Will Varley

Born in London in 1987, Will Varley first developed his songwriting on London’s early-2000s open-mic circuit before settling in Kent, where he co-founded the collective and label Smugglers Records. His work sits in a folk and alt-country vein with Americana inflections, centred on acoustic guitar, storytelling and a restrained singer-songwriter approach that is sometimes expanded into a band format. He came to attention with Advert Soundtracks in 2011, which he supported with a walking tour, and refined his sound on As the Crow Flies (2013) and Postcards from Ursa Minor (2015), released after signing with Xtra Mile Recordings. His subsequent discography includes Kingsdown Sundown (2016), Spirit of Minnie (2018) — recorded with a full band — and The Hole Around My Head (2021). Over the years he has shared bills or toured with Frank Turner, Billy Bragg, Valerie June and The Proclaimers, performing in clubs, folk festivals and independent venues across the UK, Europe and North America. Will Varley’s British folk therefore combines a contemporary narrative sensibility with arrangements that range from stripped acoustic to fuller orchestration.