Holly Humberstone Talks Touring With Olivia Rodrigo, Sisterhood, and Finding Herself

Holly Humberstone finds herself somewhere between an extrovert and an introvert. This is just one of the many contradictions that the 23-year-old singer-songwriter experiences. She enjoys the rush of performing on stage but also values the peace and quiet of her hotel room. While she appreciates the thrill of social media, she also takes the time for thoughtful, introspective moments using her Notes app. Despite being deeply rooted in sisterhood, as the second youngest of four sisters, she spends a lot of time traveling alone for work. On her debut album, Paint My Bedroom Black, Humberstone celebrates the ups and downs and profound emotions that come with being true to oneself in music.

In London, she is seated in her bedroom, with her luscious long brown wavy hair falling on her shoulders and her voice slightly rough from the previous day's shooting. During her interview with Teen Vogue, she explains that Paint My Bedroom Black is the outcome of her studio sessions last year. The songs were created during rare moments of rest between her shows. Humberstone felt like she was living two different lives - touring and missing her friends and feeling the loneliness seeping into her head every night when she returned to her hotel room. She spent her time on the road supporting performers like Olivia Rodrigo and girl in red.

When the excitement dissipated and she felt homesick, songwriting became a solution. She stresses the significance of heading to the studio on her days off to process her emotions.

The blog section was photographed by Charlotte Alex.

Picture captured by Charlotte Alex. When we talk about traveling, we also mention the importance of documenting our adventures. Photographs are one of the best ways to do so, as they allow us to capture moments in time and remember them forever. When discussing travel, we cannot neglect the significance of recording our escapades. Pictures offer us a splendid method to accomplish this task by seizing instances from the past and retaining them eternally.

Humberstone's first album perfectly captures the emotional rollercoaster of a significant experience. She expertly blends catchy pop choruses, as seen in her hit song "Into Your Room," with introspective lyrics that explore regret and isolation. Fans of Rodrigo and girl in red will undoubtedly flock to her music, drawn in by her ability to express vulnerability and raw emotion through her words. While some of her lyrics may seem oddly specific, such as "I've become a taxidermied version of myself" and "You gathered my bones in a blanket / so can we kiss in your swimming pool?" on "Cocoon" and "Kissing in Swimming Pools," respectively, her ability to paint poignant pictures with her words is nothing short of mesmerizing.

It's always been like this. About four years ago, Humberstone came out with her emotional hit single "Deep End." She then released many other singles and later dropped EPs like "Can You Afford To Lose Me" and "The Walls Are Way Too Thin." Then, she got the Rising Star Award at the 2022 BRIT Awards, and even played at very popular festivals like Coachella and Glastonbury.

Even though Humberstone's career is taking off, her lyrics keep her rooted with sincere honesty. And if she ever starts to get too full of herself, her three sisters are always there to bring her back down to earth. With a smile, she explains how they look and sound exactly alike, like one person in four bodies.

Humberstone was raised in Grantham, a small market town situated in Lincolnshire. She fondly refers to it as "craptown," which is not far from the truth because it was voted Britain's worst hometown. Her parents, who work for the NHS, were always very supportive of her. Just like them, Humberstone inherited their creative passions. Her mother, who is a talented pianist and cellist, doesn't like to brag about her talents. Her father, on the other hand, is an enthusiastic reader of poetry and especially enjoys the works of Leonard Cohen and T.S. Eliot. The combination of a musical ear and lyrical heart is perfect.

Rewritten: Charlotte Alex's picture accompanies this blog post.

According to Humberstone, it was nearly impossible for a girl without connections to pursue a real music career outside of London. She attempted to attend university, but ended up moving back and forth between studios in Nottingham and London with her frequent collaborator Rob Milton. Eventually, she made the tough decision to drop out and relocate to London in order to fully dedicate herself to writing songs.

While working in the city, there were some difficulties that came with it. "I was mainly hanging out with middle-aged men during the sessions I did, but they were all nice people. It just wasn't my typical group of friends," she shared. However, this feeling of being alone spurred her on to create the track "London is Lonely," which is set to be released in 2022. This is typical Humberstone, who has a talent for tapping into deep emotions and crafting eerie melodies that young women, who make up the bulk of her fans, adore.

Humberstone's relatable nature stems from sisterhood being a crucial part of her identity. From being raised in a household of sisters to attending an all-girls school to finding solace in her friendships, sisterhood plays a vital role. This is evident in her track "Lauren," which presents a unique perspective on love, focusing on the bond of friendship. Humberstone explains that the song was intended to be a love song for her friends, as the time spent away from them is limited and valuable. The song explores her feelings of inadequacy towards her remarkable friends, indicating that she falls short of their greatness. However, Humberstone notes that Lauren would likely disagree with the sentiment expressed in the song. Humberstone adds with a laugh that Lauren is probably just excited about having a song named after her.

This particular area of the city is very exciting. There are a lot of things to do and see. The architecture is interesting, and there are many shops and restaurants. The photo taken by Charlotte Alex showcases this vibrancy perfectly. Looking at the image, you can sense the energy of the location. The people walking around add to the atmosphere, and you can almost imagine the sounds and smells of the area. Overall, this photo is a great representation of the dynamic nature of the city. It captures the essence of what makes it such a popular destination among visitors and residents alike.

The blog post carefully examines the damaged emotions that come with heartbreak. The song "Flatlining" delves into the difficulty of dealing with the return of feelings and not wanting to face the guilt of feeling like a terrible person again. With a lively and strong beat, Humberstone sings about the end of a once close relationship: "We just can't be friends anymore / Did I use you until you couldn't take it anymore? / Now there is no coming back from that." "Flatlining" captures the painful emotions of falling out of love and navigating the aftermath of breaking up with an ex-partner. The experience was intense and challenging for Humberstone, as her ex-partner moved in closeby and frequented the same local pub. After some time, they were able to mend their relationship and live in peace.

Being honest and open about her feelings in the studio and sharing them during tours with Rodrigo and girl in red proved to be quite challenging for Humberstone. Even though she enjoyed every moment of it, the pressure to perform became harder to handle over time. Humberstone admits that she struggled with getting motivated and finding the energy to return to the stage. Asking people to follow her on Instagram and begging strangers to like her music became a tiring and tedious task.

According to Humberstone, social media is her least favorite part of her job. She feels like she has to talk about it all the time and just had a conversation about being more genuine on Instagram. Humberstone values connecting with her audience in a truthful way, but finds it difficult to post candidly. She puts a lot of herself into her music, which is very personal, and doesn't like the pressure to make a silly video that doesn't reflect the heart-on-her-sleeve tracks she creates.

The pressure to share more than just her musical abilities on social media is putting Humberstone in a situation where she has to be more outgoing while she's still growing in her personal and professional life. Many artists are known for only one genre of music, and their social media persona is often reduced to a mere "brand." However, Humberstone is embracing her contrasting styles in each new release.

Maybe I should have a notion, but I'm still exploring my identity. I arise one morning feeling unlike how I slumbered," remarks Humberstone. "This resonates in my album, every track represents a distinct emotion. I believe it's quite nifty that I'm utilizing my songwriting to come closer to comprehending myself."