AUSTRALIAN TROUBADOUR MARK WILKINSON SHARES THE SOUL-SEARCHING ANTHEM “PARADISE”
October 21, 2022 BY Jason Currell
After standout live performances at AmericanaFest last month, Australian songwriter Mark Wilkinson returns with the soul-searching anthem “Paradise” from his forthcoming EP Mariposa. The stirring vocal performance highlights Mark’s uncanny ability to deliver powerful, emotive melodies. “Paradise” tells the story of an embattled soul searching for happiness as Mark reflects on the ups and downs in his own life.
“Satisfaction can be elusive,” explains Mark. “And I wanted to reflect that sense of mystery and that feeling that something is close but just out of reach.”
Listen to “Paradise” on all digital retailers (here).
“Paradise” joins recent release “Grafton St,” “Earthquake” and “Belong,” which will appear on the forthcoming EP, Mariposa, due out on December 9th via Nettwerk.
Listen & Share “Paradise” Here:
https://youtu.be/uUYzZiYG-nY
ABOUT MARK WILKINSON:
Intimacy reinforces connection. Akin to trapping a butterfly, Mark Wilkinson bottles the most intimate moments of his life within the quiet space between delicate piano, soft strings, gentle guitar, and eloquent lyricism. In his songs, the Sydney-based singer and songwriter allows listeners to get as close as possible to him— almost as if he’s speaking directly to them through his dynamic delivery and soulful timbre. He shares relatable stories of change, life, and love. After tallying tens of millions of streams and building an international fan base, he gets closer than ever on his 2022 debut EP for Nettwerk Music Group, Mariposa.
Playing piano and cello as a kid, Mark picked up a guitar in college and never put it down. He busked on three different continents and unveiled music of his own at a prolific pace. Following his 2011 full-length debut Truth Came Running, he gained international momentum with independent LPs such as Let The River Run [2013], Hand Picked, Vol. 2 [2015], Wasted Hours [2018], and Blue Eyed Girls [2019] to name a few. Christened SiriusXM’s “Discovery of the Year” upon his U.S. introduction in 2013, he has also impressively moved over 80,000 units and counting in addition to scaling the Australian Independent Charts at #1. Meanwhile, he lit up streaming platforms with the likes of “I’m On Fire” [Conki Remix], generating north of 23.5 million Spotify streams.
Over the past few years, he assembled what would become Mariposa with producer Peter Holz [Gang of Youths, Peking Duk, Vance Joy] behind the board and mixing courtesy of Logan Matheny [Sam Hunt, Judah & The Lion]. He filtered a series of major life changes and big questions into the songwriting.
The opener and first single “Belong” pairs his evocative vocals with sparse piano and terse strings. The words echo in a conversational flow as he declares, “My home’s here, my joy and my tears, don’t tell me that I don’t belong here.” Tremors of feeling reverberate through “Earthquake,” which details “the excitement of becoming a father for the first time and recognizing all of this responsibility you now have for another person.”
Then, there’s the upbeat “Grafton St” where a glitchy beat bounces punctuated by acoustic guitar. It nods to his days busking on Grafton Street in Dublin, capturing the locale’s hustle and bustle in the production.
In the end, Mark connects like never before with Mariposa.
“When you listen to these tracks, I’d love it if the EP taps into something meaningful in your life,” he leaves off. “I’m showing everyone what I go through, and I’d love it if the music connects and affects you positively.”
