Photo Courtesy of Marcus Man
A year ago, I was relaxing in my flat while studying abroad at King’s College London when my dear friend and Layout Editor, Zoe Dubelier ‘23, sent me a TikTok from @marcus_man_music. I clicked the link to see a man singing to a crowd: “So she knows the offside rule / and she doesn’t care when she might lose / but then again she’s a Tottenham fan, I guess she’s used to that.”
As diehard Tottenham Hotspur fans, Dubelier and I were equally excited for the female soccer fan representation and miffed at the cheeky Tottenham dig (we love our Spurs for always keeping us on our toes, for better or for worse). I was intrigued to learn more about this British artist who would dare call us out. Thus began a yearlong obsession with his song, “The Offside Rule,” and curiosity about the music man himself, who agreed to be interviewed by The College Voice.
Marcus Burling, aka Marcus Man, is a 24-year-old singer-songwriter from Warrington, England. His musical aspirations started young when he sang and wrote songs with his cousin, whose surname, Mannering, inspired Burling’s alliterative stage name. His love for music continued to grow even as he pursued a vastly different career path. While he earned a BA in Political Science at the University of Reading and studied Law at the University of Manchester, Burling continued to perform and write songs in his spare time.
“In that year, doing the law, I was kind of in this weird transition period where I was rushing to get out of a lecture so I could go to a gig,” Burling recalls. “I was trying to be a lawyer by day and musician at night, and I think that’s when I decided you can only do one — there comes a point where you have to make a decision.” So, after a year of Law at Manchester, he decided to pursue music full-time.
Burling emphasizes the struggle that comes from being split between academia and more creative pursuits, especially when he genuinely loved both. After undergrad, he worked for a professor for a year studying Syrian War geopolitics, and he felt so set on becoming a lawyer. However, his urge to create and perform music persisted. “I think that creative bone in me just wasn’t going. It was like an itch,” he reflects. “Maybe I thought [the itch] was going to go and it was just a hobby, but you can feel it, can’t you? It’s too passionate to not put everything into it.”
Now, Burling has moved to London and can be found performing all around the city, from playing in pubs to busking at King’s Cross Station. He mixes up his set list depending on the event, blending cover songs with his growing discography of original music. “You’ve got to always read the room,” he says about performing at various venues. “If it’s a Monday night [at a] quiet coffee shop or quiet pub, people aren’t going to be jumping on tables.” His social media platforms showcase performance highlights, including songs by Amy Winehouse and Arctic Monkeys, both of which have influenced his sound.
He says that performing original music is always fulfilling, especially when he can incorporate his songs into pub nights with popular covers. “‘The Offside Rule’ is always quite fun to play,” he tells me after I said I discovered him from that song. A proud West Ham fan himself, he continued, “I love football and I love playing [the song].” Then he quips, “And nobody likes Tottenham as well so I can make that joke in the song. It’s one of those things with football clubs, it’s always just banter isn’t it?” In addition to “The Offside Rule,” he often performs “Growing Sideways” and his latest single, “Aspirations,” all available on Spotify and Apple Music.
When he’s busking outdoors or in other public spaces, crowd-pleaser covers are popular for large tourist groups. He remembers one special instance with a large group of French students outside the Tate Modern Museum next to the River Thames: “The teacher [came over and said,] ‘I can play guitar! Can I play and you sing a song?’” The students got so excited that Burling ended up playing “Stand By Me” with them. When it comes to chance interactions with passersby, he says, “I think you’ve just got to lean into it. I never know what might happen.”
So, what does the music man have in store for the future? He plans on releasing another single at the end of this year or in early 2023, followed by an EP including the new song with an additional three original tracks. He draws inspiration from all aspects of life, from thoughts he has sitting on the London Underground, to his love for soccer, to the ups and downs of relationships. The development of his own creative process through consistent practice has been vital. “You might not hit the back of the net every time. You might miss, but you’ve got to try,” he says. “It’s like a muscle, you might not always be in the mood but you’ve got to try and see what you’ve got on the day.”
For others considering shifting careers to focus on creative and artistic pursuits, Burling advises, “Just do it. Just give it a go and see what happens.” He adds, “I think your parents’ support, when you can get it, is invaluable. My mum and dad are all like ‘Go for it! Got one life!’ which is fantastic.” His own career up to this point, from law school to pubs and from Warrington to London, has been a journey of self-discovery and taking risks to follow his dreams. “I did a lot of reflection… at the end of the day, it’s literally just you. You’ve got to take a leap, and it’s a leap of faith. You don’t know what’s going to happen, but you’ve got to go.”
Thank you, Marcus Man, for letting us get caught offside with you!
Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube: Marcus Man
Instagram: @marcus_man_music
