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MARKX's debut single 'Dancing On My Grave' is out now and available through all major digital stores now here. Since releasing his new lockdown single, MARKX sat down with interviewer Amy from Encore Magazine to discuss the writing process and lyrical meaning behind 'Dancing On My Grave'. You can view it in full here. The interview reflected MARKX's lovable personality greatly and shed light on the behind the scenes of how he likes to write. 'Most of the songs I write have a message and provide a ‘resolution’ but purposely this one was left hanging. I think it’s important to acknowledge the fact that some things are never resolved and the frustration that can follow loss.' He talks about why he took a different approach with this song and how 'swiftly - within a couple of hours' the song came together. MARKX also shared his future plans including a brand new EP in the works and how he's looking into performing gigs again when it is safe to do so. About the write up MARKX adds: 'It was so much fun talking to Amy about the story behind the 'Spirit' EP and how it all came together. The questions were all thought provoking and I think it reveals all the magic that goes on behind the scenes in making an EP.' So to get the latest gossip, check out the interview with Encore Magazine here. #MARKX #MARKXMUSIC #britishartist #independentartist #singersongwriter #lockdown #music #vlogger #vlog #mentalhealth #dancingonmygrave #britishsingersongwriter #popmusic #summervibes #musicheals #breakupsongs #darkpopmusic #newmusic #encoremagazine #encore #magazine #interview

MARKX's debut single 'Dancing On My Grave' is out now and available through all major digital stores now here. The release has since received a rave review from renowned music blog Talk About Pop Music. About the release TAPM's Christopher Smith adds: 'It's a great one - we do like this one a lot!' Local radio stations Burgess Hill Community Radio's Maxine Mason and Radio Reverb's Pete Jones have also pledged to get behind the single and it will shortly receive its first spins. About the response so far MARKX adds: 'Although it's early days the reception has been great - it feels really good to be putting new music out again - not even Covid-19 can stop me!' MARKX has also been busy during lockdown filming and directing the music video which will be released in the coming weeks as part of the promotional campaign. He is also hoping to be featured on BBC Introducing again. About BBC Introducing MARKX adds: 'Historically the tracks have all been well received by BBC Introducing - we've been lucky to have been Track Of The Day on several occasions so I'm keeping everything crossed!' #MARKX #MARKXMUSIC #britishartist #independentartist #singersongwriter #lockdown #music #vlogger #vlog #mentalhealth #dancingonmygrave #britishsingersongwriter #popmusic #summervibes #musicheals #breakupsongs #darkpopmusic #newmusic

MARKX will release his debut single 'Dancing On My Grave' on 13th July 2020. The single is the first release from his upcoming collection of new and reimagined tracks entitled 'Spirit' due for release in on 5th October 2020. The official press release is can be found here. About the track MARKX adds: 'Lockdown gave me the opportunity to write, record and create brand new material from the comfort and safety of my home. I wanted to bring my sound up to date and create a brand new body of new work ahead of my next album coming in 2021' The creation, coordination and promotion of the virtual project spans across 4 cities in the UK - Brighton, Birmingham, Bristol & Newcastle. About the track MARKX adds: 'The whole ethos of the project is about getting back into the 'spirit' of creation and collaboration - to break down the physical barriers to creativity due to Covid-19' MARKX has recent'y launched his new VLOG series M-Talk (Music, Mental Health & Motivation) and the 'Spirit' project has been critical in maintaining his own positive mental health. The project has provided opportunities for other creatives during a very challenging time for these industries. About the project MARKX adds: 'I was so grateful to have received some funding from Help Musicians UK to put the project together during lockdown. It's meant the every penny I received has been dispersed back into the creative ecosystem to support fellow artists - from the production and EP artwork' You can pre order 'Dancing On My Grave' now which will be available through all major digital distributers on 13th July 2020. #MARKX #MARKXMUSIC #britishartist #independentartist #singersongwriter #lockdown #music #vlogger #vlog #mentalhealth

In anticipation of his brand new upcoming VLOG series M-Talk, MARKX has hit 100 subscribers and has launched the MARKX MUSIC YouTube channel. About the channel MARKX adds: 'It's notoriously hard to get your own channel on YouTube so to reach that milestone feels amazing! Music and mental health are so close to my heart and I've been desperate to get a platform to talk about the things and help others in the same boat' MARKX has been busy recording content for the channel at home and the first VLOG is expected shortly. About the content MARKX adds: 'It's been so cool to get my head around video production and editing during lockdown. I can't wait to share the content I've been working on and engage with new people all over the world!' You can subscribe to to MARKX Music here where you can find all the VLOGS past and present along with music from his critically acclaimed album 'Laments'. #MARKX #MARKXMUSIC #britishartist #independentartist #singersongwriter #lockdown #music #vlogger #vlog #mentalhealth

Happiness comes in many forms. It might be watching the sun come up over the horizon or stepping out of a subway onto the unchartered sunlit streets of a new city. It might be something as simple as holding a loved one in your arms or sharing a passionate embrace. But then again it might just be having a hair cut. As the UK entered lockdown, literally overnight everything that once filled my sails full of joy and purpose was cruelly snatched away from me. Within hours those thoughtful and well meaning friends, family and fellow freelancers (including some presumptuous people I have never met) began to impart 'solicited' advice on what one should do to safeguard one's business and livelihood. As they flapped their wings, frantically like frightened turkeys on Christmas eve, I became inundated with request after request to join Lockdown 'entertainer' groups. As the door slammed closed, the bolts clanged into place, the bars went down, I could hear the keys jangling as the herd began to charge. I have sadly discovered my arms are too short to throw a punch from 2 metres away. I guess in the haste for you to not get left behind they forgot to ask how you were. I've spent my adult life playing all of the grass roots music venues expose my art out into the universe, it may come as a surprise to Joe public that no amount of Skype and Zoom 'gigs' with a nice lamp in the background can ever truly satisfy a performer's insatiable hunger to entertain a crowd. Even taking into account the hours spent travelling, the odd unwelcome grope, having the microphone grabbed out of your hand, being asked repeatedly if you 'know any Thin Lizzy' for the umpteenth time by some pi**ed random. There is nothing more fulfilling than reading the joy of the punters faces at pub or wedding reception: gazing on with joy as the happy couple take to the dance floor to celebrate their first dance, helping people to escape from their worries and woes for a few precious hours. One week prior to lockdown I was still in shock. I made hasty preparations for the inevitable lockdown that would follow by purchasing gardening paraphernalia and music production hardware. I found an abandoned dusty pair of Nike trainers nestled at the back of my wardrobe. I often read that in times of adversity military personnel on the frontline are trained to still their mind and curb the racing adrenaline through their veins, in order to think clearly. The first thing that needed to go was social media apps.. Even after removing the Facebook app, link after unsolicited link would follow via Whatsapp and Facebook Messenger - so off went the notifications. I decided I would follow my body and mind and reset back to the natural rhythms of daylight and darkness. Then following day the news became unbearable and at one point I even switched my phone onto aeroplane mode to stop the texts coming through. Next on the cutting room floor became time itself. Each morning I would wake up dazed and lie for a few moments (probably having the inevitable FML moment and praying it was all a horrific nightmare). I would manage to scrape myself unceremoniously out of bed, brew a strong coffee and sit listening to music through headphones that reminded me of my bands and travels As a child doing this would made me feel invincible I also get the same sensation from running. This became the first of many rituals I undertook in an attempt to regain what little control I could. My daily self employed sales hustle was replaced with an hour run, cooking, yoga, learning music production and tending to my indoor garden. In many ways these mindful activities were a cunning disguise to secretly tend to my own mental health. There is a common misconception that artists should be in their element during lockdown. Art and freedom are lovers that walk hand in hand. And art without freedom is meaningless. About two and half weeks in I moved onto the next stage of the grieving process and began to mourn for my old existence. I picked up the phone to a friend and even before they had a chance to answer I broke down and sobbed down the phone. The following day I took down my cherished vision board with all of the flags of the countries I was due to visit and replaced them with pictures about fitness, motivation, learning to preparing myself for life post lockdown. The biggest revelation over time became the significant improvement of my mental health. Prior to lockdown what was previously a daily struggle with anxiety became the odd hour here and there and obligatory random outburst of emotion from nowhere. The irony is there is nothing tangible to fear or take flight form when your worst nightmare is playing out before your eyes. Of course I could attribute my new healthy mind to the new exercise and healthy living regime, the purging of social media toxicity or even the lack of assholes to deal with on a daily basis. Maybe it's because people have stopped talking about Brexit and are focussing their energies on keeping themselves and their loved ones alive. The truth is I can and will NEVER accept anything other than my 'old' life as normal. I spent the last 8 years of my life undoing a mindset of fear and fostering my sense of curiosity and adventure. There is sometimes something utterly divine and comforting in accepting that you cannot and will not accept your circumstances. Rather than choosing to accept my my new confinement I've chosen to focus my attention on preparing my mind, body and spirit to truly appreciate the freedom and liberty that are waiting on the other side of it. To be perfectly frank as someone who lives alone, if I were forced to spend the rest of the prime years of my life stuck in my flat in the UK, spending 2 metres away from the rest of the world for the foreseeable future I would honestly rather be dead. I live for the day I can sit on a flower laden balcony sipping coffee in some distant city overlooking the world scurrying along like tiny ants again. Each day the little green shoots on my windowsill remind me that my seeds of hope have already been sewn. Some of the positive rituals I have mastered will travel with me into my 'new normal' (it's just the old normal but with added calcium). In the meantime I'll wrap those leaves and shoots of hope around the prison bars I call my kitchen window to help me remain razor focussed on that dim yet unblinkered light at the end of the tunnel. #MARKX #MARKXMUSIC #britishartist #independentartist #singersongwriter #lockdown #covid #pandemic #diaryofacreativesoul #mentalhealth

Work has now commenced on the follow up to MARKX 2019's 'Laments' album - a brand new untitled EP set for release in May 2020. About the upcoming release MARKX adds: "I'm delighted to be working with the incredible Hattie Murdoch (HATI) on a new project that will run for the rest of the year. Since Laments came out I've been itching to get back into the studio and write some new material" MARKX and Hati collaborated on several of the 'Laments' tracks including 'Sleeping With A Ghost', 'Sahara Sand', 'Dancing On My Grave' and 'Other Side Of The River'. About the collaboration MARKX adds: "I was keen to develop the sound for the new material and evolve as an artist and writer - so I'm delighted to have Hati on board who will produce the project this time around." MARKX has been exploring the subject matter of mental health and speaking up about it in his new music. About the new songs MARKX adds: "The new songs are all influenced by the struggles we we all face in life, be it love, grief or fear itself. I can't wait to let these out into the world!" MARKX will be performing in Bristol at the Bernii Mac Agency 'Emerging' Showcase event alongside other artists including Poppy Loroe, Katie Sinclair, Lucy May Gibbs and Sandra Donald. He will be showcasing his hits from 'Laments' alongside an exclusive performance of his new material. The Bernii Mac Agency 'Emerging' Showcase is held at The Thunderbolt starting at 6:30pm costing £5 entry. You can find a link to the Facebook Event here. 'Laments' is available to stream and download from all major digital distributors here #MARKX #MARKXMUSIC #britishartist #independentartist #singersongwriter #ituneschart #fireep #ianmarkx #diaryofacreativesoul #hatimusic #water #earth #air #fire #lamentsalbum #laments #berniimacagency #emergingshowcase

MARKX hit the airwaves last week with a shout out on BBC Radio 1. After facilitating a pro writing camp in the New Forest, MARKX and his collaborators were rewarded with a shout out on Radio 1's Chillest Show with Phil Taggart. Check out the shout out here: About the shout out on BBC Radio 1 MARKX adds: "What an amazing start to 2020 being featured on Radio 1! It rounded off an incredible weekend. I'm so looking forward to getting the songs recorded and released in the next 12 months" About the collaborations MARKX adds: "It's truly incredible to witness the birth of these incredible songs. Something magical happens when you take yourself out of normality and surround yourself with likeminded people" MARKX is currently recording new material for release later this year, until then you check out MARKX's debut album 'Laments' available via all major digital retailers here. #MARKX #MARKXMUSIC #britishartist #independentartist #singersongwriter #ianmarkx #diaryofacreativesoul #BBCradio1 #water #earth #air #fire #lamentsalbum #laments #songwritingcamp #philtaggart #chillestshow #shoutout #songwriting

'Sahara Sand' has debuted in the Scottish Global New Music Chart at #3, receiving rave reviews from the judging panel and followers alike. About the chart placement MARKX adds: "The support I've had from the judges and followers has been amazing. It's an honour and privilege to be featured - I LOVE SCOTLAND." Check out the video for the track below: The song took a total of thirty minutes to write and was recorded within the hour! About the song MARKX adds: "I still can't believe it was written and recorded within 1 hour! It's one of my favourite songs of all time and shows what you can do with an hour left in the studio. It's really amazing to think what you can achieve in a small amount of time. As you know he wrote the song a few months back with songwriter (Hati) who bought the track to life" 'Laments' is available to stream and download from all major digital distributors here #MARKX #MARKXMUSIC #britishartist #independentartist #singersongwriter #ituneschart #fireep #ianmarkx #diaryofacreativesoul #hatimusic #water #earth #air #fire #lamentsalbum #laments #saharasand

The debut album from MARKX 'Laments' is out now and available on all major digital retailers here: About the release MARKX adds: "I'm so excited to finally present the songs as complete body of work. I'm so proud to have seen the project through to the end without the backing of a major label" The release date bears huge significance; marking the 6 years that have passed since turning his back on a corporate career to pursue his dream of being a full time singer/ songwriter. About the timing of the release MARKX adds: "It's poetic timing and a wonderful way to celebrate being free from the constraints of corporate bullsh*t - long may it last!" The 14 track album features all of the songs from the first 4 EPs along with two brand new tracks 'I'd Do It All Over Again' and 'Sahara Sand'. About the new songs MARKX adds: "The beautiful thing about the news tracks are that they were the first and final songs written for the project. I love the way 'Sahara Sand' takes you off on a COMPLETELY different trajectory! What's insane about this song is that we wrote the song in just 30 minutes! The lyrics just poured out and it wrote itself" The album has been a huge collaborative effort and includes writing credits for no less than 11 songwriters. The production, recording, mixing and mastering courtesy of Michael Clarke (The Sad Professors/ Martine McCutcheon Band). "Michael perfectly brought 'Laments' to life and invested a lot of his blood and sweat into the project - hopefully no tears that I'm aware of. The songs carry his DNA and his musicality" The album also boasts production, co-writing, arrangements and mixing credits from Hati: "I want to extend a colossal thank you to Hati for bringing 'Sahara Sand' to life has well as saving the day with the vocal arrangements and recording of 'Bonfire' and 'Complete'. Towards the end of the EP recordings with Michael I lost my voice - Hati stepped in to save the day by recording these at the 11th hour in Newcastle between writing new material!" MARKX has been busy working on new material and is now applying for funding for the follow up to 'Laments'. "It's such an exciting time for me - I'm ready for BBC Radio 2 now and know that the next batch of songs have got what it takes to sit alongside the likes of Hozier, Lewis Capaldi and Tom Grennan. Time to get back in the studio and making the goods!" 'Laments' is available from all major digital distributors here - the 'Laments' tracklisting is as follows: 1. 'Bonfire' - MARKX & Beth Keeping 2. 'Other Side Of The River' - MARKX & Hati 3. 'Complete' - MARKX, Matt Johnson & Simon Dorey 4. 'Holding On To Water' - MARKX & Charlie Turner 5. 'Burn' - MARKX 6. 'Sleeping With A Ghost' - MARKX & Hati 7. 'Paint Over The Walls' - MARKX & Sarah McClellan 8. 'Hold A Light' - MARKX & Carolyn Oakley 9. 'Dancing On My Grave' - MARKX, Hati & Bryony Dunn 10. 'Yours Sincerely' - MARKX, Michael Clarke & Nicki Kelly 11. 'Roads' - MARKX & Abi Murray 12. 'Helium Balloon - MARKX, Michael Clarke & Nicki Kelly 13. 'I'd Do It All Over Again' - MARKX, Michael Clarke & Nicki Kelly 14. 'Sahara Sand' - MARKX & Hati #MARKX #MARKXMUSIC #britishartist #independentartist #singersongwriter #ituneschart #fireep #ianmarkx #diaryofacreativesoul #BBCradio2 #hatimusic #bethkeeping #jaayns #water #earth #air #fire #hatimusic #lamentsalbum #laments

It's 3am Sunday morning at my flat in the centre of Brighton. I really should be out there enjoying the festivities of Brighton Pride. This year I'm not though. Ebenezer Scrooge, self confessed party pooper and cynic here has made a controversial move to boycott the weekend. From outside my bedroom window, in the street below me, an angry row is erupting between a young couple, followed by the smashing of a bottle. A few minutes later it's preceded by the raucous football chants of a group of lads. A brief moment of silence as sleep beckons....interrupted abruptly by the gush of someone releasing a torrent of piss against the building wall two stories down. Next a 'Phonejacker' style phone call from an inebriated woman, echoes from down the street - "oi Dave can you get us some Mandy??". I poke my meerkat head outside the front door to my flat: the coast is clear and I take the opportunity to put the rubbish out - in the communal bin where it belongs! I tiptoe carefully over the sea of discarded cans and takeaway containers that line the steps down from my flat. Pride is still in full swing and I'd be lying if I didn't feel a slight pang of FOMO. Sadly I feel the important message behind Pride has become woefully lost along the way. It's been swept away by a sea of rainbow flags, washed out into the littered gutters of Brighton: shrouded behind the sparkly sprinkles of glitter (most of which will probably end up in our oceans for thousands of years to come). From my vantage point on the second floor all I see is a swathe of sheep, cattle marched along the Pride conveyor belt, to spend their money in local venues (mostly corporate chains). Some genius in the corporate marketing department adds a rainbow filter to the company profile picture to show 'solidarity'. So where do all the profits go may I ask? To local LGBTQ+ mental health services? Extra policing to keep us all safe? I think not: our pink pounds are clinking away, lining a multitude of greedy fat cat pockets. Progress is only made through integration: attitudes and viewpoints evolve through discussion and education. So where can people go to hang out and mix? All the public gardens along the Pride route are conveniently closed for renovation. Well you could always pay a hefty fee to get 'f*cked' up and enjoy Preston Park or the St James St party (where there's nowhere for anyone to sit and chat). The party continued into the early hours on Brighton Beach: the last remnants of which has thankfully been removed on Monday morning courtesy the tireless work of the volunteer clean up teams. If I have one regret from boycotting this years Pride, it is one of not standing in solidarity with my predecessors; the bravery and strength of whom has allowed my generation the freedom it takes for granted every day. It's easy in the midst of the carnival spirit to forget about the huge epidemic of homophobic and transphobic violence the UK. Instead I am showing my solidarity in a different way from the safety and comfort of behind my keyboard and screen - I am no less solid in my solidarity! I hope somewhere in between the lines of my rant the message is clear: Please take your Pride rubbish with you when you leave. #brightonpride #litter #MARKX #Blog #MARKXMusic #DiaryOfACreativeSoul #LGBTQ #environment #ocean #plastic

Aiming for iTunes chart success for the final time, MARKX releases the final EP from the element themed song collection on 29th June 2019. The 'Fire' EP is available to save and pre order from all major digital distributers - pre order your copy now here and help 'Fire' chart on iTunes chart! Check out the 'Hold A Light' video here: About the release MARKX adds: "The songs are the most vulnerable and honest I've ever written. It's like facing all your demons head on. Pulling all of the painful things out of the box and looking at them all at once" Check out the promo video for the collection below: "Fire has been a long time coming, mainly because one of the tracks, 'Burn', had been placed on hold for a major artist for two years or so!" The release will feature three brand new songs with contributions from fellow singer songwriters Beth Keeping and Carolyn Oakley (Jaayns) along with 'Burn', the first song to be written and released as a solo write for MARKX. About 'Burn' MARKX adds: "Burn was born out of a time where I wasn't sure whether I was going to pursue being an artist. I wanted just to write alone, more as therapy rather than with an output in mind. I believe it's one of the most honest songs I've ever written and the one I'm most proud of. As a song it was one of the first I'd had some real interest from - I was loathed to let go of it originally but I came up with the idea of delaying it until the final EP and possibly covering my own track!" The songs on the collection all fall comfortably into the folk pop/ singer songwriter genre and have received praise from head of BBC Radio 2/ 6 Music's Jeff Smith and BBC Sussex's Sarah Gorrell: About the BBC Radio 2 connection: "To receive such enthusiasm this early on in a project is incredible. My gut feeling has always been a folk pop sound and to have that validated my such a senior figure in the business is immense. I was waiting on tenterhooks once the 'Earth' EP tracks were submitted for the BBC Radio 2 playlisting meeting. I have my next shot with the 'Fire' EP - knowing in my heart these are some of my best work to date" The EP is again produced, mixed and mastered by Michael Clarke (Sad Professors/ Martine McCutcheon band) with a vocal arrangement credit for Hati. With the collection of element themed EPs reaching their conclusion over the summer, MARKX will turn his attention to collecting all the songs which will feature on an album in the autumn. MARKX adds: "It's another opportunity to promote the key songs in the collection whilst the next project is recorded. I'm still in complete shock I've managed 9 songs and 9 videos as I set myself an audacious goal to get some momentum going. I'll have time to revisit some of the songs over the summer as they are brought together with the album" In terms of plans for the future. MARKX adds: "The 'elements' album will be followed by a collection of brand new material. I'm mixing it up and using a crowdfunding style campaign for this next one. It will be organic instruments and a folk pop sound. I had the luxury of assembling a brand new team of writers for this one. I'd planned to spend the the summer writing for the next project. As it happened the songs ended up being written by spring so I'm raring to go in and record!" The 'Fire' EP is available to save and pre order from all major digital distributers - pre order your copy now here and help 'Fire' chart on iTunes chart! The 'Fire' tracklisting is as follows: 1. 'Bonfire' - MARKX/ Keeping 2. 'Hold A Light' - MARKX/ Oakley 3. 'Burn' - MARKX #MARKX #MARKXMUSIC #britishartist #independentartist #singersongwriter #ituneschart #fireep #ianmarkx #diaryofacreativesoul #BBCradio2 #hatimusic #bethkeeping #jaayns #SarahGorrell #water #earth #air #fire #hatimusic