sharing others with artists including Kate Tempest, Damien Rice and Zero 7 (she was also a featured vocalist on ‘Yeah Ghost’) as well as earning a BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards Best Newcomer nomination, all of which has rewarded her with a wide global audience that continues to grow.

Artist’s website: marthatilston.co.uk

Tickets: minack.com or phone 01736 81018

‘Nomad Blood’ – official video: