We caught up with LA-based multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and filmmaker Holly Blair after sharing her new single ‘baby girl he’s so boring’, which is taken from her upcoming second EP, ‘Then Comes The Lightning’, set to be released this summer. Holly recently celebrated her first sold-out London gig at Bar Dona, an achievement that follows the success of her previous singles ‘Used To Dying’ and ‘Slow’.
With her new EP on the horizon, Holly Blair continues to captivate audiences with her authentic and thought-provoking artistry. Her ability to merge different aspects of her identity and artistic vision into her work provides a refreshing and transformative listening experience. Fans and new listeners alike can expect powerful storytelling, dynamic musicality, and an unflinching look at the complexities of human emotions in her forthcoming release.
KALTBLUT: Congratulations on your show at London’s Bar Doña! How did everything go? Do you have any pre-show rituals to keep calm?
Thank you! It was such a special show—I had never played to a predominately queer crowd and it was honestly so fun. Such a supportive environment, and it was my first time playing abroad, so to have it be a sold out show and hearing people singing along was so humbling and cool. And as far as before the show, honestly I get pretty nervous when I perform, because it’s still so new for me, so I like to try to keep it light before a show. I’ll do some breathing exercises to calm my nervous system, but just goofing around with my band keeps me feeling grounded.
KALTBLUT: Can you share what inspired the theme of the EP and how it connects with your previous work?
The EP, “Then Comes the Lightning” was written during a pretty turbulent period in my life, I was fresh out of a breakup and trying to let go of patterns that had continued throughout a lot of my 20’s. I was coming to terms with the fact I had willingly chosen unhealthy relationships out of my subconscious desire to heal old wounds I had never really worked through. There was so much I was feeling like was just not getting better, and I was really tired of it, and honestly a little tired of myself. I remember someone saying to me, it sounds like you’re in the period before everything is going to change. I can definitely say that’s been true for me, I look back at where I was then and I’m so grateful that I just rode the tide and let that period pass. After the contraction came the expansion. What’s that saying, everything screams when it dies or something? That’s honestly what it felt like. This body of work is a reflection of that feeling, of feeling trapped in by wounds that had haunted me most of my life, and the moment right before the growth came.
KALTBLUT: You’ve mentioned that the single ‘Slow’ was written during a period of healing and self-discovery. Could you delve deeper into how these personal experiences influenced the songwriting and production of the track?
Slow was written in the period of time shortly before I decided to be sober. The song is about feeling so much fear: fear of loss, fear of self, fear of past, fear of future. At the time, I was not taking care of my body, and running myself a little ragged because I needed to keep moving all the time in order to try to avoid the hard feelings. I really wanted to dive into life and not be met with so much fear when it came to being seen in this world, but it was something I was really struggling with at the time.
The chorus “time is in our control, we can make it go slow” was a line I had written years prior in a poem I wrote on a plane flying over Finland when I was super sleep deprived, and it always stuck with me. The concept that our life path can consist of infinite realities, but where we end up is really just a choice. That time isn’t necessarily linear, and we can choose to be present and slow it down. That was something I wanted so badly in this life, but had been going about it all wrong. So the song is about agency and my fear around making decisions, it’s about how I used substances to try and fight that fear, and my deep desire to just be more brave in this world.
KALTBLUT: The concept of dialectics and embracing opposite truths is central to ‘Slow’. Can you explain how this concept plays out in your other works, if at all?
I think in general just as a person, I am really interested in exploring the spaces inbetween. I experience life with great intensity, and I also find that I am also really just interested in living a playful and love filled life. As I get older, I try to exist more in the middle and allow opposite truths to exist within me at the same time. So basically in everything I write that is worked in somehow because that’s central to who I am as a person. Whether it’s a script, a music video, a song, or a short story, the dialectic nature of all things is what interests me the most in this world, so I would say there’s usually a undercurrent of that present.
KALTBLUT: As a queer, gender-fluid artist, how do you think your identity influences your music and the themes you choose to explore?
I think growing up in this world knowing I was queer from such a young age, but not coming out until I was 22, I held so much in for much of my life. I got used to building this rich inner world that I never really let anyone into, out of fear of being hurt based on my identity. So now when I write, it is an exercise in tapping into the inner world I kept private for so long, of sharing those deepest truths. Everything I write is based in my own truth in some way, even if it’s inspired by a story that isn’t necessarily my own. My fluid identity has allowed me to challenge the idea of any confines society tries to put me in, and when it extends to music, that has allowed me to play with genre. One day I’ll write a sad country song, and the next day I’m producing a fully electronic track and adding a top line with silly lyrics, and both feel equally authentic for me.
KALTBLUT: Your work is known for bridging gaps between genres and reflecting the spectrum of human emotion. How do you approach the creative process to ensure this blend is both authentic and impactful?
I wish I could say I had a better idea of how to do this successfully or some kind of method I stick to, but really I just try to make sure everything I put out is grounded in some kind of honesty. When listening back, if it evokes a feeling, especially a feeling that maybe doesn’t quite have an exact name, then I know I am doing something right. When I write, I really just try to let whatever wants to come out flow through me without judgement. It’s been challenging at times, especially this early in my career to market myself, because as an artist I don’t want to be just any one thing, but I try not to let preconceived notions dictate my music.
KALTBLUT: You’ve worked as both a songwriter and filmmaker. How do these two forms of storytelling influence each other in your work?
For me, I think storytelling is always at the heart of everything I create, so they really don’t feel that different. It’s funny, I found some old journals of mine the other day, and there were all these absurd spy stories I had written out as a really little kid—it reminded me that drive to storytell has always lived in me. The urge to write or create comes in these surges and when it hits I just have to get it out. It feels like a big part of how I have always emotionally processed. As far as on a practical level, I think having a background in film and visual arts is really helpful for building out the world that I want to create for my music. When I write I see the music really visually, whether it’s the lyrics playing out like a movie in my head, or the vibe of the song creating colors in my mind’s eye. For example, on the track “Used to Dying,” I wrote that song based on a visual I saw in my head of an AI waking up in the woods after becoming self aware. It was like a film that played in my head as I wrote, so I definitely think the two are intertwined on some level I might not even understand.
KALTBLUT: Are you looking forward to any notable events or maybe even collaborations this year?
Definitely! I am working with some really amazing people on the follow up record to this one, and am looking to get out to New Zealand to work with my boys Caleb Knott (Broods) and Kyle Berzle who produced many of the tracks on this EP. I’m also starting to produce more and more of my own stuff, and so I’m excited to keep working on tracks and building that skill set. A European tour is also in the works, and I am considering potentially moving out here for a little—so hopefully I can meet more people out here to work with too.
KALTBLUT: Lastly, what is the most rewarding part of your music career so far, and what challenges have you faced? How have you overcome them?
In terms of challenges, I have definitely faced quite a few already. The whole reason I got into making music in the first place was because I actually lost my voice for a year due to a medical condition and couldn’t speak or sing. I sort of got to a point where I resigned to the universe and wasn’t sure if I’d ever be able to use my voice again. I decided if I got it back I wouldn’t be so scared to sing in front of people, and I would commit to being an artist. Overcoming that felt so big, and honestly is something I still have to practice everyday. I think my default in this world is to get kinda small, and being an artist has forced me out of that habit. Everyday I’m learning a little more how to stand tall and allow myself to be in my authenticity. It’s a pretty ironic career choice for someone who is terrified of being seen, but I think it’s a good challenge. So any external challenges I face, honestly, feel quite small in comparison to the internal battles I have had to overcome within myself.
And as far as the good stuff, oh man, there’s so many rewarding parts. This is kind of just a little thing, but two days ago I was in the car with my 2 year old niece, who I have only met a couple times because my sister lives in Denmark. I always worry that I’m missing her growing up, and sometimes it makes me sad, but the other day while we were in the car she told my sister, albeit in Danish, to “play Holly’s music.” It was a really sweet moment to see her humming along to it, and made me feel connected to her even though I don’t really get to see her. I think that’s a small example of what makes this industry worth it, it’s just about connection. Music has saved me so many times, and has helped me feel like I’m not alone in the things I experience. If I can make something that makes people feel connected to themselves or someone else in any way, then I’m pretty happy.
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Photos by @_realrocknrolla
