Billy Nomates
Billy Nomates | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Billy Nomates in 2023 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Tor Maries |
| Also known as | Billy Nomates |
| Born | 2 May 1990 Leicester, England, U.K. |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) |
|
| Instrument(s) | Vocals |
| Years active | 2020–present |
| Labels | Invada |
| Website | Official website |
Tor Maries (born 2 May 1990) is an English musician and singer-songwriter who performs under the stage name Billy Nomates.
Life[edit]
Maries grew up in Leicester and was a member of a number of bands that failed to be noticed. Following a period of depression, a Sleaford Mods gig inspired Maries to return to making music and she moved to Bournemouth to write and compose.[1] Her stage name, Billy Nomates, was taken from an insult directed at her when she turned up at the gig on her own.[2]
Music[edit]
Maries' first album was recorded in Bristol with Portishead's Geoff Barrow.[1] She released this in 2020[3] and quickly gained attention from BBC Radio 6 Music.[1] She describes her music as no wave.[2] Critics make mention of post-punk and describe her delivery as sprechgesang.[1][2] She featured on "Mork n Mindy" by Sleaford Mods in 2021. She released the Emergency Telephone EP in October 2021, produced by herself on Barrow's Invada record label.[4]
Reception[edit]
BBC Radio 6 Music DJ Amy Lamé chose Billy Nomates's debut as her Album of the Year in 2020.[5] The Guardian's Laura Snapes picked out Billy Nomates as one to watch in 2020, describing her voice as "deadpan yet biting", offering "an acute lens on British class structure".[1]
After playing a set at the Glastonbury Festival 2023, Billy Nomates received what she called an "insane" amount of online abuse and requested BBC Radio 6 Music to remove footage of her performance from their web pages. BBC removed it.[6] Fellow musicians, such as Billy Bragg, the Anchoress and Lonelady, expressed their support for Billy Nomates, calling out the misogynistic and sexist character of the abuse.[7]
Discography[edit]
Studio albums[edit]
- Billy Nomates (2020)
- Cacti (2023)
EPs[edit]
- Emergency Telephone (2021)
Music videos[edit]
| Year | Title | Director | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | "No" | Jack Joseph & Bobby Spender | Billy Nomates |
| "FNP" | n/C | ||
| 2021 | "Heels" | Jack Joseph Dalby & Bobby Spender | Emergency Telephone |
| 2022 | "Blue Bones" | Tia Salisbury | Cacti |
| "Balance is Gone" | NWSPK | ||
| "Saboteur Forcefield" | John Minton | ||
| "Spite" | NWSPK |
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d e "One to watch: Billy Nomates". the Guardian. 1 August 2020. Retrieved 7 January 2023.
- ^ a b c "Billy Nomates review – post-punk soloist could do with some company". the Guardian. 23 November 2022. Retrieved 8 January 2023.
- ^ Murphy, Lauren (7 August 2020). "Billy Nomates: Billy Nomates review – One of the quirkier albums of the year". The Irish Times.
- ^ Pilley, Max (4 March 2021). "Billy Nomates – 'Emergency Telephone' EP review: dial into one of Britain's most distinctive new voices". NME.
- ^ "6 Music Recommends Albums Of The Year 2020". BBC Radio 6 Music.
- ^ Geraghty, Hollie (26 June 2023). "BBC removes Billy Nomates Glastonbury clip after online abuse". NME. Retrieved 27 June 2023.
- ^ Aubrey, Elizabeth (24 June 2023). "Billy Bragg shares support for "brilliant" Billy Nomates after online abuse". NME. Retrieved 27 June 2023.
| International | |
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| Artists | |
