- Written by Jodie Marie

My name is Jodie Marie and I’m a singer songwriter based in Pembrokeshire Wales. I’ve been working as a professional musician and songwriter since I was 16. I’ve also performed as one half of Taylor & Marie (formed with Samuel James Taylor), and one half of Sister Bodhi (with Isabella Collins). 

I run a recording studio with my partner Owain Fleetwood Jenkins called StudiOwz, situated at the foot of the Preseli hills in a converted baptist chapel. I also co own my label Carmel Records with two ex-Universal employees (Caru Music Ltd). 

I signed to Decca Records in 2010 and wrote with former Suede guitarist/producer Bernard Butler and singer-songwriter Ed Harcourt. My debut album Mountain Echo was released on the Verve imprint in 2011, and received much critical acclaim. I self-released my second record Trouble in Mind with Transgressive management in 2015. I released my third album The Answer in 2021, receiving great support from BBC Wales and nominated for the Welsh Music Prize. My most recent release in May 2023 - Polar Night - is a 6-track EP inspired by my residency at the Arctic Circle, a project supported by the International Opportunities Fund. I’ve toured extensively across the UK, Europe and performed shows across Norway and in the US.

 

The Arctic Circle Residency

- Supported by the International Opportunities Fund

I was invited as an artist in residence above the Arctic Circle to write music towards my fourth album. I stayed alone in a cabin on Seiland Island, situated in the North of Norway, for just over 3 weeks during the polar darkness. 

The project was to immerse myself in the experience of living over 70 degrees North where the climate is so different to what I’m used to in Wales, with extreme weather conditions and in isolation. I had the opportunity to meet with the native Indigenous Sámi people, learning about their culture and history. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity to meet such incredible and inspiring people, not only to learn about their heritage, but also to share my own Welsh culture with them.

Before going, my aim was to absorb the stories from the island and people, having access to native Sámi musical instruments, and learn about their type of singing. Also asking - would my creativity change within the polar night? I wrote songs both related and unrelated to my experience there and came home with 10 songs, including a 6 track EP called Polar Night, and inspiration that would develop over time after arriving home too.

I was invited to this artist residency on Seiland, a remote island in Norway where approximately 90 residents reside, by Gøril Nilsen, of the band I See Rivers, who in 2019 said: "part of the community got to meet Jodie Marie and her music when she played a concert in the islands chapel with the Northern Norwegian artist Fredrik William Olsen a few years back. Back then stories about the Welsh language and the Sámi language was exchanged, and we found many similarities between the languages."

During my 3 week stay above the Arctic Circle in January 2023, I wanted to explore the possibilities of my creativity when placed in a completely different environment to what I’m used to. Not only was it extremely cold, I was also isolated. I’d walk 30minutes in the polar night (meaning nearly 24hour darkness at that time of year) to the only shop, where I would meet with the local people to hear their stories, learning of their culture and heritage. I spent some time with Sámi reindeer herders on top of a mountain on the day the sun rose above the horizon for the first time since November 2022. I learnt there are a few similarities between our cultures, like how our languages were both suppressed, and how we’re making progress to reclaim our native tongue. I learnt about the Sámi singing - called a ‘joik’. It’s when you sing with no words, it’s the song ‘of’ something, embodying an object/person, but it’s not ‘about’ them/it. This really resonated with me, so I wrote a track inspired by a joik as the opening song Seiland on my new EP.

Although I spent a lot of time talking to the Sámi people and the islanders, I spent the majority of my time alone, situated in a cabin at the very end of the island road where I spent the dark hours (which was for most of the day) writing music towards my fourth album and my latest Polar Night EP. I had access to many instruments, from guitars to keyboards, to the native Sámi drums - Runebomme.

This experience has already impacted on my career moving forward. Not only by writing and releasing an EP inspired by the trip itself, but I’ve also created a mini documentary from my stay which is due out this year. Since returning, I’ve performed some intimate shows in StudiOwz in Pembrokeshire for people who have followed my journey from home, collaborating with fantastic Pembrokeshire creatives like Rona Mac, Eline Brun (I See Rivers), Jo Messore (Sky Barkers), Jennie and Gareth (lighting engineers) and Dean, a videographer (WeTheDee). I’ve had support from radio stations playing songs from this latest EP already, and have also written a journal about my trip and been featured on the cover of TIWN magazine. I’ve had many interviews explaining what the purpose of the project was, who the Sámi are, where my geographical location was, and did I achieve what I set out to achieve there - my answer would always be a big YES. 

This project has expanded my writing style beyond what I could’ve imagined, it enabled me to absorb the feeling of the island and that’s something I’d like to carry with me whenever and wherever I write in the future. I’ve met with a wonderful Sámi lady who lives in Wales and have began a conversation to work on a project together for Gwrando. It’s also made me hungry to learn more about my Welsh heritage. 

I feel it’s an adventure that has changed my life forever and one I’m truly grateful for.

You can browse the gallery of images from Jodie Marie’s time at the Arctic Circle Residency below.

"The result of that trip is a beautiful collection of songs which, as you would expect from such an immersive experience, are deeply personal and contemplative." - Polar Night EP Review by Francis Brown, NewSoundWales

"Sometimes you may have to travel a long way from home in order to appreciate what you left behind." - an interview about the residency with Nigel Summerley, Pembrokeshire Online


Jodie Marie’s residency was supported by the International Opportunities Fund. Find out more about the fund here.

Scroll through the gallery below by dragging your mouse across the picture shown.

A person looking up at beams of green light (Northern Lights) in the sky behind a snow-covered mountain and some bare trees
A reindeer stood in snow as the sun sets/rises behind it. There are dark trees lining the hills behind the reindeer.
A person wearing headphones sat in a white chair playing a white guitar. Behind them is a white keyboard piano and on top of the piano is a lit candle
A person sat in a white chair playing a white keyboard/piano - they appear to be singing. Behind the is an open laptop and music recording software on the screen. They are surrounded by other recording equipment in the room.
A person in a purple coat with the hood up, stood in front of a wooden tipi structure which is stood on a snowy landscape with dark mountains behind it
A vast dark lake with snow covered ground in the foreground and a snow covered mountain in the backgroudn
A person crouched down facing a small reindeer. The ground is covered in snow and there are two wooden houses in the background, one of the houses is lit up with lights.
A person stood in front of a vast dark lake with snow covered mountains either side. They're looking down and their hair is blowing in the wind, obscuring most of their face
A dark lake in the foreground, with snow covered mountains across the background. The sky above is blue with some pink hues and there are clouds surrounding the outer edges of the image
A person stood centre-frame with a fur blanket rolled up into their backpack. They are surrounded by snow covered ground and mountains. The sky is clear and blue, with pink hues resting at the top of the mountain
A person in a buttoned-up furry jacket and a scarf covering their mouth. They are stood centre frame as if walking towards the camera. Surround them is snow and ice covered ground, and the outer edge of a dark vast lake.
Visit Jodie Marie's website here