Critically-acclaimed soul-folk artist Me for Queen (aka Mary Erskine) will release her new single ‘Jessica’ on August 19th. This is the first song Mary has written and recorded on the guitar. It is “a vulnerable song about vulnerability” as well as a reflection on the role of art and that of the artist. The intricacy and elegance of Me For Queen’s songwriting and delivery has prompted comparisons to Regina Spektor, Alessi’s Ark and Carole King, with a slight touch of Kate Bush and Laura J Martin.
Mary has already garnered support from prolific songwriter Gretchen Peters, as well as Tom Robinson at BBC Radio 6 Music. The Edinburgh Metro described her as “blessed with a profound skill in the art of songwriting”, and she was also featured in The Guardian in 2014, who highlighted her “beautiful, soaring vocals”. Years of classical training together with a Blues guitarist for a father make for an interesting mix of Soul and Folk. While Me For Queen’s piano-based songs inevitably draw obvious comparisons to Regina Spektor and Laura Marling, Mary cites Judee Sill & This is the Kit as a few of her favourites and says Me For Queen is “a sort of sketchpad for whatever’s happening in my head. I just try to write songs that talk to people.” Her last single, Slow Train, from her EP “Who I Am and What I’m For” (released in February) was included in Tom Robinson’s personal top 5 Fresh Faves on BBC6’s Fresh on the Net and was also single of the week on the Janice Forsyth BBC Scotland Culture show. This August will see Mary head out on tour for the 4th time in one year. Having supported Lewis & Leigh and Bryde on their respective UK tours, she is looking forward to her first headline tour, which will also include some co-headline dates with Emily Maguire. Tour Dates: 10 August - The Old Stables, Swindon 16 August - Cafe Kino, Bristol 18 August - The Big Comfy Bookshop, Coventry 19 August - The Drawing Room, Chesham 20 August - Castle Hotel, Manchester 21 August - Crail Town Hall, Crail 22 August - An Tobar, Tobermory 23 August - Glad Cafe, Glasgow 4 September - Crescent Theatre, Birmingham 6 September - The Sound Lounge, London