From a schoolgirl spending her afternoons trying to make sense of life by writing songs on her parent's piano in Grantham rural England, to the highs and lows of pop stardom traversing the globe on arena main stages, to the deafening silence of a solitary hotel room, Holly Humberstone is still the same girl with the same catch 22 – a deep desire to be known overshadowed by a fierce desire to remain wholly her own.
Humberstone rose to internet fame during lockdown, her intensely relatable, candid lyrics striking a chord so in tune with her audience it begged the question, 'how does she know exactly what I'm thinking?'.Debut EP 'Falling Asleep At The Wheel' explored love lost – some sweet, some bitter – family, and the simple fears of youth generously set upon minimal instrumentation that allowed space to reflect on lyrics that pierced to the soul.
Wembley Arena followed, along with the 2021 BRITS Rising Star Award, 220 million streams, and supporting Olivia Rodrigo and girl in red.
Fast forward to 2023, where Humberstone has just released her debut album 'Paint My Bedroom Black'; it's reflections of the same girl, now somewhat worldlier and wiser, desiring those she loves more than ever while balancing the career of her dreams and the accompanying challenges of isolation and comparison.
The fuller production traverses pop, neon electronica, and '80s rock reflecting Humberstone's own complex personal development.
"Honestly, I think writing my songs is my way of protecting [my personal life] because I can take control and tell the stories how I want them to be told," Humberstone told Billboard.
"I low-key hate releasing music," she nearly whispers. "I love the writing process, and I love having [songs] in my pocket. I feel like it's my dirty little secret. And then when it goes out, it's just scary."
Despite being a music scene aficionado, Humberstone still struggles with identifying who she is in all the noise. "I feel like so many artists build such a strong world around them and such an identity, and I feel like I'm changing all the time," the alternative pop artist says.
"I'm 23. I probably should sort of know who I am at this point. I just really don't. I didn't do it on purpose, but to me, the album sounds like it's got two sides to it, like there's two sides of me that I didn't realise were coexisting."
Humberstone reflects on the difficulty of finding and maintaining her place in the industry. "At 23, I feel like I'm old in the [music] game," she told The Evening Standard.
"Maybe that's because I'm a female, and we're held to these impossible standards. Or maybe I'm just putting the pressure on myself? I feel like it's a race to be successful as soon as I can.
"It is weird, you have to start thinking of yourself as a business. It's hard because I think you're pretty much at the mercy of everybody around you as a young artist. And contracts are worded so that they're impossible to understand. You kind of just have to believe what you're told.
"I mean, for me personally, I was just so excited to be signing anything. I think if I didn't have my dad or my manager, Josh, I would have signed whatever the f... was given to me, because I had no clue. I so desperately wanted to be a recording artist, to tour and to make an album."
Long-time collaborator Rob Milton (Easy Life, The 1975) produced the album, bringing light but effective flourishes highlighting the severity the toll of isolation takes on Humberstone's late nights in hotel rooms.
"It was hard looking at pictures online and watching my older relatives get unwell," Humberstone shared candidly with NME. "I barely had the mental energy to call my mum. I would be dissociating while watching TikTok instead. Basically, it was strange seeing everything change while I was touring.
"When I have this all-consuming job, which I love, it's hard to feel in control and make sure sh.t around me is not falling apart.
"The fear of change is something I struggle with. And nostalgia is something I feel really strongly all the time. I write about my sisters and my upbringing because they represent my core. These songs helped me to make sense of how it felt to be away from home."
However, the sun still rises and Humberstone takes pleasure in life's kindnesses, such as meeting kindred spirits in the form of artists and growing closer to the goal of knowing herself.
"It's important for me to remember that everybody is a real person and not just an internet personality. Seeing other artists do so well is inspiring.
"When I got off the road, despite it all, I realised I'd gained more confidence. I think moving away helped me to appreciate my environment more. I'm closer to figuring out who I am now."
Humberstone will grace the shores of Australia over December and January, playing three Heaps Good dates and a headline show in Sydney.
Holly Humberstone 2023-2024 Tour Dates
Sun 31 Dec - Heaps Good (Melbourne)Tue 2 Jan - Heaps Good (Brisbane)
Thu 4 Jan - Metro Theatre (Sydney)
Sat 6 Jan - Heaps Good (Adelaide)
Heaps Good 2023-2024 Line-up
FlumeFoals
The Avalanches
SBTRKT* Melb & Bris only
Basement Jaxx (DJ set)* Melb only
Declan McKenna* Adel & Bris only
Griff
Holly Humberstone
MAY-A
Sycco
Logan
Sound Archive lineup: Adelaide only
Mall GrabKETTAMA
salute
Logic1000
RONA.
Denim
