Portuguese singer-songwriter Raquel Martins brings sunshine vibes infused with Brazilian and jazz influences, with support from MF Tomlinson.
21-year old singer/songwriter and guitarist, Raquel Martins moved to London when she was only 17. Raised under the sun in Portugal, she grew up listening to the endless classics from the Brazilian and jazz repertoire. It was only when she discovered the world of contemporary hip-hop, soul and jazz music that she realised she could create something new with all the sounds she had been absorbing over the years.
In only 4 years in the UK capital, she's already established herself as both a very solid side musician working for established UK jazz artists such as Poppy Ajudah, as well as an artist with a unique voice, at the intersection of modern soul and jazz, reminiscent of Nai Palm, Jordan Rakei or Oscar Jerome, with an added authentic Brazilian flavour that sets her apart.
Her self-produced EP 'The Way' caught the attention of the UK scene, with international supporters such as Gilles Peterson, Jamie Cullum and Dan Digs (KRCW) to name a few.
The first three singles gathered over 250k on DSPs, with editorial support from Spotify and Bandcamp. Jamie Cullum invited her to talk about her EP on BBC 2 as part of his 'Take 5' series. In Nov 2021, Raquel had the privilege to be invited to Gilles Peterson's legendary ‘Brownswood Basement’ for a session with her trio, which led to Gilles booking her for his We Out Here festival in August 2022.
Raquel just finished recording her second EP which will be released in 2022.
MF TOMLINSON
MF Tomlinson is a songwriter “who seems to use music as a means to excavate within the soul” (Clash). Primarily a storyteller, MF Tomlinson negotiates styles such acid folk, alt country, and chamber pop to weave vast, intricate sonic worlds that call to mind King Crimson and Smog, but in the end create a singular presence that defies categorization. He achieves this with the help of a close-knit group of collaborators whom he lovingly calls the “the MFs, because they’re all very talented motherfuckers... my solo work is very much group effort.”
His self-released debut 'Strange Time' of 2021 attracted critical acclaim (4/5 Mojo, 9/10 Gigwise) and saw him share stages with Dry Cleaning and Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever. A new single 'A Cloud' from a forthcoming album on PRAH Recordings has been released ahead of the MFs set at Latitude Festival. More music is set to come in the coming months.
PLEASE NOTE that this is an outdoor event which will go ahead regardless of the weather. Please bring appropriate clothing including waterproofs if rain is forecast.