Newton Faulkner

Newton Faulkner is an English singer, songwriter and guitarist, known for his unusual style of playing the acoustic guitar: he uses the body of the instrument as a percussion instrument, simultaneously playing the melody and the rhythm. In this article, we’ll look at Newton Faulkner’s biography, his family, education, the start of his musical career, his personal life and his work on songs and albums.

Biography of Newton Faulkner

Newton Faulkner was born on 11 January 1985 in Reigate, Surrey. His full name is Sam Newton Battenberg Faulkner. He grew up in a family where music and creativity played an important role. At the age of 13, Newton began playing the guitar, having previously tried his hand at the piano and drums. It was the guitar that eventually became the foundation of his own musical style.

As a young man, Faulkner attended Hawthorns School in Bletchingley, then spent some time at the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts in London. He later enrolled at the Academy of Contemporary Music in Guildford, where he studied contemporary music and trained under the guidance of guitarist Eric Roche.

Family

Newton Faulkner is the second child of Keith Faulkner and Sally Faulkner. The musician has an older brother, Toby, and a younger sister, Charlotte, whom her family call Lottie. His family has played a significant role in his professional life: Toby has worked with Newton on his music, whilst Lottie has become his manager.

Newton’s father is the children’s author Keith Faulkner. Among his works is the book The Wide-Mouthed Frog, first published in 1996. The illustrations were created by Jonathan Lambert. The book has been reprinted several times and has become a well-known work of children’s literature.

Less is known about the musician’s mother. In an interview with The Independent, Newton recounted that Sally had held various jobs over the years, working for a time at Apple, as well as at a music company linked to the Beatles. He recalled his parents as people with rather free-spirited, ‘hippie’ views in their youth.

Newton himself has spoken on numerous occasions about his close relationship with his brother and sister. Lottie not only managed his affairs but also supported his professional career as an artist, whilst Toby was involved in creating the music. In an interview, Faulkner noted that his relatives could afford to criticise his ideas without trying to be overly diplomatic.

Career

Before embarking on his solo career, Newton Faulkner played in a Green Day cover band, where he played bass guitar, and later formed the funk rock band Half A Guy with friends. Following the band’s break-up, the musician began performing solo under the name Newton Battenberg Faulkner. His first solo performances helped him attract the attention of the music industry. In 2006, Faulkner signed a publishing deal with Peermusic UK, and later signed a contract with Sony BMG.

Albums and popular songs

The musician’s debut album, Hand Built by Robots, was released in July 2007 and marked Newton Faulkner’s major breakthrough. The album reached number one on the UK Albums Chart and achieved double platinum status in the United Kingdom. It featured the tracks ‘Dream Catch Me’, ‘I Need Something’, ‘Teardrop’ and ‘All I Got’. ‘Dream Catch Me’ became the biggest hit of Faulkner’s early career and reached number 7 in the UK Singles Chart.

In 2009, the musician released ‘Rebuilt by Humans’. The title was linked to a serious injury to his right wrist, which he sustained after a fall on the ice in late 2008: doctors fitted a metal plate, and Faulkner himself said that he had literally been ‘rebuilt’. The album reached number 3 on the UK Albums Chart. The first single was the track ‘If This Is It’.

Following the EP Sketches, released in 2012, came his third studio album, Write It on Your Skin. It was released in July 2012 and once again reached number one in the UK charts. Notable tracks from this period include ‘Write It on Your Skin’ and ‘Clouds’.

The artist presented his fourth album, Studio Zoo, to the public in 2013. Its recording was something of an experiment: the process was streamed live online for five weeks from Newton Faulkner’s home studio in East London. The album reached number 10 on the UK Albums Chart.

In 2015, ‘Human Love’ was released, followed by ‘Hit the Ground Running’ in 2017. These were followed by ‘Interference’ (Of Light) in 2021 and ‘Octopus’ in 2025.

Newton Faulkner’s best-known songs include:

1. ‘Dream Catch Me’.
2. ‘I Need Something’.
3. ‘Teardrop’.
4. ‘All I Got’.
5. ‘If This Is It’.
6. ‘Write It on Your Skin’.
7. ‘Clouds’.
8. ‘Losing Ground’.
9. ‘Get Free’.

Concerts and festivals featuring Newton Faulkner

In the early years of his solo career, Newton Faulkner performed regularly at British festivals. One of his first major appearances was at the Glastonbury Festival: on 22 June 2007, he took to the Acoustic Stage.

In June 2008, Faulkner took part in the Isle of Wight Festival, which took place from 13 to 15 June at Seaclose Park. In 2009, Newton was on the line-up for the Latitude Festival.

The artist’s performance at the O2 Academy Birmingham on 3 May 2012 deserves special mention, where he received a very warm reception from the audience. Another concert of great significance to the musician’s career took place at the Royal Albert Hall on 3 April 2017. Newton Faulkner performed as the support act for Amy Macdonald as part of the Under Stars Tour.

Newton Faulkner’s personal life

Newton Faulkner’s personal life has long remained out of the media spotlight. The musician is happy to talk about his family and fatherhood, but does not seek to discuss his romantic relationships in detail.

Partner

In the early 2010s, Newton Faulkner’s partner was Zoe. In an interview in 2012, the musician mentioned that she helped him cope with his demanding touring schedule. It was then that he spoke in detail for the first time about the birth of his son.

Newton Faulkner is currently married to Gemma. They met through mutual friends and have been together for around seven years. According to the musician, Gemma didn’t even know who he was at first, and that was precisely what he liked about her. Their third date took place in Madrid, where she had travelled to see him perform. Gemma works as a casting director.

Children

Newton Faulkner’s first child is his son, Beau Henry Faulkner-Richards. The musician spoke about his birth in 2012, when the boy was about a year old. The artist’s son got his very own little guitar at the age of three. It was made by a luthier who crafted instruments for Faulkner.

Newton’s younger son, Finley, was born in 2023. The artist successfully balances fatherhood with his performances on stage.

Net worth

The exact figure for Newton Faulkner’s net worth is not publicly disclosed. In 2025, The Times estimated the value of the flat the musician owned in East London at approximately £1 million. This was a duplex flat in the former Spratt’s biscuit factory, where Faulkner lived for around two decades and set up a home studio. His personal wealth is estimated to be between £3–4 million, but this figure has not been officially confirmed.

Place of residence

For a long time, Newton Faulkner lived in East London, in the Poplar area. His flat was situated in a converted building that had formerly housed the Spratt’s dog biscuit factory. It was there that the musician set up his home studio and, in 2013, recorded the album Studio Zoo, with the recording process being streamed online around the clock for five weeks.

In 2025, it emerged that Faulkner and his family had decided to sell the flat. The reasons cited for this decision were the long journey their children had to make to school and their desire to move to a house with a garden.

Website

Facebook

Instagram

YouTube

Spotify

Apple Music

FAQ