She Makes War

Bristol, UK-based multi-instrumentalist Laura Kidd writes and produces her own music as She Makes War.

She Makes War’s sound has been dubbed ‘gloom-pop'. Her music has a rich cocktail of influences from early Echo & The Bunnymen to Belly, The Breeders, PJ Harvey, Blur, Elastica and Suede, Bikini Kill, Nirvana, Hanne Hukkelberg, Cat Power, Carina Round, Radiohead,My Brightest Diamond and Bon Iver.

She Makes War's first two albums, Disarm and Little Battles, share stories from the personal to the political, dealing with matters of love, loss, birth, therapy, murder, abandonment, and hope. Their sonic and thematic collisions - analogue with digital, war with peace, and technology with the natural world - are underpinned by Kidd’s bewitching, pastoral vocals and violent guitars, and supported by a plethora of additional instruments from ukulele to autoharp, melodica, piano, violin, harp, saxophone and three-part recorder ensemble. Both albums were co-produced by Laura Kidd and Myles Clarke of Sparkadia, Kid Harpoon, and Belakiss.

Touring

Following the release of Disarm, She Makes War led to support slots with Viv Albertine, Tricky, The Penelopes and The Young Punx. She Makes War has toured extensively in the UK and Europe both as a solo act and with a full band. She has also supported Suede, Babybird, The Levellers, Tune-Yards, Gruff Rhys, The Magic Numbers, Duke Special, Shlomo, Midge Ure, New Model Army, Glen Matlock and Earl Slick, Nadine Shah, Erica Nockalls and Miles Hunt, Chris Helme and Drugstore.

Other Projects

Breakfast With Apollo: In 2012 Kidd launched her regular Breakfast With Apollo music nights in London and Bristol, seeking to improve the gigging experience for bands and audiences by creating a coherent and cohesive format, encouraging collaborations between bands, educating both parties on sensible gig pricing and the consequences of this.

Stand Up: In 2015, she appeared in a one-woman show Sh*t Girlfriend at the Edinburgh Fringe, a blend of humorous spoken word and melancholy music performance, sharing tales of real life on the road and Laura’s ill-fated attempts at finding love along the way.