NEW VIDEO: LAY MARIE “CIRCUS” - Turning Betrayal Into Something Powerful
- 16 hours ago
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LAY MARIE Releases Dark, Soulful New Single “CIRCUS”
London-based, Manchester-raised singer-songwriter LAY MARIE has released her dark, soulful and hard-hitting new single “CIRCUS”, out now following its release on 13 August 2026.
Written from a place of raw emotion, “CIRCUS” explores the shock, anger and confusion of deep betrayal. The exact story behind the song is deliberately left open to interpretation, allowing listeners to find their own experiences within it.
The title captures the almost absurd feeling that can come when somebody you trust does something you never believed they were capable of the kind of moment where if you don’t laugh, you’ll cry.
“CIRCUS” represents a more vulnerable and instinctive side of LAY MARIE’s artistry. After experiencing a situation that left her angry and needing somewhere to put those emotions, she went into her bedroom one day in December and turned them into music.
Writing, recording and arranging her vocals independently from her bedroom, LAY MARIE built the track around one of her favourite elements of creating music: layered vocal harmonies. Rather than chasing a particular influence or comparison, she intentionally limits how much music she listens to while creating, giving herself a fresh canvas and allowing what comes out to feel purely her own.
For LAY MARIE, that emotional honesty is what separates “CIRCUS” from her previous releases. It wasn’t written to manufacture a particular sound. It was written as a way of processing something real.
“I want people to hear this song and understand that they’re not alone. We all get hurt by someone we love at some point, whether that’s a friend, family member or lover. When somebody you never thought would hurt you shows you that they can, it’s a shock to the system. It’s okay to be angry. It’s okay to be passionate and frustrated. Those are human emotions. Sometimes things are messy and they don’t make sense.”
- LAY MARIE
Accompanying the single is an ambitious cinematic music video, created independently with videographer AYB Visuals and a close friend assisting with direction.
Filmed across Wales, Sheffield and several other locations, the team travelled extensively in search of landscapes that could give “CIRCUS” the visual scale and atmosphere it deserved.
Created without management or external financial backing, the video represents the same independent determination behind LAY MARIE’s music: taking an idea and finding a way to
make it real.
About LAY MARIE
A London-based artist raised in Manchester, LAY MARIE has had music at the centre of her life for as long as she can remember. Her mother recalls her singing before she could properly talk, with “Tomorrow” from the musical Annie becoming a childhood favourite alongside the music of Hairspray.
She began writing her own material at around 15 and has spent the years since developing her craft, eventually releasing her first song in August 2025.
The following month, LAY MARIE relocated from Manchester to London in September 2025 to pursue her music career. During her first week in the city , she performed at BOXPARK, later returning to perform at several of its locations. Her growing live résumé also includes a recent performance at The Lower Third in London.
Her music has also reached BBC Radio Manchester, receiving multiple plays.
Deeply emotional and soulful, LAY MARIE allows emotion to lead her vocals. Rich vocal layering and harmonies have become an especially important part of her creative identity, with the process of building harmonies remaining one of her favourite parts of making music.
The Art Of Alchemy
“CIRCUS” also opens the door to LAY MARIE’s forthcoming EP, The Art of Alchemy, arriving 13 September 2026.
Created from her bedroom after she began planning and recording the project in December, the EP takes its name from LAY MARIE’s idea of turning pain into power.
Rather than continuing to avoid difficult experiences, she began putting them into songs. The project traces an emotional journey from chaos, anger and unresolved hurt towards letting go and learning to love herself.
Within that journey, “CIRCUS” represents the chaotic, unhealed side of the story; a moment where the wounds are still fresh and the emotions aren’t supposed to be neat.
LAY MARIE will celebrate the release of The Art of Alchemy with a release party on 13 September, with ticket information to be announced soon.
“CIRCUS” has already caught the attention of American rapper T-Wayne, who listened to the track during a TikTok Live stream and reacted:
“Nah, this is fire, not gonna lie. From the singing to the production… this sh*t gas. The hook, the whole thing that it was about. Oh, this fire.”T-Wayne, reacting to “CIRCUS” on TikTok Live
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