Guitar, poetic vocals and mouth harmonica may be familiar singer/songwriter-tools, yet London-based songwriter Mark William Lewis manages to carve out his own niche in modern music. With almost ghostly ballads that defy classic genre labels, he is something of a rarity: a new singer/songwriter with a voice all his own.
He is not entirely new, as he has established a reputation on London's alternative music scene through several years of live performances and a series of strong EPs. However, it is only with his self-titled debut album from 2025 that he has reached a wider audience. The album stands out as the first non-soundtrack release from the company A24, otherwise best known for their arthouse film productions. Their choice of Lewis as their first musical artist makes perfect sense, as he manages to create intense micro-dramas with a dark thriller tone in the disturbing interplay between the familiar and the haunted.
With quirky productions that balance intimacy and alienation, and captivating lyrics inspired by modernist poetry, Lewis draws the listener into an enthralling universe. Musically, he alternates between film noir-esque folk, indie pop, R&B and much more, but always with Lewis' unique voice and hypnotic guitar playing at the forefront. "Spine-tingling stuff," concluded The Guardian in a glowing review of the album, which has also garnered excellent reviews from Pitchfork, among others.
Fortunately, the attention generated by the album has also enabled the original songwriter to emerge from London's underground scene and onto the international stage. We look forward to experiencing his exceptional songs at this year's Roskilde Festival.
