[“Paint my bedroom black” REVIEW] Holly Humberstone is definitely IN DA HOUSE

Three years ago, a lonely wide-eyed girl using only an electric guitar played the chords of “Deep end” (now part of the renowned “Heartstopper” soundtrack, by the way) while – we would later discover from behind the scenes – a hose was wetting her. We fast forward to October 13, 2023. This time, the same girl with expressive eyes is also wet, but in a pool that she shares with a group of friends – including Scarlett, the subject of one of her most memorable songs – all of them characters in one of, let’s say, the most sensual videos of the singer who grew up in Grantham: “Into your room”.

This complete change of perspective, from a solitary and dark environment to a joyful activity surrounded by friends, despite not being planned, explains a lot about the meteoric trajectory of singer-songwriter Holly Humberstone, launched in the midst of the pandemic and, now, an indispensable figure at some of the most renowned festivals on the planet. From completely solo performances, she gained a band and, on the 13th, she finally released her first album, “Paint my Bedroom Black”, after 2 ep’s, countless singles and even a compilation.

With 13 well-rounded tracks, Holly’s debut album is a faithful portrait not only of her state of mind but also of the life stage of a girl who grew up in the countryside with her three sisters and today moved to London. From London to even Japan, she increasingly becomes an exponent of the “female singer” genre, not to say, modern pop music, as well as Gracie Abrams and Maisie Peters.

Between the album’s tracks, we are introduced to new characters, such as Lauren (who is not O’Donnel but one of Holly’s best friends) who gives the title to one of the best songs, as well as humorous stereotypes, such as “Elvis Impersonators “. Above all, Holly continues to use her own experience as working material, which is a way of understanding her identity as a 23 year-old woman. Far from being a victim, Holly occasionally punishes herself for mistakes made in relationships (“Antichrist”), and takes pleasure in simply enjoying the moment (“Into your room”), while in ballads like “Kissing in Swimming Pools” she demonstrates her maturity as a “commercial” songwriter.

But there is also room for experimentation, as in the synthetic “Baby Blues” in which Holly immerses herself in Bon Iver’s characteristic folk synths (which, in fact, is one of her great references from the very beginning). Used to being feat. from other artists, this time Holly also proposed her own feat (after that timid Matty Healy featuring on the second ep). We’re talking about the American “indie-rapper” d4vd in the simbolic “Superbloodmoon”, a song that touches on references such as Tracy Chapman and Damien Rice.

Finally, we have “Ghost me” which I consider the biggest surprise among the tracks that until then had not been released as a single. With tender, well-written lyrics, Holly sings about her insecurities while avoiding typing symptoms into Google. Take it easy, Holly. There’s no need to rush things. This record shows you’re on the right track for becoming one of the greatest artists of your generation. The only question I asked myself and that a lot of people must be asking themselves out there, after listening to this wonderful album, is: where did “Sleep Tight” go?