An electrifying bond of authenticity links modern chanteuse Holly Elle’s radiant voice to lyrics, melodies and beats. With soul infused pop as a point of reference – and the mantra “No Labels, no rules, no limits” – Holly arrives with verve, vision and vibe.’
While the press might portray Holly as a “Pop Powerhouse” there are far more complex dimensions to her ever-evolving artistry. Whether fronting a full throttle band, commanding a concert stage with electronic tracks or in an intimate venue accompanied by only an acoustic guitarist, she is equally enthralling. “The whole point of making music is for me to connect,” she confirms.
In this interview spotlight, we chat with Nashville based Holly about music, influences, her newest project, and more.
Q&A, links, and a stream of I’m Scared below (now available).
Let’s dive a little deeper into Holly Elle, the artist and your music. What attracted you to this genre or style?
I’ve always had very far-reaching influences and tastes when it comes to music. I love a variety of genres and styles and I like to explore all of them without restraint. But the one constant that runs through all my music would be the thread of “pop”. Pop music is always the best music because it’s accessible and it’s catchy. The universality of popular music is what brings people together, allows us to express and understand, and that’s really the purpose of music.
How long have you been creating and sharing your music with the public?
I’ve been writing songs since around 12 years old. My first artist release came out in 2010.
Who or what influences your playing and/or writing? Also, what motivates you to keep going?
Whatever is on the Top 40 charts is always in the forefront of my mind, whatever people are loving at the moment. My biggest vocal influence has always been Mariah Carey, and for songwriting and general awesomeness, The Beatles.
I’m motivated to keep going for the sheer passion and love of it. I simply must, there is no other choice.
Were you trying to accomplish anything specific on you new single, “I’m Scared”? Creatively or otherwise?
Usually I’m not actively trying to accomplish something, I’m just creating and then letting people receive it in their own way if they choose. But I would hope with this song that people hear that they are not alone. Everyone gets scared sometimes, and we call that fear a bunch of things and we try to mask it, but what we really mean to say is, you know what, I’m scared right now. I hope it helps people to see that you can be vulnerable, it’s okay.
What was the last song you listened to?
“Classic Man” by Jidenna. I saw him perform on the VMA pre-show and fell in love. He’s so captivating and infectious. It also doesn’t hurt that he’s sexy as hell. I realized I had downloaded “Classic Man” after hearing it somewhere months ago so I needed to bring that shit back out.
Which do you prefer? Vinyl? CDs? MP3s?
I’ll take it any way I can get it. Of course there’s just something cool about vinyl, I definitely want to do a vinyl release one day.
How about this one…. Do you prefer Spotify? Apple Music? Bandcamp? Or something else? Why?
Currently, I use Pandora but I’m thinking of switching. I’m a bit old school. When I hear a song I still Shazam it and then just go download if I need it.
Other than the digital era overwhelming us with access to an abundance of music, what are one or two of the biggest challenges you face when trying to attract listeners to your music?
Access and distribution. On the one hand as an indie artist you have more ways than ever to get your music out there, but so does everyone else. Your music can get lost in a sea of endless music and you don’t have a big company behind you promoting it and getting it heard. But I still think it will cut through some way some how, eventually, if you continue to do great work.
Do you gig, tour or perform? Do you ever live stream? Where can music lovers see you live?
I perform around Nashville sometimes, really low key and intimate shows. I’ve also been working on planning a tour in the near future.
Where is the best place to connect with you online? Discover more of your music?
The easiest way is to go to HearHolly.com and from there you can find all my music and connect with me on social media (@hearholly). My music is also available on all digital retailers.
Any last thoughts? Shout outs? Words of wisdom?
I’ve really enjoyed this interview and appreciated your questions. Shout out to Jidenna if he’s looking for a date…
My current favorite words of wisdom I recently tweeted out after watching the Twisted Sister documentary: “Do you give up? No you don’t give up. You keep going till it happens. Or you die trying” – Eddie Ojeda. Slightly morbid yet apt for anyone with a dream.
