MARTIN GILL

Born in Hertfordshire, England in 1997, SA-based singer/songwriter Martin Gill is the answer to the common question “what do you get if you make a middle child bored at school?” His musical journey started as a drummer, before he found a love for guitar & songwriting in his late teens. Whilst completing a degree in Mechanical Engineering, Martin took his songs from the bedroom to the big time, debuting at Splashy Fen in  2018 and earning opening slots for some of South Africa’s biggest names, such as Watershed, Goodluck, Mi Casa, Neon Dreams (Canada), Matthew Mole & Jeremy Loops. 

His music has been described as a fusion of rock, folk and synth pop and his multi-instrumental background shines through in his music’s ability to fit into many alternative genres. He lists some of his biggest influences as Bruce Springsteen, LANY anc Dermot Kennedy, whose music inspires and drives Martin to try and bring change to the world through the honesty in his art. 

He released his debut EP, Search & Rescue, during the 2020 coronavirus pandemic, announcing himself on the folk/pop scene in emphatic fashion. Spearheaded by synth pop anthem Say, the EP is driven by acoustic rhythms and ‘you should probably tell your psychologist’ levels of lyrical honesty while exploring the complexities of life as a millennial. His critically acclaimed 2021 single, One More Day, toys with the ideas of conflict, alcoholism and fitting in in relationships over an angry guitar line and haunting synths, all the while thrusting Martin further into the limelight as it took its seat alongside JP Saxe, John Mayer & more on global singer/songwriter playlists.

Martin’s music will, no doubt, continue to evolve and find new ways to capture the world’s attention over what is sure to be an impressive career.