Imagine Karen Carpenter with the sensual disposition of, say, Nina Simone, or perhaps Joni Mitchell with the bedroom eyes of Alicia
Keys. In a voice dripping with honey, Holly sings mostly, she says, about sex and sensuality.
"What I want is to bring a little class back to music," says Holly Rose. "And I'm going to do it, too. Just you watch."
Born to Welsh parents, Holly grew up in Hertfordshire aware not only of her valley roots but also of her grandmother's Swedish genes
(and if you want evidence of them today, look at that hair, those cheekbones). Suffering from some terrible bullying at school, as
soon as she could, Holly enrolled in the Academy of Contemporary Music, where, alongside Newton Faulkner and Sugababes' Amelle
Berrabah , she spent a year studying vocal technique, making what was already naturally great, greater still.
After graduation, her musical journey took her to America where, for one summer, she taught music to teenagers. At night, meanwhile,
she would work on her own songs which she would promptly put up on her website, hoping they would go out into the world and get her
noticed. Almost overnight, they did.
"I got a call one morning from this bloke in South Africa," she recalls. "He was in a band called Semisane who were looking for a new
singer. They had come across my website, and loved my voice. They flew me out on the next plane."
Barely 20 years old, Holly suddenly found herself at the forefront of South Africa's biggest emergent act. They sang the theme tune to
their country's version of Big Brother, had successive hit singles, and Holly's voice and looks made them a big hit in the media, her
face adorning the covers of Seventeen, FHM and Heat. However, the internal band politics were tearing everyone apart. Holly recalls "I
remember waking up one morning and thinking, You know what? My time here is done. I want to go home."
The resulting Vulnerable To Touch is indeed a very classy album. Eight of the album’s songs feature the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
in accompaniment, which ramps up the record's sense of grandeur.
"I particularly wanted this record to be both sexual and sensual because that, I guess, is a big part of my life." A wide smile. "I'm
talking about profound emotion here," she clarifies. "I love being in love, I love the feeling it generates, and writing songs about
it gives me much the same sensation."
The first single ‘Down To One Kiss’ caused a stir when it was released earlier this year, reaching No 12 in the Music Week Commercial
Pop Club Chart.
“She’s a pretty pop star alright and on this track she sounds every inch of one as well.” www.thebeatsurrender.co.uk
And Beckie A of www.the-mag.me.uk described the album as a “sparkling treasure chest of surprises”.
Holly has already featured in The Times, The Sunday Express Magazine and Company to name but three, and with the imminent release of
‘Don’t Mention This’ in early December 2009, and her fiancé Jon’s recovery from testicular cancer inspiring him to cycle around the
tropic of cancer (follow their progress on www.tccchallenge.co.uk) you can be sure you will be hearing a lot more about this talented
seductress.
As Pete Sargeant of www.fairhearing.co.uk says “we have a major find here”.
Holly Rose is presently on tour supporting Mica Paris.
thank you for the request,a lovely surprise when i heard that voice,wanted to know if you record dubplates for sound systems and if so what price please..once again thank you for the request,have a good weekend
Hi Holly, I've had a listen to some of your music and you are very special! I really loved Its Down to one Kiss. You are a very talented girl and I wish you well!! Love and hugs Gaynor xxxxx
Hi Holly thanks for the friends add. I love your voice… I was just listening to some of your stuff on youtube and I love the acoustic session of All because of you!.. So much I added it to the music vids on my page :)
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