Holly Humberstone entranced concertgoers with her melodious voice as the opener for Girl in Red’s 2022 concert tour on March 7.
A newly established musician, Humberstone hailed from England to debut her EP, The Walls Are Way Too Thin, working alongside The 1975’s Matty Healy in the U.S.
Girl in Red performed at The Eastern in Atlanta with Humberstone as the opener. During Humberstone’s first few songs, it was noticeable how calm, cool, and collected she was onstage amidst a sea of fans. Her voice was serene and steady as she plucked at her guitar, swaying in time with the music.
The first song she performed was Overkill, from her EP Falling Asleep at the Wheel. During this song, it was clear that Humberstone lost herself in the music. Her captivating demeanor and the way she closed her eyes when she sang suggested that this song really meant something to her.
At the end of her performance, Humberstone was very appreciative of the fans being there. She directed the audience to her Instagram page to find more information on upcoming concerts and tours.
Humberstone’s music style ranges from alternative rock, pop-rock to indie rock. In an interview with Phoenix Magazine, she shared the musical inspirations that exposed her to many different genres of music. Artists like Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Prince, Damien Rice and Norah Jones exhibited the type of music she wanted to create herself.
As a huge fan of ’80s music, Humberstone blends the fun and funky beats of the ’80s with modern lyricism to create her own new twist on music. An example of this interesting take can be heard in her song Scarlett, written about her best friend and the journey she overcame during her breakup with her boyfriend.
Born Dec. 17, 1999, Humberstone fell in love with music at a young age. Her parents being both doctors, banned television in the household and encouraged their four young girls to embrace their creativity instead. They were to commit their time and attention to hobbies they enjoyed.
Humberstone stated in an interview with Euphoria Magazine that she liked to rummage through her parents’ CDs and pick the ones she liked the cover of and listen to them. Her childhood home in Grantham housed not only her family but the tools that enabled her to advance in her musical prowess.
At a young age, Humberstone began writing poetry at her father’s orders. Her father was a big fan of Leonard Cohen and T.S. Eliot, which is something that stuck with her over the years as she began writing her own songs. She would sit at the family piano and play, all the while reciting her poetry.
After her song Deep End went viral in 2019, Humberstone signed on with Interscope Records in the U.S. the following year. With this label, she released her second EP The Walls Are Way Too Thin which garnered millions of streams on both Spotify and YouTube.
Humberstone was awarded the prestigious Rising Star Award during the BRIT Awards 2022. Past Rising Star award recipients include Adele, Florence + The Machine, Ellie Goulding and more.
