“The Life Of The Party” – Penfriend

Get this song PLUS THREE more immediately when you order your copy of my new album “House Of Stories”, out 18^th April 2025.

The album is available on super limited edition vinyl colours, signed CD and KiT hybrid digital format, with tees, hoodies and hardback books to accompany the music
https://shop.penfriend.rocks/collections/penfriend-house-of-stories

A song for the introverts, for the bruised hearts, for the blushing ones fed up with holding it all inside.

Sometimes the past won’t let us go, but if we turn and face it, we can take action to dull the blows. We can heal ourselves.

This is a call to tell our stories – to ourselves and others. Our voices matter.

I wrote this song in one day in October 2023. Sometimes a song falls from the sky, and my job is to catch hold of it and nurture it.

This song helped heal me. Now it’s yours.

THANK YOU.

VIDEO CREDITS
Directed and shot by Laura Kidd at The Carousel, Nottingham, and edited in The Launchpad. Additional filming and warm support by Tim Bailey.

SONG CREDITS
Written, produced, performed, and recorded by Laura Kidd in The Launchpad, Nottingham.
Piano by Jay Chakravorty.
Drums by Max Saidi.
Mixed by Chris Sheldon.
Mastered by Katie Tavini.

HUGEST THANKS to The Correspondent’s Club. I can’t do this without you xxx

LYRICS

When did the light fade out of your eyes?
When did the life drain out of mine?
Now when the storm comes I’m ready to run
How do you explain what we’ve become?

Just wait
Don’t leave yet
Don’t second guess

I’m not the life of the party
I’m the light, I’m the light, I’m the light

I dream of a birthday – on my birthday
Chocolate cake in my hands – don’t take my hand
The gentlest fiction for my crash land

It shouldn’t surprise me – you surprise me
The mess that we’re in – this mess we’re in
Cos if it’s not raining it’s threatening – is threatening

Don’t leave
You’re never known me
Just listen

I’m not the life of the party
I’m the light, I’m the light, I’m the light

Where did the love go out of your kiss?
Why does it always come back to this?

I’m not the life of the party
I’m the light, I’m the light
I’m not the life of the party
I’m the light, I’m the light
I’m not the life of the party
I’m the light, I’m the light
I’m the light

Thank you for visiting!

Tap to get your FREE 12-track album + 31-page PDF zine of stories, photographs and artwork here.

My new Penfriend album “House Of Stories” is available NOW on super limited vinyl, CDs and KiT hybrid digital albums, with accompanying tees, hoodies and books. Music fans got it to #2 in the Official UK Independent Album Chart in April 2025. Bonkers!

Join The Correspondent’s Club on Patreon to receive quarterly bundles of art and members-only music plus extra perks + immediate access to my entire digital archive (digital and analogue memberships available)

Listen to my first Penfriend album “Exotic Monsters” and browse my back catalogue here.

If you make things too – or want to know more about the creative process – I’m sharing thoughtful weekly essays here on my experiments in art, music and life on Substack (and I won’t be at all offended if you prefer to read my stuff there rather than on this absolutely gorgeous website).

Chat with me on Bluesky, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

See you soon xo

PS yes, my songs are available everywhere else you listen to music online.
Just search for Penfriend, She Makes War and Obey Robots.

You could even subscribe here to send a message to the algorithm overlords that Penfriend rocks!

Better still

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My #1 album is two years old…and I have something to tell you

by Laura Kidd House Of Stories Letterbox Music News

It’s two years since my collaboration album “One In A Thousand” topped the Official UK Independent Albums Chart, and I have something to tell you.

Something strange and magical happens when people come together to make music. There’s an unexplainable connection that means the songs written could never have existed without exactly those people being involved, at exactly that time and in exactly that way.

That’s what Obey Robots is. And here’s what we made.

How it happened

I’ve been a solo artist since 2010, with my sixth album due out six weeks today. After playing in lots of bands as a teen and in my 20’s, I decided I wanted to explore my own inner world without compromising with multiple other people, and it’s been a really fun creative adventure.

In 2019 Rat (the guitarist from Ned’s Atomic Dustbin) came across the video for my song “Drown Me Out” on YouTube. He was spending some time recording his guitar ideas with Miles Hunt of The Wonder Stuff, and asked Miles if he’d heard of me. “She’s a friend”¹, M replied, before introducing us by email.

As you can imagine, I was beyond delighted to discover that the songs I’d been putting out into the world since 2010 had impressed one of my favourite guitarists. We decided to see what we could make together and, building on his brilliant source material, I wrote and produced the songs that became “One In A Thousand”, emailing each new finished section to Rat over email to ever more enthusiastic responses.

Fun fact: I’ll never forget cutting up the “Porcupine” guitar riff, layering instruments and vocals to make a spiky song and then completely forgetting to send it to Rat for a few weeks. But it was worth the wait

How it went

Every time I finish an album I hope that it will go and do *something* in the world, but I never know what that *something* will be.

“One In A Thousand” was the first time I totally gave up on trying to get reviews and radio play, because I knew that talking directly to music fans was all I was interested in spending my energy on. And after his major label experiences, I know Rat was excited by the DIY nature of the way I’ve been doing things since first sharing my music online in 2009. He was fully on board, and I worked very hard with the release to make sure his trust in me was not misplaced!

I hoped “One In A Thousand” would have an impact, but we could never have predicted the warm wave of support that we received. October 2022 to March 2023 was a very exciting time, and that’s all down to the generous support of music fans.

Our totally independently produced and released record went to #14 in the Official UK Albums Chart and #1 in the Official Independent Albums Chart – and we have the trophies to prove it.

What the heck?!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH

So, what’s next?

Every time someone asks when the next Obey Robots album is coming out, or when we’re going to tour, it’s a huge compliment. Thank you.

It feels like the right moment to say that neither of these things are currently happening. We never planned to tour, and we never planned to start a band.

Rat is developing some music with another collaborator, which I’m excited to cheer on from the sidelines, and as you may have picked up from this post, my whole life is about making albums into the long-distant future.

My new album “House Of Stories” is out on 18^th April, and I’ve been releasing a new single and video every month.

If you’re a “Porcupine” fan, start with “Space, Man”

And as for Obey Robots: never say never, but we honestly have no plans for anything at the moment except a regular video chat to stay in touch.

We still have CDs, a few cassettes and the last tees and hoodies in my shop.

We both hope “One In A Thousand” continues to find its audience into the future. I’m so proud of what we made. Massive thanks always to Milo for putting us in touch, and to Rat for the YouTube binge that brought us together, and the wonderful guitar demos!

Love,
Laura xxx

PS get your copy of “House Of Stories” here. SIX WEEKS WOO

I met Miles in 2011 after a gig where I sang backing vocals for another musical hero, Carina Round. A real pinch-me-am-I-dreaming? moment. He and Erica Nockalls took a copy of my debut album home and have stayed in touch ever since. They say never meet your heroes, but some of them are absolutely wonderful humans. ↩︎

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Penfriend LIVE online: Wed 5th March, 8pm (UK time)

by Laura Kidd Letterbox Live performances Music News

Tap here to set up a reminder, watch on the night or watch anytime afterwards x

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I made this to make you smile

by Laura Kidd Creativity Essays House Of Stories Letterbox Music News Productivity Space, Man

I made this to make you smile.

I made this to provide 4 minutes of escape from stress and worry about life, the universe and everything.

I made this to remind myself not to take everything so seriously all the time.

My new song “Space, Man” isn’t a silly song. Nor was my last song “Emotional Tourist”. And nor was my Obey Robots song “Porcupine”.

I don’t write silly songs, but I do choose to have fun when I present things to you. I want to give you something different, memorable and meaningful.

I really did make this to make you smile.

I had a wobble on Monday, halfway through editing this new video. If only I looked cool, or could dance, or had a team of professionals sorting out interesting outfits and dramatic lighting, or [insert any number of random, out-of-reach expensive items here]…if only I could just do more to send my songs out into the world.

What do I mean by more, exactly?

Every time I make something new there’s the possibility of infinite reward when I share it online. Hundreds of views could turn into thousands, or tens of thousands. If I pick the right thumbnail, or learn exactly how the algorithms work on every platform, or say exactly the right thing at the right moment, the music I care so much about sharing could leap forth from my laptop and become a beloved fixture in the lives of music fans around the world.

The possibilities are tremendously exciting, potentially life-changing. Less grind, less hustle. Money in the bank. A slightly easier life?

I try to stay positive, without setting myself up for too much of a fall. If/when I don’t get 100K views in 5 minutes (!), I have to be okay with that. I have to be able to keep going.

I’ve done this for long enough to know that simply getting to keep doing it is the real goal.

And it’s certainly not just about finding new people to listen. My “big” mailing list has around 9000 subscribers, and my Substack list has around 200, and sometimes it feels just as difficult to successfully invite these people to click “play”.

That’s ok. It’s humbling. You have your own, way more important, stuff going on.

Just know that, even when I doubt myself, I will keep trying. Even when I receive nasty comments and unpleasant emails (and oh, I do), I will keep sharing music, sharing videos and sharing my words.

Every time I make a collection of songs I put everything on the line to create the best experiences I can for music fans.

You are never obliged, but you are always invited.

My new video cost around £200 to make: studio hire, two costumes, props and lunch. I did my own hair and makeup, set up my own shots and didn’t try to look cool or try to dance. The only other human involved was my lovely husband Tim, who helped with the moving shots and tightened the legs of my inflatable costume to stop everything from going floppy.

Talk about infinite reward: I got to spend a Tuesday being silly with my favourite person making something to make you smile.

I hope you enjoy “Space, Man”.

Love,
Laura xxx

PS get “Space, Man” + two more songs immediately when you order my new album “House Of Stories”, out 25th April 2025. Only available direct from me, DIY 4EVA x

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“Space, Man” – Penfriend

by Laura Kidd House Of Stories Letterbox Music News Releases Singles Space, Man

It could have been so great. They could have been heroes. But no. The internet made us disconnected, but they’re on another planet.

Maybe it was always like this, only now we can tune in at any time of day and hear the details. We watch, open-mouthed, as they get away with it. Criminal activity, noxious views, obscene gestures – anything goes when you have all the money in the world and a platform to spew from.

Living in a permanent state of cognitive dissonance is exhausting. Let’s disobey, let off steam, take care of each other and never, ever, give up.

VIDEO CREDITS
Directed and shot by Laura Kidd at The Createry, Nottingham, edited in The Launchpad. Additional filming and alien wrangling by Tim Bailey.

SONG CREDITS
Written, produced, performed, and recorded by Laura Kidd in The Launchpad, Nottingham.
Drums by Max Saidi.
Mixed by Chris Sheldon. Mastered by Katie Tavini.

HUGEST THANKS to The Correspondent’s Club. I can’t do this without you xxx

LYRICS

Spaceman
Floating in your tin can
Furious at everyone
Will you go straight for the gun?
Coulda woulda shoulda done
Still you go
Straight for the gun

Are we ecstatic or just numb?
Pushing through the bodies as we run
Boil the water slowly so we forget to scream
Pick out the wrong side
So we can just fight

Spacequeen
Louder than you should have been
Blowing it to smithereens
Still you go
Straight for the gun
“Unbelievable scenes”
Cos you go
Straight for the gun

Are we ecstatic or just numb?
Pushing through the bodies as we run
Boil the water slowly so we forget to scream
Pick out the wrong side
So we can just fight

It’s too late
Let your lies drag you under
Tell me what you want now
Can you tell me?
Tell me what you want now
You’ve got nothing to say anyway
Tell me what you want now
It’s all so strange, strange, strange
Tell me what you want now
You’ve got nothing to say
Nothing to say
Nothing to say

Spaceman
Could have been the biggest bang
But you go
Straight for the gun
Are we ecstatic or just numb?
Pushing through the bodies as we run
Boil the water slowly so we forget to scream

Pick out the wrong side
So we can just fight
Pick out the wrong side
So we can just fight
Pick out the wrong side
So we can just fight

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“Emotional Tourist” – Penfriend

by Laura Kidd Emotional Tourist House Of Stories Letterbox Music News Releases Singles

Songs can mend moments. Art stretches time, giving me a chance to walk back into the room and say what I wouldacouldashoulda. Giving me the power to walk out.

“Emotional Tourist” is a fiery anthem* for anyone who’s suffered at the hands of bullies, creeps and narcissists. Fielding comments – or worse – on your appearance, your weight, your life choices. Painted into a corner by politeness, with an inability to believe someone could truly be that awful – and be doing it on purpose, too.

Just me? Sadly not.

11 years ago, faced with my soon-to-be-ex’s final attempts to extinguish my creativity I did manage to get out, but there was no blaze of glory. Real life is usually quieter than that.

I know I’m one of the lucky ones.

“Emotional Tourist” is a chance for me to rewrite my story in that blaze of glory – 3 minutes 40 seconds of foot-stomping, fist-wielding synth rock.

Because when events from the past refuse to stay there, the only thing to do as a songwriter is stab them in the eye with the blade of truth.

“You reap what you sow.”

* PS: my rule on such bragging is: if someone else (who isn’t a friend and doesn’t live with me) calls the song an anthem, I can call the song an anthem…

VIDEO CREDITS
Directed, shot and edited by Laura Kidd.

Additional filming and warmest encouragement from Tim Bailey, my actual hero (can you spot his lovely face near the end of the video?)

Paper house crafted by LK, with a cameo from the Christmas tree fairy Sarah-Jane Osborne made for me a few years ago, when I went by the name She Makes War. Thank you, S-J!

PS I’m playing my beloved Reverend Double Agent OG in this video.

SONG CREDITS
Written, produced, performed, and recorded by Laura Kidd in The Launchpad, Nottingham.
Drums by Max Saidi.
Mixed by Chris Sheldon. Mastered by Katie Tavini.

HUGEST THANKS to The Correspondent’s Club. I can’t do this without you xxx

LYRICS

You think I’m an emotional tourist
But you don’t know how deep I go
Holding tight, but I’m lost in this forest
And there’s no sign of my hero
So I guess I’ll just sleep in the snow

It’s like this –
The lure of a late night kiss
A situation that shouldn’t exist
Now I’m trapped in a house in the humdrum
With a cut-price narcissist
– Now I’m trapped in a house with a poisoned mind

He tells me to give up my dream
The thing I’ve wanted since I was 13
Or I’m not on his team
Now there’s smoke in the house
And I didn’t even think to scream

You reap what you sow, motherfucker / lazy lover
Go
Go, go

You think I’m an emotional tourist
But you don’t know how deep I go
Holding tight, but I’m lost in this forest
And there’s no sign of my hero
So I guess I’ll just sleep in the snow

I’m not finished

That’s two years I’ll never get back
I’m sick of hearing
I’m too fat
I’m too boring
I’m too this
I’m too that

He said I couldn’t make him feel
That I shouldn’t write about what’s real
Then he lit that match
Oh well – what’s a girl to do?

You reap what you sow, motherfucker / lazy lover
Go, go
I hope you know
You reap what you sow
So go

I hope you choke

You think I’m an emotional tourist
But you don’t know how deep I go
Holding tight, but I’m lost in this forest
And there’s no sign of my hero
So I guess I’ll just sleep in the snow
I guess I’ll just sleep in the snow

You think I’m an emotional tourist
But you don’t know how deep I go
Holding tight, but I’m lost in this forest
And there’s no sign of my hero
So I guess I’ll just sleep
And you can just weep in the snow

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On single release day, these two words have to go

by Laura Kidd Creativity House Of Stories Letterbox Music News Process

Day 8 of my daily index card collage challenge. "Gobblin' Time" - get it? Original monster by Zozoville.

Next Wednesday 15^th January I’m releasing my first new song in two years.^⁠⁠¹

“Emotional Tourist” is the first single I’m sharing publicly² from my seventh solo album “House Of Stories”.

I’m probably supposed to be “excited to announce…” or “delighted to introduce…” but, 15 years after the first time I was excited to announce a single³,^⁠ I’m hoping to stretch my vocabulary.

It’s not that I’m not excited, or indeed delighted. I’m both, and more. I’ve been doing this long enough to know that the words I write on the matter are essential to encouraging, persuading and intriguing you towards tapping “play” and giving my song a chance.

I also know that writing “I’m excited to announce that my new song is out now” is a waste of everyone’s time.

I’m…Who is this person?
Excited…I’ve read that word a thousand times already today – next!
Announce…Where are we, a train station?
My…Sorry, why are you in my feed again? I don’t know you.
New song…Every song I haven’t heard yet is new, what difference does the release date make to me?
Out now…Ohhh, is this an advert? Ugh, I hate being advertised to, no thanks.

A large chunk of my time as a full-time solo artist and self-facilitating media node^⁠⁴ is spent creating excitement around things I made a while ago.

I embrace this.

Andy J. Pizza, of the wonderful, changed-my-life podcast Creative Pep Talk, recently shared a series of episodes around the second Hero’s Journey. He called it the “Journey Of The True Fan”⁵,^⁠ and it’s very helpful.

If the first Hero’s Journey sees the hero – yes, you – bravely leaving your metaphorical home to adventure out into the world, battling through adversity to find the elixir, the second is where you bring the elixir home to share with your people, the ones who need it just as much as you do.

What’s the elixir? It’s what you make – what you want to make. What you’re called to make. What you haven’t made yet…but you’re going to make. When you make that thing, wouldn’t you like to share it with people? And wouldn’t that feel more comfortable and less intimidating/gross/cringey if you believed that what you made would help them in some way?

It’s true, you know. Art heals. Songs create spaces for people to feel their feelings. Music is a collaboration between the people making the sounds, and the people listening.

If my song comes out next Wednesday and no-one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?

Not really.

My song isn’t worthless if no-one listens to it. It can be enough that I pulled it out from deep within my psyche and put the time, energy and focus in to make it into something that could be played to another human. That’s fine.

But it’s ok to want people to listen / watch / read too. And I do. And I’ve been doing this for a long time. And it’s (currently) my full-time job (thanks to generous music fans who choose to pay for something they could listen to for free).

I crave connection with other humans. Many of us do.

So, there would be very little point to me going to all the fuss of writing and recording my songs, having them professionally mixed and mastered and commissioning an artist to illustrate the album cover if I wasn’t prepared to spend time and energy on communicating my excitement and delight at my single being OUT NOW.

If you make art that you want people to experience, respond to and potentially heal from, this second Hero’s Journey is essential, and in my experience it’s not best spent:

Complaining on the internet about how we’re being forced to become “content creators”. Snore. No-one is forcing you to do anything. No-one is expecting you to make music / paint / write / make videos / anything. They don’t know you exist.

Why not spend that energy sharing your work in an interesting way? Every single time I see this post from an artist I wish they’d just shared a little story about their art instead.
Publicly railing against the powers that be while doing nothing in real life to create lasting change and/or finding interesting ways to share your art despite the raw deal we genuinely do get.
Announcing that you’re “excited” and “delighted” that your new song/book/video is OUT NOW!!!

Damn. So…what should I do instead? My single is out in less than a week! Fuuuuuuuuuuck!!!!!

Ok. Calm down. It’s just songs.⁶

While I’m truly aiming to avoid the words “excited” and “delighted” this time round, it is important to be keyed up, galvanised or otherwise invigorated about our work. If we don’t feel it, the people we’re hoping to invite to appreciate it certainly won’t.

I know “House Of Stories” is my best album yet⁷,^⁠ but instead of excitement / delightment I’m going for a quiet confidence, an open-hearted generosity of spirit and a desire to use my words to go deeper into what my 11 new songs are about, how I felt when I wrote them and how I feel about them now.

The time for musing and pondering is upon me. More soon.

Here’s what I do know: I make sad songs to make you feel better. I share music humbly to create honest, positive and potentially healing experiences for you. And I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunities that exist to share our work through myriad digital spaces, reaching out across the ether to make connections with other humans (that’s you – hi!)

I just think we can find deeper and more resonant ways to share our stories – preferably without quite so much shouting.

Another thing I’ve picked up from my 20 years of writing on the internet is to leave the reader with one simple Call To Action.

Unfortunately, in this essay I decided to do a Stewart Lee^⁠⁸ / Katie Lee^⁠⁹ and include many humorous footnotes, thereby fucking up any real chance I may have earned of you taking the required next action to listen to my new song.

Dagnabbit.

Thankfully, because I am indeed a self-facilitating media node, I’ve arranged for you to be able to pre-order my new album today on limited edition vinyl colours, signed CD and hybrid analogue/digital format KiT.

You’ll receive next week’s single “Emotional Tourist” + the title track “House Of Stories” in your inbox immediately, with a new song every month up to the release date in April 2025.

Hooray!

Thanks for reading. I’m excited and delighted you’re here.

Love,
Laura xxx

Aside from “Our Last Christmas”, which came out in early December. That one had a short shelf life, for obvious reasons…but I’m really glad I made this video for it in a Berlin Christmas market. It wasn’t at all weird wandering around filming myself and whispering the lyrics at double speed. I just have a weird job – and I love it!
↩︎
Members of my Correspondent’s Club received it on New Year’s Eve, and people who have already pre-ordered my album received it shortly afterwards. Only the best for the best.
↩︎
My first single “Let This Be” was released under the name She Makes War in April 2010. This self-directed music videostars Regé-Jean Page of Bridgerton and now Hollywood fame. Yes, 15 years ago my then-boyfriend’s little brother was keen for any experience on set, and he was always lovely to hang out with. Thanks, Regé! I’m SO proud of you.
↩︎
If you know, you know.
↩︎
Behold Andy’s “Journey Of The True Fan” series – parts 1, 2, 3 and 4. He’s here on Substack being awesome, too.
↩︎
Rebecca Lucy Taylor aka pop goddess Self Esteem said “it’s just songs” in this episode of my podcast “Attention Engineer” in February 2021 – just before she casually became (aka worked her arse off to become) a bona fide pop star. Well done, RLT! I’d love to do an “after they were famous” followup episode…
↩︎
And I still really like the other seven, so that’s saying something…
↩︎
This book changed my life. No exaggeration. If you perform in any way – read it asap.
↩︎
Her Substack newsletter is BRILLIANT and she just published a crime novel – go Katie!
↩︎

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It’s “Our Last Christmas” (a fictional prequel to the Wham! classic)

by Laura Kidd Letterbox Music News Releases Singles

Get your FREE copy of “Our Last Christmas” by Penfriend here or search for it wherever you listen to music online.

40 years after “Last Christmas” changed the festive singalong forever, “Our Last Christmas” is here to shed light and nuance on an innocent love story gone sour.

The fictional prequel to the biggest Christmas banger of all time, a festive tale of love, understanding and the particular resignation that, when you break a songwriter’s heart, they’re probably going to write about it.

We all get carried away sometimes, taking steps down a road that steals us further away from our true selves. That awkward, sinking feeling when we realise we’ve made a mistake, led someone on with the best intentions. The conversation where we try to explain.

Like milk left out on a hot day, love can turn so quickly to something else, and – if you’re (un)lucky enough to be dating a songwriter – you brace yourself for the inevitable lyrical backlash.

Empathy is always an option, and my fictional retelling has it in spades, as our protagonist sends her spurned lover off with openhearted wisdom as she steps into her own changed future.

It’s easier to make a cartoon of someone who hurt you than to see their side of the story – and there’s always another side to the story.

“Our Last Christmas” is proof that we can’t always get what we want, but if we try sometimes we just might get what we need.

There’s always another side to the story.

Happy holidays! xxx

VIDEO CREDITS
Directed, shot and edited by Laura Kidd.

SONG CREDITS
Produced, performed, recorded and mixed by Laura Kidd in The Launchpad, Nottingham.

With HUGE thanks and maximum respect to George Michael for 40 years of musical inspiration.

I’ve never understood the “Whamageddon” thing, I love hearing “Last Christmas” and will happily spend every December in “Whamhalla” – see you there?

LYRICS

It’s our last Christmas
Our last Christmas

My friends think you are trouble
But I like your leather coat
The bad boy in the kitchen
With the world in every note

It’s our last Christmas
Our last Christmas

But I don’t want you to go
Not like this
So give me one more kiss

You made a fuss of cooking
But something won’t compute
You seem to like my brother
And I think your sister’s cute

It’s our last Christmas
Our last Christmas

But I don’t want you to go
Not like this
So give me one more kiss

It’s honestly fine
We’ll be just friends
And I’ll tell my family

Promise me this
Come over and give me one last kiss
And promise you’ll write a global hit
Come over and give me one last Christmas kiss
x

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FREE live album – She Sings Sea Songs

by Laura Kidd Letterbox Music News Releases

“It’s so massive, and it humbles me…”

Two days ago a member of my online gig audience asked why the sea has been a recurring theme in my music since I wrote my first water-based song “Scared To Capsize” in 2008.

“I think there’s so much rich metaphor in waves, and depth, and sailing, and stuff…”

Deep.

It’s Bandcamp Day* – hooray! – and I’m celebrating by sharing a FREE / pay what you can live album of all my sea-themed songs, performed live on the internet on the 4th anniversary of the Penfriend launch^!

13 audio tracks, 8 songs, 1 “Gremlin interlude” and a lot of love.

-> Get your copy of “She Sings Sea Songs” here, then shay that shix times after a bottle of grog this Bank Holiday weekend.

I performed 8 songs that mention the sea in some fashion, PLUS had a chance to answer your burning questions, including:

• what’s my choice of ice cream flavour?
• am I sand or pebbles when it comes to beaches?
• if I could only visit one beach ever again, which would it be?

and

• did I *really* swim in the sea at Blackpool last week?!!!

887942B1-D8DA-4A78-BAD3-A888BC9C2168-5327-0000128CE01740D9

* This album is FREE / pay what you can for the next 10 days only AND today is Bandcamp Day, so all proceeds come directly to me instead of paying the platform.

^ This sort of thing makes me appear incredibly organised, but was in fact a complete fluke.

Thank you for your support – have a wonderful weekend!

Love,
Laura xxx

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Four years of Penfriend!!!

by Laura Kidd Creativity Letterbox Music News

Four years ago TODAY I launched my Penfriend solo project after 10 years of releasing music under another name.

People told me it would ruin my career, that starting a new music project at the age of 39 was a doomed endeavour, that no-one would be able to find me online any more. But I knew I had to make a change – and with that change, my creativity blossomed again.

I have no regrets.

Sometimes I wonder whether fans of my previous project She Makes War think I fell off the edge of the planet, but then I remember they probably know how to use a search engine.

Things would have been very different if I hadn’t cultivated a mailing list, so here’s your semi-regular invitation to receive a FREE 12-track album and 31-page zine when you sign up.

You’re ace. Thank you!

Love,
Laura xxx

PS tonight I’m celebrating sea-themed songs from six solo albums in a FREE online gig called “She Sings Sea Songs”. Sailor hats optional, lispy tonguetwisters definite.

Music starts at 8pm, hang out in the chatbox from 7.45pm.

PPS the song that ended up being the transition between She Makes War and Penfriend is “Seashaken”. Grab the SMW demo recording here and watch the brand new Penfriend music video here, shot on the North Friesan island of Sylt in early March.

PPPS I wrote about my reasons for changing artist name here.

PPPPS – just kidding. Maybe sea you tonight? Xxx

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Category: Music News

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