Madison Reporter

Solemn Brigham, a member of the hip-hop duo Marlowe, is set to perform in Madison, Wisconsin, on January 30 at 8 p.m. The event will take place at the Play Circle Theater as part of the Wisconsin Union Theater's Black Box Sessions series.

Marlowe was formed in 2017 by Brigham and producer L’Orange, who have been friends for over 15 years. Their collaboration began during their childhood as part of a group called Lost Artists. Brigham later featured on L’Orange’s album “The Ordinary Man,” which led to the creation of Marlowe.

The duo's first two albums, "Marlowe" and "Marlowe 2," received multiple Album of the Year awards from BBC Radio 6, Yahoo! Entertainment, and Amoeba Music. They also achieved recognition as the #1 hip-hop album in the U.K. on iTunes. Marlowe's music has been featured in Gatorade’s Olympic campaign in 2021 and video games like NBA 2K22, Saints Row, and Fortnite.

In an interview with PopMatters about "Marlowe 2," Brigham discussed themes such as identity status and redemption. He aimed to explore personal introspection and address perceptions versus reality through their music.

Kate Schwartz, curator of Black Box Sessions and WUT artist services manager, stated: “Marlowe’s music exemplifies what this year’s Black Box Sessions is about: celebrating the history of hip-hop and embracing the boundary-pushing innovation happening now in the genre.”

The Black Box Sessions aim to provide audiences with a mix of nostalgia and novelty through club-style concerts held at WUT’s black box theater. Upcoming events include performances by Smif-N-Wessun on February 13 and Blackway on March 6.

Tickets for all WUT performances can be purchased online or at the Memorial Union Box Office. The Wisconsin Union Theater has been bringing innovative performing arts to Madison for over 80 years through student-led artistic direction.