Holly Macve — Biography

Born in Galway, Ireland, Holly Macve is a singular musical force who crafts her sound as a solo performer. Her early life took a dramatic turn when her mother, along with Macve and her sister, departed their father in the quiet of the night, relocating to the care of her grandparents in Holmfirth, West Yorkshire. There, her grandfather, Duncan Druce, cultivated a world of classical composition. At the age of eighteen, Macve ventured south to Brighton, where she began to weave her melodies into the fabric of local performance spaces. She juggled her burgeoning musical aspirations with work in a café, honing her craft during open mic sessions. It was within this very café that Simon Raymonde, the guiding light behind Bella Union, encountered her. Having witnessed her performances, he extended an invitation to join his esteemed label, leading to the creation of her debut solo effort, Golden Eagle, which graced listeners in March 2017. The majority of Golden Eagle took shape in Newcastle, within the personal studio of producer Paul Gregory, a fellow artist from Bella Union’s roster under the banner of Lanterns on the Lake. Additional sonic layers were added in Brighton and London. Upon its arrival, Record Collector captured the essence of Macve's artistry, likening her to "an ethereal offspring of Nick Cave blessed with the stark musical backdrop of Johnny Cash's 'American' series of recordings." The seeds of Macve's musical journey were sown by her mother's diverse record collection, ranging from vintage blues to the insightful lyrics of Bob Dylan. This foundational inspiration paved the way for her discovery of titans like Leonard Cohen, Johnny Cash, and Gillian Welch. For her subsequent album, Not the Girl, Macve immersed herself in a wide spectrum of sounds, drawing inspiration from artists such as The Shangri-Las, The Beatles, John Lennon, John Cale, PJ Harvey, and Nick Cave.