With a voice often likened to Carole King and Regina Spektor, a classical piano training, and influences ranging from Björk to Chopin, Me for Queen – the creative alias of Mary Erskine – is rapidly winning acclaim for her beguiling ‘soul-folk’ song craft, blending traditional folk story-telling with a contemporary edge.Growing up feral in ruralFife/Scotland, years of classical training together with a Blues guitarist for a father make for an interesting mix of soul and folk.Her much-anticipated debut solo album, “Loose End” was released via Seahorse Music in September 2018, followed by an EP “PerfectStranger” exploring motherhood, a collaboration with the Nashville singer, Alva Leigh.
Mary has enjoyed support from BBC6 Music and BBC Radio Wales and BBC Scotland; the album was Record of Note on Roddy Hart’s show and the single, Loose End, was Single of the Week on the Janice Forsyth show. In 2019, she was invited to tour as musical guest with the Guilty Feminist podcast, playing venues including the Birmingham Symphony Hall. Her song, “Jessica” was included on Spotify UK’s playlist, “The Most Beautiful Songs in the World” and has racked up over 100, 000 plays.
Teaming up for a 2nd time with Jim Wallis at Bella Union Studios, her new album, Microclimate, is set for release in early 2023. The record, recorded almost entirely in Erskine’s living room, charts a turbulent period for the singer-songwriter and marks a musical evolution. A collection of songs about lockdown, motherhood, grief and much more, the album sees Erskine moving towards a more ambitious, electronic sound; in turns meditative, joyful then vulnerable, underpinned by resilience. “Mary Erskine... at the top of her game” Tom Robinson, BBC6 Music
