Billy Nomates

Tor Maries had given up on music after a few failed projects. A Sleaford Mods gig in her hometown of Leicester encouraged her to give it another go. Her stage name is derived from the time she went alone to a concert and someone addressed her as Billy Nomates. Her untitled 2020 debut stood out for multiple reasons. It was produced by Geoff Barrow, the mastermind behind Portishead. She speaks more than sings and her lyrics are improbably direct. Nomates dissects the great inequalities in British society in a sharp and dry manner. ‘Cacti’ (2023) is her artistic revelation. The album is much less prickly than the title suggests. Her focus has shifted from the political to the personal, the slogans have developed into songs and she has traded in the punk of the early days for synthpop.