Germany-based singer-songwriter Lea Willms arrives fully formed on her debut album Marbles, released November 7th, 2025, an introspective and beautifully textured statement that marks her as one of the most compelling new voices in the indie landscape. Though Marbles introduces her to a wider audience, Willms’ path has been years in the making — from early poems written along the River Rhine to quietly refining her craft across Manchester and Berlin. Her early singles have already earned her comparisons to Julia Jacklin and Lucy Dacus, and her lyrical precision and emotional candor suggest a songwriter poised for longevity.

Raised in a small German town steeped in her parents’ record collection containing the likes of Bob Dylan, Neil Young, and The Beatles, Willms developed an affinity for songwriting as storytelling. Her music balances folk’s unvarnished intimacy with the textural richness of modern indie production. Drawing on influences that span from 70s singer-songwriters to contemporary alt-pop, her sound feels at once nostalgic and distinctly current. Over the past three years, she’s written and recorded Marbles between Germany and the UK, shaping a sonic identity defined by vulnerability, atmosphere, and an understated sense of confidence.

On Marbles, Willms captures the turbulence and tenderness of early adulthood with striking clarity. The record is like a coming-of-age diary: candid, cinematic, and emotionally raw. The standout track ‘Branding Bruises’ meditates on authenticity in an age of self-curation, while ‘Reunion’ leans into shimmering alt-pop sensibilities. Elsewhere, ‘Home’ delves into grungier indie-folk terrain, her ethereal vocals grounding the haze of layered guitars. Each track feels alive with introspection, finding beauty in uncertainty. 

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