CREATIVE CONVERSATIONS 162: HOLLY HEBE ON INTIMACY, EMOTION AND WRITING BIRTHMARK

Interview by Brooke Gibbs

Fresh off the release of her latest single Birthmark, Holly Hebe is stepping into a more vulnerable and sonically nostalgic era. Blending vivid lyricism with early-2000s-inspired production, the track captures the push and pull of connection, memory and emotional growth. In this conversation with FUTUREMAG MUSIC, Holly opens up about the story behind Birthmark, the catharsis of songwriting, and what’s next as she continues to shape her evolving sound.

FUTUREMAG MUSIC: Hi, Holly. Well, thank you for joining us. Your new single Birthmark has been out for a bit now. How are people vibing with it? Have people reached out and shared their thoughts?

HOLLY HEBE: Yeah, they have been, yeah. I felt so lucky that people have been listening to it and adding it to their playlists. It got the loveliest premiere on the radio, and we had a little pop up where a bunch of people came and listened to it with me, which was so nice. It's been a really good week, to be honest. I've had such a fun release week. It's been awesome.

FUTUREMAG MUSIC: That’s so good. It kind of feels like a birthday in a way. Like you work so hard towards something, it comes out and you get to share that with everyone else in the world.

HOLLY HEBE: Definitely feels like a bit of a birthday, which is fun because I’m trying to stay consistent with my releases. So I almost get like a birthday every two months or whatever and it's so fun.

FUTUREMAG MUSIC: And the song Birthmark, it explores that pull towards something you can't quite let go of. So, what was the moment of feeling that first sparked this song?

HOLLY HEBE: Oh, I remember really vividly when I wrote this, I was sitting in my bed and I have my little nylon string guitar, which I love, I'm very attached to. And the chorus kind of came to me first. And the idea of someone knowing you so well and knowing you intimately in terms of your emotions and your behaviours, but then also just the quirks about you. And I think boiling that down to the idea of someone knowing where your birthmark is is quite special. But yeah, it honestly was one of those songs where I was just sitting in my bed and it almost fell into my lap in a way, which is always such a nice feeling because you then can just sit in it. It feels really good. So, it’s been with me for a good couple of months now. It’s always so nice when it’s out in the world.

FUTUREMAG MUSIC: And now that it's out and you've been able to process that, do you feel like that's helped you process the situation?

HOLLY HEBE: Definitely. I also think for this one, honestly for a lot of my songs, I kind of grow through the song and the song sits with me for a while before everyone else gets to hear it. It definitely takes on different meanings for me, and I can sit with different feelings through it, which has been great. This one feels very emotional but also such a great physical release of emotion for me. So yeah, it's special.

FUTUREMAG MUSIC: I like what you said about how the song can change meaning and evolve as you go through new life experiences.

HOLLY HEBE: Yeah, totally. That’s a big thing for me. Sometimes I’ll write something that I’m maybe hyperbolising a little bit and then it kind of manifests into my reality and I’m like, what have I done? But it’s always so fun to look back and trace the different meanings and how it kind of storylines your life.

FUTUREMAG MUSIC: You mentioned that this is an emotional track and it does sound more vulnerable than your previous work. What helped you lean into that vulnerability?

HOLLY HEBE: That’s such a good question. I think I’ve hit this period with my lyric writing where I’m writing from really vivid imagery in my head. I love listening to tracks that have really specific visuals or words that show something super physical that you can picture. This one, I experimented with that at the start and it’s informed a lot of my writing since. It can be a bit vulnerable and revealing, but ultimately it’s cathartic in the best way.

FUTUREMAG MUSIC: On the sonic side, it kind of takes me back to 2000s tracks but still feels modern. How did you approach shaping that sound?

HOLLY HEBE: Honestly, I built this production off this one rhythmic synth that I have. I was scrolling through the bank and found this sound and I was like, that’s super cool. It’s the opening glitchy sound in the intro. As soon as I found that, it clicked for me in terms of the direction I wanted the production to go and the really nice tight break beat. That was the catalyst for the world of the production and then it just went from there.

FUTUREMAG MUSIC: And you worked with Alice Ivy on the production too, is that correct? What did Alice bring that helped shape the song, and why was she the right fit?

HOLLY HEBE: I had the production sitting in a spot where I could clearly see the direction and the story of the song. Then I had a session with Alice and it just felt so right. She’s the best. We really connect in terms of creativity and experimentation. It was the most joyful couple of days in the studio. She brought polish and professionalism to the track, but also kept the integrity of everything I’d already laid down, which I really appreciated. It was so much fun making that with her.

FUTUREMAG MUSIC: Do you feel like Birthmark is a standalone release or part of a bigger project?

HOLLY HEBE: In terms of the sound world, I really love this type of production and I can see it fitting in with other work I’ve been doing. This is a great taste of that production style and me experimenting with new things, while also calling back to music I listened to when I was younger, which is nostalgic and special. I’m excited for people to hear the other things I’ve been working on.

FUTUREMAG MUSIC: What music did you listen to growing up that might be influencing you now?

HOLLY HEBE: I’ve been revisiting a lot of my old playlists and CDs. A lot of it is Nikki Webster, I was obsessed with her. I also loved Kasey Chambers, which is quite different to what I write, but in terms of lyrics she’s informed a lot of my writing. Everyone goes through a folk era, and that kind of lyric writing is so sacred. It’s been nice to bring that into my current style. It’s always strange going through old playlists and seeing how it all comes back.

FUTUREMAG MUSIC: What’s next for you? For anyone who listens to Birthmark and wants to support you, how can they do that?

HOLLY HEBE: We’re about to head on tour with Aleksiah in May, which I’m so excited for. I love her so much. Her music is always a staple in my playlists. Then we’ve got some other shows coming up, we’re playing the Telenova shows at the Forum next weekend. And stay tuned for some other things we’ll announce soon.

FUTUREMAG MUSIC: And in terms of future releases this year, what should people look out for?

HOLLY HEBE: You should definitely stay tuned for more songs. I’ve been writing so much and feel really connected to a collection of songs that have kind of soundtracked my past six months. It’s been fun to feel so connected to it all again. I’m excited for everyone to hear it.

FUTUREMAG MUSIC: Was there anything else you wanted people to take away from the song?

HOLLY HEBE: I’d love people to sit with the track and think about the things in their life that reflect their comfort zone and how they can push out of that. That’s a big part of the track, not getting too comfortable and always staying eager for more.

FUTUREMAG MUSIC: Thank you so much. All the best for the tour and we’ll keep an eye out for what’s next.

HOLLY HEBE: Thank you so much for having me.