Careworn and careful, yet also full of romance and vitality, Beth Orton has one of the most distinctive singing voices in British music. As she prepares to release her new album The Ground Above, she will be answering your questions.
A Storied Career
Born in Norfolk and raised in east London, Orton made connections with rave royalty – Andrew Weatherall, the Chemical Brothers, William Orbit. Her platinum-selling debut album Trailer Park was a staple of post-club gatherings, blending blissful acoustic pop with subtle electronic touches. She was nominated for two Brit awards and the Mercury Prize. The follow-up, Central Reservation, leaned into a fuller sound with jazz and soul influences, and her third album, Daybreaker, reached the UK Top 10.
Though she has not reached that commercial peak again, her subsequent albums are superb: the Jim O'Rourke-produced Comfort of Strangers, classic folk-rock on Sugaring Season, electronica on Kidtsticks, and her remarkable 2022 album Weather Alive, a rumination on womanhood, nature, and lasting love.
New Album and How to Participate
The follow-up, The Ground Above, is released on 26 June. The single Waiting, a jazz ballad, ranks among her best. To mark the release, she will answer your questions about her life and work. Post them in the comments below by 12 May. Her answers will be published in the 15 May edition of the Film & Music print section and online.
