Marlon Williams

Biography

Marlon Williams is an award winning singer-songwriter from the town of Lyttelton, New Zealand. Williams grew up singing in the Christchurch cathedral choir, before his punk rock dad turned him onto country music in his teens. He founded The Unfaithful Ways at 17, with his high school friends and their science teacher, and quickly gained national attention, playing the Big Day Out, touring with Band of Horses and Justin Townes Earle, and picking up a Critics Choice award nomination at the 2011 New Zealand Music Awards for their debut album Free Rein. Williams met acclaimed country singer Delaney Davidson in 2011, and the pair began performing as a duo. Over two years they released three volumes of the series, Sad But True: The Secret History Of Country Music Songwriting, garnering critical acclaim, including the New Zealand country song and country album of the year in 2013. Relocating to Melbourne, Australia in mid-2013, Williams began performing solo around town and built a cult following playing a residency at local venue the Yarra Hotel. The buzz built nationally in 2014, with major festival and television appearances leading to sold out tours of Australia and New Zealand. He released his debut solo album to critical acclaim in April 2015, charting at 4 in New Zealand, and 31 in Australia in its opening week. The album has been called "captivating" by Rolling Stone, "a revelation" by Metro Magazine and "wonderfully accomplished" by the New Zealand Herald in a 5-star review. It has also featured on several 'Best of the Year So Far' lists in Australia, including Double J, Fasterlouder, Herald Sun, The Music and Timber & Steel.