Holocene talks musical roots, influences and Shure’s platform for new artists

London-based artist Holocene joins Headliner for a chat about her origins in music, her approach to songwriting and how Shure’s Make The World Your Stage campaign is providing a unique platform for new talent…

Holocene is very much a product of her musical environment. From as early as she can remember, her life was set to the backdrop of grunge icons on account of the music played by her older brothers. As such, the likes of Nirvana, PJ Harvey, Pearl Jam and her beloved Soundgarden have all seeped into the creative well from which she would draw at the point of picking up a guitar and writing her own music.

However, hers is far from a sound solely informed by distorted guitar and fuzzy bass – not that there isn’t plenty of that to enjoy – but one that is infused with contemporary pop sensibilities, memorable melody and a silky smooth voice that offers a cleaner counterpoint to the gravelly tones of so many of her heroes.

“We always had a really old, battered guitar in the corner of my brother’s bedroom, and I was always fascinated by it,” Holocene tells Headliner as she joins us over Zoom from her London home. Throughout the course of our conversation, there’s a maturity, a coolness and a confidence in her manner that exudes, even via a laptop screen, that is seldom seen in artists still navigating their way in the industry. “My whole family always loved music and my parents had this beautiful old record player, and every Saturday night we would play music and dance around the living room. So, I was singing from a very young age.

“When I was at secondary school, I developed a passion for jazz music, because I had a really low voice at a very young age and I was singing in a low register. A few years passed and I was entered into the Rotary Youth competition for young musicians. And on the panel was my now manager Glen Rowe (previously tour manager for Muse), so he discovered me when I was 14 and has been managing me ever since. Now I’m 25 and he’s been such a wonderful figure in my career. He encouraged me to write songs. He said, you clearly have a passion and understanding of music so you should write. And I’ve been doing so since then.”

Working with one of the most successful tour managers and industry experts of the past two decades has been invaluable, not just in the experience and expertise he brings, but also in helping Holocene discover her voice as an artist.

“He’s a wonderful human being - he actually says don’t talk about me in interviews,” she laughs. “He understands that an artist should be nurtured, and he understands the platforms artists need. He grounds me and he’s so supportive. I owe him a lot. And I have a lovely manager (Chloe Ward) as well, who is brilliant and has been working in the music industry for a very long time as well. They have helped me do some really cool things this year. I’m very lucky.”

So how did she go about making the transition from budding bedroom songwriter to bona fide artist?

“I always knew music was going to be a permanent part of my world,” she states. “Then I was getting my first gigs, playing solo gigs and doing covers. I’d throw in the occasional original song and then when you heard nice feedback, you’d throw a few more in. Then it got to the point where I was playing all my own music wherever I could find an open mic night or a platform to perform.

“I started being looked after by a music charity for young musicians called the World Heart Beat Music Academy. I was then encouraged to start writing more music and building a profile for myself. As I moved forward it was just a case of write and record, write and record, write and record.”

When asked which artists have had the biggest impact on her writing so far, she singles out two in particular that have, and continue, to inspire.

“Everything that Chris Cornell has done,” she says without hesitation. “He is probably my favourite songwriter. Soundgarden are one of my all-time favourite bands. I usually say, even though it’s not really similar to anything I write, Night Ride Home by Joni Mitchell is one of my favourite albums. She has the guitar in a really strange tuning, and she did this beautiful video where she describes the strings not in terms of notes but as feelings. I’d never heard anyone describe sounds in that way before. It’s music that is written with intention and that has definitely had an influence on me.”

Earlier this year, Holocene connected with pro audio manufacturer Shure and its Make The World Your Stage campaign, which seeks to support new artists by providing them with a platform to record and release a piece of new material, as well as promote it via multiple channels and original artwork.

“I was on tour with Skunk Anansie and during that time we were contacted by Shure,” she says, explaining her involvement with the initiative. “I had met a few members of the team before, who were the loveliest people ever. I was invited to do a session for them during my tour, so we had all of our set up ready and we went to my friend’s house. She has a beautiful converted chapel as a home, and we filmed in there. Shure came and set up the mics and it was just amazing. And Shure really care about artists, you can tell that straight away. It was awesome and we recorded one of my songs that will be released later this year called Give Me Life Give Me Love.

“Shure has been supporting emerging artists with this campaign and it’s all about giving artist a platform at a time when the industry has been particularly difficult. And it offers us a space to use this great equipment and make connections. A lot of us wouldn’t have that opportunity otherwise.”

As for what’s next, Holocene says he has plenty of new music in the bank she’s looking forward to releasing.

“I have recorded several bodies of work, some I have done demos of, some I am still piecing together,” she concludes. “I’m currently in the process of creating visuals for some things, so I have quite a few things to come for people to hear and see. There is a lot coming!”