Growing up in a house reverberating with music, Holly Lovelady could always feel a special spark in her heart – a kind of magic that only music could ignite. The melodies by Doris Day, Frank Sinatra, and sometimes, Mario Lanza that her grandad used to sing to her kindled the love of music in her. As a young girl, Holly would mimic these old crooners time and again. However, her song-filled world comprised only her nan & grandad until an unexpected turn of events took place at her primary school’s talent show.
As fate would have it, Holly stole the night with her Alvin & the Chipmunks-inspired performance and won herself a large tin of sweets. This event marked a significant and unexpected turn in her life – she realized she had a budding passion for music, far removed from bedtime lullabies and singalongs.
Years later, with this renewed passion and zeal, Holly approached a small independent recording studio in Liverpool. Nervously, she asked if she could record her version of Chris De Burgh’s classic Christmas song, “A spaceman came traveling”. In what seemed surreal at the time, not only did the recording studio agree, but Chris De Burgh himself reached out to her within a month, praising her take on the song. Her rendition soon migrated to YouTube, where it gained incredible popularity and cultivated a small dedicated fan base.
Holly’s journey into music production started with the humble purchase of a £50 piano from a local village hall – a piano that held the highs and the lows of her journey, the loves lost, and every secret penned down in the harmony of its keys. This member of inspiration lit her journey to creating her very own songs and solidifying her bond with her hometown, Liverpool – a city famously known as the home of the Beatles.
Born into a family of mum, nan, grandad, and a frequently-visiting uncle, Holly’s music has been her solace in the face of loss and change. In recent years, she lost her uncle and grandad, and then, in 2022, her nan passed away due to dementia. These precious people formed the core foundation of her life and music. She coped with her loss by reminiscing about the beautiful days when she’d present her new compositions to them. If her grandad approved, she knew she had a potential hit.
Today, Holly’s music genre is a haunting blend of modern ballads, electro-pop, and folk melodies – a combination that tells a story of its own. A testament to her talent was last year’s experience at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Holly adapted an old play into a musical called “TOPLESS,” centered around a wild tour guide with a broken heart set entirely on a “Topless” bus.
The ongoing voyage of her musical chronicles continues as Holly gears up to release her latest song, “Helvellyn,” in February 2024. This song, named after the famous, dangerous mountain in the Lake District where she lives, promises a gripping tale of trials and triumphs.
Through every twist and turn in life, Holly Lovelady fearlessly pursues her passion. Despite few supportive idealists wanting to ‘tweak’ her image, she persists in being true to herself – a real ginger with a predilection for long, cool coats.
Holly Lovelady’s journey is an ode to music, a rhapsody relayed through each note she plays or composes. As she navigates her musical journey, Holly embraces her deepest conviction: to always show kindness. Amid life’s highs and lows, this belief underscores her work and is reflected in her music.
In a way, her music and her journey thus far embody her mantra: when fate shuts the door, come in through the window. Holly Lovelady has not only come in through that window but has given us beautiful melodies that resonate with hope, courage, and perseverance.
Stay inspired, and don’t miss any of Holly Lovelady’s updates by following her on Instagram (www.instagram.com/hollyloveladyofficial) and Spotify (open.spotify.com/artist/7DyGXT4iVsVarMIZSXdrwX?si=1sWZqBRNTWKte1wIlh01Og).
Published by: Aly Cinco
