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Scotland based singer-songwriter Josienne Clarke self-released her first EP ‘The Tangled Tree’ (as Mondesir) in 2006 on CD. Another self-released EP followed, named ‘It Would Not Be A Rose’, on limited edition CD in 2008 before her debut Album ‘One Light Is Gone’ was released in 2010 on CD (jewel case) format via Hatfish Music Ltd.
In 2011 she was joined by Ben Walker and performed mainly, but not exclusively, as a duo between 2011 and 2018. Their first release as a duo was an album of traditional folk songs named ‘The Seas Are Deep’ which was initially self-released as an MP3 via Bandcamp and then a year later, a limited self-released CD version.
Josienne was always the songwriter and continued to write the original material for the duo, releasing the ‘Homemade Heartache’ Ep in 2012, comprising original songs written by Josienne. The first run featured hand printed labels by the duo, the second pressing featured professionally printed sleeves.
This was followed by the album ‘Fire & Fortune’ (CD, LP & digital) on Navigator Records in 2013.
‘Nothing Can Bring Back The Hour’ (CD, LP & Digital) was released in 2014, a mixture of original songs written by Josienne Clarke and traditional folk songs.
Josienne signed to... Read More ... Rough Trade Records in 2016 and went on to release 2 albums and 2 EPs as Josienne Clarke and Ben Walker.
Josienne left the duo permanently in 2018 after the release and subsequent tour of their last album together, ‘Seedlings All’ which comprised 12 original songs, all written by Josienne Clarke. In 2017, Clarke released an EP with celebrated jazz pianist Kit Downes, entitled ‘Such A Sky’ which contained 3 original songs and 2 covers.
She made one album on Rough Trade Records as the band PicaPica with co-front women Samantha Whates. ‘Together & Apart’ was an album of original songs written by Clarke and Whates.
In 2019 Josienne Clarke released ‘In All Weather’ (CD, LP & digital) on Rough Trade Records, once again as solo artist.
Josienne released ‘A Small Unknowable Thing’ (CD, LP & digital) in 2021 on her own Corduroy Punk Records label and followed that up with an EP in 2021 called ‘Doubts Run Out’ under the name 2PrivateMatters, a collaboration with Alec Bowman_Clarke.
Early 2022 saw the release of the ‘I Promised You Light’ EP (CD, LP & digital).
With a rare gift for poetic melancholy, Josienne’s songs have also been described as ‘extraordinary’ (Mojo), ‘gently exquisite’ (The Observer) and ‘full of depth’ (The Telegraph). While the world music bible Songlines said, ’Clarke’s dark, complex imagery in the lyrics pushes the songs into rich metaphorical territory, one of the heart and of self-enquiry’. American Songwriter magazine named Josienne one of the best songwriters of 2016.
Josienne has performed in support of Richard Thompson, Robert Plant, Will Varley, toured the world & performed at some of the UK's best-loved festivals including Latitude, Larmer & End Of The Road.
Having been awed by Josienne’s live performance at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, 6 Music DJ Cerys Matthews arranged for Josienne to act and sing in The National Theatre’s revival of Timberlake Wertenbaker’s ‘Our Country’s Good’. In addition to performing on the Olivier stage each night – in a role specially created for her – Josienne contributed two of her own songs to the play. In their review of the acclaimed production, The Financial Times said, ‘Josienne Clarke sings like a haunted angel’. It marked the start of a continued relationship with the National Theatre which has included composing songs for a new adaptation of Hans Christian Anderson’s The Snow Queen, with acclaimed young playwright Zoe Cooper.
With an elegant, nuanced and emotionally affecting singing style (Cerys Matthews described her as having a voice that can ‘trickle back over centuries’) Josienne has frequently been compared to the great Sandy Denny, but present too are elements of Nina Simone and Gillian Welch; all three are important influences on her work.
With new records and theatrical productions to look forward to, Josienne Clarke remains one of the most impressive, accomplished and downright heart-breaking singers, lyricists and composers we’ve got.
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