STUDENTS Manchester univerisities attended an invite only student press conference held by singer songwriter Laura Marling yesterday in London’s Goldsmith University. Our editor Will Stevenson went to check it out.
The exclusive event, organised by Sonic PR, was attended by student journalists from around the country. The press conference was held in the build up to Marling’s new record, Semper Femina. The acclaimed singer-songwriter was asked questions from students and fans, who sent in questions via Facebook and Twitter, regarding a range of topics including her views on feminism, the music industry and her series of podcast interviews “Reversal of the Muse.”
In between answering questions, Marling performed a range of new songs including “Wild Fire,” “Nothing Not Nearly” and “Nouel” which go down a treat, with the folky, poetic tunes entrancing the audience.
Laura elaborated on the meaning behind the name of Semper Femina after a question from Facebook; from a Virgil poem, the full quote is “fickle and changeable always is woman;” Marling explains that she got that tattooed at the age of 21, which she calls “a good age for making permanent errors.”
We're here at @lauramarlinghq #SemperFemina student press conference! pic.twitter.com/cg3UyQ5jlu
— Salford Now (@SalfordNow) February 13, 2017
Laura says that her “Reversal of the Muse,” podcast was good for her own “self-interest,” because having those conversations about female creativity, particularly in the music industry, helped her “realise that the issues are so much more complex and more biological,” than she had realised, though she says that upon returning to that project she would approach other subject matter.
She says the record is also filled with thoughts on femininity and “English nostalgia,” fuelled by spending most of her time in America with new producer, Blake Mills (Alabama Shakes) and missing home.
Rebekah Shaw from The University of Manchester asked, “How do you feel Reversal of the Muse affected [Semper Femina]?”
Laura responded, “My interest in femininity and the origins of that have fuelled both, whether femininity begins on a biological level or a psychological level… In the leadup to this album, because of its subject matter, I’ve been asked to have very firm opinions, but I still don’t know enough about either of those subjects. What I really enjoyed was it allowed me to keep asking questions.”
Laura Marling visits Manchester’s Albert Hall on Sunday 12th March as part of her UK tour in support of Semper Femina, which is released on March 10th.
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