THE BACKSTORY:
Hailing from Grantham, Lincolnshire, young Holly Humberstone is someone who clearly thrives when faced with a pressure situation. Earlier this year, the 20-year-old songstress found out, with only 24 hours warning, that she would be supporting Lewis Capaldi at his massive sold-out show at Wembley Arena. Rising to the challenge, Humberstone – armed with only her guitar and loop pedal – performed a captivating set to the capacity crowd. There were, needless to say, many new converts to her music after that evening.
Long before that Lewis Capaldi show, however, Holly Humberstone was already attracting considerable praise from fans and critics. Inspired by an array of artists, from Damien Rice to Lorde to Phoebe Bridgers, Humberstone’s music is characterised by haunting melodies, impassioned vocals and lyrics of deep inner turmoil. Debut single ‘Deep End’, released back in March, is a terrific case in point: a slow-burning indie-folk track infused with dark atmospherics, the song’s lyrics tackle the subject of mental health with real sensitivity and insight.
Explaining the inspiration behind the track, Humberstone says: “This song is quite a personal one. It came out pretty naturally, as one of my sisters was going through a difficult time and I was struggling to know how best to help. It feels like a lot of people are going through something similar or suffering themselves and don’t have an outlet to express it. It’s a difficult conversation but really important to let those around you know that you care for them and will always stand by them.”
Currently working on her debut EP with producer Rob Milton (Easy Life), Humberstone’s soul-baring, empathetic songcraft is surely just the aural balm we all need right now. Make no mistake: the next time she returns to Wembley Arena, this hotly-tipped starlet will surely be headlining rather than providing warm-up duties.
KEY TRACK: ‘Falling Asleep At The Wheel’ – Humberstone’s second single and another marvellous example of her emotionally literate, sonically intricate indie-pop.
FOR FANS OF: Phoebe Bridgers, Lorde, Marika Hackman.
