Laura Beatrice Marling (born 1 February 1990) is a folk musician from Eversley, Hampshire, England. Her debut album Alas, I Cannot Swim, her second album I Speak Because I Can, and her fourth album Once I Was An Eagle were nominated for the Mercury Music Prize in 2008, 2010, and 2013, respectively. She won Best Female Solo Artist at the 2011 Brit Awards and was nominated for the same award at the 2012 and 2014 BRIT Awards. Marling's music is critically lauded and she has been noted as one of the most talented songwriters of her generation thus far.