Holly Humberstone is painting her bedroom black
Written by Joanna Serrano
23-year-old Holly Humberstone is taking the musical world by storm with her unique sound and personal take on songwriting.
Hailing from the small town of Grantham, England, Humberstone began her musical journey at a young age. She is a multi-instrumentalist and songwriter, and has credited her love of music to her large family. In a household with her parents and three sisters, Humberstone was exposed to a variety of music. She went on to release her debut single “Deep End,” in early 2020, which was quickly followed by her debut EP Falling Asleep at the Wheel. This project consisted of six tracks, two of which being the single “Overkill” and the title track “Falling Asleep at the Wheel.”
Holly Humerstone is for fans of eclectic and chill indie pop-rock acts such as Phoebe Bridgers, Griff, Lizzy McAlpine, Julia Michaels, and more.
The English singer-songwriter is celebrating the recent release of her debut album Paint My Bedroom Black, which dropped on October 13th of this year. At a recent ˚1824 press conference, Humberstone gave us a behind the scenes look at her writing process, the inspirations behind the album, life on tour, mental health, and more.
Creating the Album
Humberstone shares that the creation of the debut album began in 2022, with the closing track “Room Service.” The song was made prior to the release of her second EP, Can You Afford to Lose Me?
Humberstone reflects on the writing process, saying, “I remember writing it and saying ‘this has to be the closing song for my album,’ because it felt like a closing song…”
“Room Service,” is the perfect chill ballad to add to your nighttime playlist, or listen to during your morning coffee. Humberstone describes the track as a love song about her friends. She mentions how many songs nowadays focus on romantic relationships, and “not enough” revolve around “platonic relationships.”
On the other hand, Humberstone offers a new perspective on the classic breakup song in the track “Antichrist.” She describes her desire to write about the heartbreaker rather than the heartbroken. She pulls from personal experiences, sharing the realities of being an on-the-go artist, and how it may affect those she loves: “In my line of work, I dont have the ability to give everything I can… I wanted to write a song about feeling selfish, treating someone in a way that they should not be treated.”
As we can see, much of Humberstone’s songwriting is influenced by events and people around her. In fact, she shares how empowered she feels by the women around her, both colleagues and in personal life. She mentions artists like Girl in Red and Olivia Rodrigo as examples of female writers who inspire her: “My whole life I've been surrounded by amazing, incredible females and I feel really lucky… I write a lot about sisterhood in general and how important it is…”
Along with these songwriting highlights, Humberstone shares moments when inspiration did not come as easily. She recalls one instance in particular, before writing the track “Into Your Room,” in which she dealt with writer’s block. “It was my time off,” she says, “and I was having a horrible time. I just wanted to go home to London and see my sisters.”
Humberstone shares a major influence of hers, singer-songwriter and producer Ethan Gruska. While in this funk in Los Angeles, Humberstone took the chance and reached out to the artist via DM, asking to schedule a writing session with him. She claims it was incredible and “the most fun two days.”
This displays how some of the best work can stem from the most difficult moments. “Into Your Room” is an interesting take on a modern pop song, with a ‘90s-esque synth beat. It is definitely for those who enjoy songs like “The Mother We Share” by CHVRCHES.
Artist Life and Mental Health
Having risen to fame in the peak of the 2020 pandemic, Humberstone is still new to the touring game. She shared that much of the new album is influenced by her experiences touring these past couple of years. “Traveling from hotel room to hotel room” and meeting new people every day took a toll on her physically and mentally.
Humberstone continues to expand on the topic of mental health, and claims she finds it difficult to shut her brain off as a songwriter: “If you care about what you do, you can never shut it off,” says Humberstone, “It’s the best but it also takes a bit of a toll.”
As a young artist, the British singer shares how much pressure she had placed on herself in the beginning of her career. Her advice to any aspiring artists, especially young women, is to understand that you can take your career into your own hands.
“We have to make time for ourselves… I only spend time doing things that I really want to do, with good people.” She claims how much this has improved her songwriting. “I feel like I have more to write about because I’m more present… The tunes are the most important thing and if I'm being honest in my writing then everything should fall into place.”
Clearly Holly Humberstone is not your average pop star. Her addicting vocals, keen sense of self and undeniable songwriting abilities make her a force to be reckoned with!
Check out the new album Paint My Bedroom Black, which is available to stream everywhere.
Where to find Holly Humberstone: Instagram | TikTok | X | Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube
