Marlon Williams

Marlon Williams (born 31 December 1990) is a New Zealand singer-songwriter, guitarist and actor based in Lyttelton, New Zealand. Primarily known as a solo artist, he first came to attention as front-man of The Unfaithful Ways, and for his collaborative work with musician Delaney Davidson. He works and tours with his backing band The Yarra Benders.

He has won multiple Aotearoa Music Awards, the 2026 Taite Music Prize, and the APRA Silver Scroll. , he has two albums and one single ('What’s Chasing You') that have been certified Gold in New Zealand.

Early life and education Marlon Williams was born in Christchurch, New Zealand,

Williams had a musical upbringing and was a member of the choir of the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, which toured Europe in 2009–10. Their final album was released in February 2014.

2013–2018: Early solo career and Marlon Williams Relocating to Melbourne, Australia, in mid-2013, Williams began performing solo around town, self-releasing the live album Live At La Niche, touring Australia with US acts Robert Ellis, Cory Chisel and playing Mullumbimby Music Festival. During this time, he lived in Melbourne's inner-city suburb of Abbotsford at the Yarra Hotel. The Yarra Benders are musicians Gus Agars, Dave Khan and Ben Woolley, and previously guitarist Dan Parsons. and number 31 on the Australian ARIA Albums Chart. The album was called "captivating" by Rolling Stone Australia, a "revelation" by Metro Magazine and "one of the most impressive country records this year" by ToneDeaf. That same years, he did his first national television performance on SBS Australia's music quiz show RocKwiz, and at the Sydney Opera House for TEDxSydney. In September 2015, Williams signed to American independent label Dead Oceans who then released and distributed the album worldwide on 2 February 2016. It was a finalist for the 2016 Taite Music Prize.

Beginning in June 2014, Williams toured nearly non-stop for three-and-a-half years. While working on his record in 2014, Williams embarked on a co-headline tour with Melody Pool, playing 26 shows around Australia and New Zealand, before closing the year with performances at Queenscliff Music Festival, Wave Rock Weekender, Mullumbimby Music Festival, and a full band tour alongside Justin Townes Earle and Lindi Ortega in Australia and New Zealand. He toured Europe for the first time in May 2015, and in Fall 2015 began performing across the United States, the United Kingdom, Continental Europe, and Australia until November 2017, which included stints opening for Paul Kelly, Lucinda Williams, and Kasey Chambers, and Sam Beam and Jesca Hoop. To support the record, Willams first toured the United States and Europe before playing a series of European and Australian summer music festival dates through November 2018.

Williams released a live album Live at Auckland Town Hall was released a year later on 1 February 2019 as a double album. The album was recorded in May 2018 at the historic Auckland Town Hall. Williams and the Yarra Benders continued to tour extensively through the end of 2019. In May 2020, Williams premiered a full live concert film of the "Live at Auckland Town Hall" album. The film ran 109 minutes for free through YouTube and Facebook followed by a live Q&A with fans.

2022–present: My Boy & Te Whare Tīwekaweka

Williams released his third album My Boy in 2022. After releasing singles My Boy, River Rival, Easy Does It and Don't Go Back, the full album was released.

In January 2025, Williams announced the release of an entirely Māori album titled Te Whare Tīwekaweka, Lorde appears as a guest artist in one track titled "Kāhore He Manu E". The album won the 2026 Taite Music Prize, and Album of the Year at the 2026 Aotearoa Music Awards.

Film and television appearances In 2015, Williams had a supporting role in the ABC Television miniseries The Beautiful Lie; he appeared in all six of the show's episodes. The following year, he had a small role in the 2016 New Zealand independent film The Rehearsal.

Williams appeared in the 2018 Bradley Cooper-directed film A Star Is Born, after Cooper saw Williams perform at The Troubadour in Los Angeles and asked him personally to appear in the film. Williams appears as a fictionalized version of himself during a Roy Orbison tribute performance, opposite musician Brandi Carlile and Cooper's character.

The Justin Kurzel–directed film True History of the Kelly Gang, in which Williams plays George King, had its world premiere at the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival. The film also stars Russell Crowe, Nicholas Hoult, Charlie Hunnam and Essie Davis. Williams also has a supporting role in the Australian film Lone Wolf, which was filmed during Summer 2019 and was expected to be released in 2020. In 2021, Williams played Johnny Abbot in Netflix series Sweet Tooth.

As himself On 14 June 2016, Marlon Williams and the Yarra Benders made their US television debut as the musical guests on the American late-night talk show Conan. Williams appeared as a subject of the 2018 documentary The New Sound of Country on Prime Rocks in New Zealand, alongside Tami Neilson, Delaney Davidson and Barry Saunders.

Discography Studio albums Title Details Peak chart positions Certifications NZ AUS Make Way for Love Released: February 2018 Label: Caroline Australia (MW002CD) Format: CD, LP, DD 1 8 149 60 RMNZ: Gold Label: Caroline Australia (MW005CD)

Filmography Acting Film Year Title RoleNotes 2016 The Rehearsal Theo 2018 A Star Is Born Marlon Williams 2019 True History of the Kelly Gang George King 2021 Lone Wolf Alex Ossipon 2023 Bad Behaviour Elmore

Television Year Title RoleNotes 2015 The Beautiful Lie Dylan 6 episodes 2021, 2023 Sweet Tooth Johnny Abbot Recurring co-star (season 1); Main (season 2) 2025 The Twelve Xavier Colby (season 3)

Awards and nominations For his music, Williams has won multiple New Zealand Music Awards, New Zealand's most prominent music award, as well as the country's most significant songwriting honor, APRA's Silver Scroll, among other recognition.

From twelve nominations including three for Album of the Year, Williams has won five New Zealand Music Awards, including Breakthrough Artist of the Year in 2015 and Album of the Year in 2018 for Make Way for Love. Williams was recognized early in his music career when his group The Unfaithful Ways was nominated for the ceremony's Critics' Choice Prize in 2011. His single "Nobody Gets What They Want Anymore (feat. Aldous Harding)" was awarded the Silver Scroll in 2018. Additionally, he was nominated for a 2015 ARIA Music Award in the category of Best Blues and Roots Album.

In November 2020 he was named one of the best dressed men in show business on David Hartnell MNZM's Best Dressed List.