Before Marianne Faithfull passed away in January, she was crafting four songs that are now part of a new EP called Burning Moonlight, set to be released on June 6 through Decca.
In the announcement, Faithfull shared her thoughts: “It’s a good time to look back,” she mentioned. “It helps me to remember all the things I’ve done. I can’t say I’m a particularly nostalgic person, but I am enjoying this period of reflection.” You can listen to the title track below.
This EP is meant to wrap up her musical journey. Executive producer Andrew Batt explained that starting her career in such an unusual way inspired them to bring it full circle. One side of the EP draws from her first pop album, Marianne Faithfull, while the other side nods to her folk beginnings on Come My Way.
The producers Rob Ellis, Oscar Dunbar, and Andrew Batt worked with Head on this project. Head expressed his joy: “I’m so happy we found a time when Marianne felt able to write and sing again. When she asked me to produce these songs, we were all aware that her health had made things difficult but, in true Marianne fashion, she persevered, and I think we were able to go in a new direction again—something she always tried to push herself to do throughout her long career.”
I think fans will find comfort knowing these final songs capture Marianne’s spirit.
Nicholas Dunbar, Marianne’s son, shared how their family feels about this release: “As we grieve the loss of Marianne, we are pleased to announce the release of these songs which she worked on during the year before her death,” he wrote. “Marianne lived to create and perform music—it was her driving force and she never stopped. Right up until the end she was looking forward to this release which now completes and celebrates her remarkable artistic career.”
