ELECTRONIC PRESS KIT: “IN THE BLEAK”
Artist Bio
The Marsh Family shot to worldwide fame after uploading pandemic parody songs that went viral in 2020 with their unique mix of humour, heart, and hope. The family of six, from Kent in the UK, are versatile, earthy, and independent – putting their own unique twist on genres from musicals and folk to Motown and funk. Dubbed the “Von Trapped” family by the New York Times, they raised millions of spirits and smiles during lockdown, appearing on Jimmy Kimmel Live (2020), the BBC’s Comic Relief (2021), and spearheading a Christmas campaign for Prostate Cancer UK in December 2021. Their debut single that month was played on BBC Radio 2 and numerous regional stations.
Talented vocalists, lyricists, and multi-instrumentalists, the family consists of parents Ben (a history lecturer, 46) and Danielle Marsh (administrator, 45) and their children Alfie (16), Thomas (15), Ella (13) and Tess (10). Having sung together since the kids were born in Scotland, they have grown as fast in fanbase as they have in size, reaching 130,000 subscribers on YouTube in just 24 months, with all their tracks recorded at home. Though sometimes compared to The Partridge Family and “Weird Al” Yankovic for their camaraderie and biting humour in parodies, their original sound carries more of the folk rock tones of Fleetwood Mac, mixed with the pulse and harmonic resonance of other family vocals (such as the Bee Gees, Beach Boys, and The Corrs).
For more details, see their Wikipedia entry.
Single dropped on 9 December – click here to download or stream
- “ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL” [MUSIC ASYLUM]
- “THIS IS THE WAY TO DO CHARITY SINGLES” [FATEA MAGAZINE]
- “A RAVISHING HOLIDAY BLEND” [GOOD MUSIC RADAR]
- “BOATLOADS OF EMPATHY…HITS HARD” [TJPL NEWS]
- “SOULFUL PASSION…RIVETING BLEND OF VOCAL TIMBRES” [SINOSOIDAL MUSIC]
- “A WORK OF GREAT DEPTH AND CONSCIENCE” [ROCK ERA MAGAZINE]
- “PERFECTLY SUITED FOR THE HOLIDAY SEASON” [POP HITS CO]
- “INCREDIBLY INSPIRED” [IT’S A MUSIC BLOG]
- “DESERVES TO BE ON THE SAME SHELF AS THE GREATEST STANDARDS OF THE SEASON” [MUSIC FOR ALL MAGAZINE]
- “STUNNING HARMONIES, SOULFUL VOCAL PERFORMANCES AND LAYERED INSTRUMENTATION” [FVB MUSIC BLOG HOTPICKS]
- “AN EXCELLENT CHRISTMAS SONG” [MUSIC ARENA]
Audio of “IN THE BLEAK” with Soundcloud Link:
‘In the Bleak’ is a folk-rock adaptation of the classic Christmas carol, that rails at the onslaught of recent hardships around the world, but that insists on the need to ‘take heart’ and share in hope and resilience. The voices of each family member shine through in turn, in a soundscape carrying the festive spirit of Dickens and driving towards an uplifting coda that ends with a heartbeat. The song offers a full-frontal musical confrontation of the cost-of-living crisis, recognising that this season will jar with typical yuletide tropes of escapism and indulgence. By using familiar reference points from the original carol and an immersive blend of cascading harmonies and instruments (such as cornets and bells), it carries a strident message about facing up to tough times and supporting one another – a message that will resonate with The Marsh Family’s global audience.
All profits from the song in Christmas 2022 are going to the amazing charity Save the Children, which exists to help every child get the chance of a future they deserve. So far the song has raised more than £8,000 (with UK Aid Match).
#MARSHFAMILYSONGS
#INTHEBLEAK
Photo Gallery (email for high res)
Social Reach
The Marsh Family have over 131,000 subscribers to their YouTube channel, which has garnered 20 million views since it began in April 2020. They have 183k followers on Facebook, 32k on Twitter and 10k more on Instagram & TikTok.
They racked up millions of viral views of their “Suella Braverman” sea shanties earlier in November, and their Meatloaf tribute, “All of the Prices Have Gone Up (But We Can’t Pay That!)” (April 2022) continues to resonate.
The single “In the Bleak” (4m21s) was written and recorded at home in Faversham in November 2022, mixed and mastered by Skyline Studios, and distributed by Nova Music Distribution UK.
“In the bleak midwinter, longing for hope…”
CLICK HERE FOR ”In the BleaK’ LYRICS
Official Video of IN THE BLEAK
Recent Testimonials
New York Times
Jimmy Kimmel
OK! Magazine
The Independent
Ben Shephard (GMB)
Subba-Cultcha Reviews
Sharon Barbour (BBC TV Health Correspondent)
CNN
Total Entertainment
Awards & Plaudits
- SHORTLISTED FOR A BRAND FILM AWARD EMEA, 2022 (Mack the Knife)
- 4* REVIEW IN “SINGING AND SWINGING” 2021 (Syd Briscoe)
- LETTERS FROM LOCKDOWN 2021 (Natasha Kaplinsky)
- UNIVERSITY OF KENT: “For Services Rendered to the Nation” Award 2021
- TRY ANGLE AWARD 2021: Recognising the Efforts & Achievements of Young People, Kent & Medway
- COVID KINDNESS UK 2020 (Anna James)
- MALHAAR INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM FESTIVAL AWARD 2020
Selected Media Appearances / Performances / Features & Links
| TV Show / Programme | Excerpts / Links (where available) |
|---|---|
| Jimmy Kimmel Live (One Day More) | Link here – please do not circulate without permission |
| This Morning (One Day More) | Link here |
| BBC Comic Relief Live Show (Totally Fixed Where We Are fundraiser) | Performance here |
| BBC Breakfast (multiple) | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-52106893 https://twitter.com/bbcbreakfast/status/1351094511489986561 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-55970068 |
| BBC Morning Live (Bring Us A Candle) | Interview clip here (full interview on request) Performance here |
| The Project (New Zealand) | Interview here Performance here |
| ABC US, ABC Australia, CBS, CNN, Democracy Now, GMB, Sky News, WGN Chicago, ITV News, InfoWars (!), KMTV, France Channel 5, KGNS Texas, BBC Southeast, Israeli PBC, BBC Newsround, |
| Radio Show / Programme | Audio Link (where available) |
|---|---|
| BBC Radio 2 (incl. Zoe Ball, Rev. Kate Botley/Jason Mohammad, Michael Ball) | Zoe Ball |
| BBC Radio 4 (Saturday Morning Live) | Programme here (interview @ 45:07) |
| BBC Radio 5 Live (Breakfast) | Interview here |
| Virgin Breakfast (Chris Evans) | Clipped here |
| BBC Radio Kent (Dom King) | Performance here |
| Heart Breakfast, BBC Radio Cambridge, Derby, Devon, Lancashire, Manchester, Merseyside, Scotland, Sussex, Wiltshire, ABC Nightlife, France Info, Antigua Radio, NPR, Nicole Sandler Show |
| Magazine / Newspaper / Online Features | Link (where available) |
|---|---|
| New York Times | Isabella Kwai |
| OK! Magazine | Lara Kilner |
| The Independent | Jenny Eclair |
| The Sun | Sophie Jane Evans & Sarah White |
| Evening Standard | Amy Murphy |
| Yahoo! Life | Jill Foster |
| The Daily Telegraph | Helen Chandler-Wilde |
| NPR | Laurel Wamsley |
| EditorJI, Die Spiegel, New Zealand Herald, The Breeze, RND Deutschland, ATV Today, The Northern Echo, Daily Advent, | Many millions of views also on media platforms (such as 6.5m views alone here at The Guardian). |
Contact Details
CONTACT US: email@marshfamilysongs.com