Careworn and careful, yet also full of romance and vitality, Beth Orton possesses 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 at post-club gatherings, blending blissful acoustic pop with subtle electronic touches. She earned nominations for two Brit awards and the Mercury Prize. Her follow-up, Central Reservation, leaned into a fuller sound inflected with jazz and soul, while her third album, Daybreaker, reached the UK Top 10.
Continued Artistic Evolution
Though she has not reached that level of commercial success again, her subsequent albums are superb. These include the Jim O'Rourke-produced Comfort of Strangers, the classic folk-rock of Sugaring Season, the electronica of Kidsticks, and her remarkable, tortured 2022 album Weather Alive—a meditation on womanhood, nature, and lasting love.
How to Submit Your Questions
Her follow-up album The Ground Above is released on 26 June. The single Waiting, a jazz ballad, ranks among her best work. To mark the release, Orton will answer your questions about her life and work. Post them in the comments below by 12 May, and we will publish her answers in the 15 May edition of the Film & Music print section, as well as online.
