[Askgame]

Retro-soul band Hollyy have hit the ground running in 2021 by dropping not one but two new soulful and summery singles. Inspired by the vocals of Sam Cooke and the instrumentation of Wilco and Whitney, this double-sided follow-up to their debut EP, Miss the Feeling, serves as a harmonious and sentimental preview of what fans can expect from the Chicago natives.

Ones To Watch was able to talk with the band about their latest singles and what their plans are for the foreseeable, hopefully pandemic-less, future.

Ones to Watch: How has your perspective on your music changed since the release of the Miss the Feeling EP?

Tanner: I don't think too much has changed from a music perspective, to be honest. But I can tell you that back in September, we were hopeful that by Summer 2021, we would be living a normal gig and tour-filled life. That glimmer of optimism has since faded more and more into the realistic likelihood that it will not happen. Other than that, we've been working even harder at recording, writing, and producing our debut full-length. We're also busy enhancing our studios and gear as well so we can plan virtual shows to wrap up the winter and spring.

Brandon: We've been writing a lot over the last year, and the pandemic has informed my perspective. It's maybe not a giant shift, but I certainly find myself trying to be more honest about my emotions or the events that are shaping my life.

You guys started 2021 full speed ahead with not one but TWO singles coming out on Feb. 19. What made you all want to release a double side, and why these singles?

Tanner: Double-side records have an interesting history in Funk and R&B record labels in the 60s and 70s. We think it's a cool concept to keep alive as it's mostly gone away in the last couple of decades. And then, especially with our musical influences being so deeply rooted in these genres and funk/soul/r&b artists, we love doing anything we can to pay respect and honor traditions. "Hesitate" and "Sailing" didn't make it on to our 2020 EP, but we felt they melded very nicely together and complete a satisfactory double-side record.

Brandon: Yeah, "Hesitate" and "Sailing" were written and recorded before the pandemic, and we had to stop our usual routine. They compliment each other well and make a good bridge between our 2020 EP and what we've been working on over the last year.

What are y'all's plans for future releases? (Unless it's a secret, of course, and you want to surprise your fans.)

Tanner: We're forever recording new music! Eyes are still on the prize for doing a full-length album, but especially with where we're at with live music. Almost everything gets continuously placed on hold, and there are a lot of release ideas to consider. Singles, double-sides, videos, virtual performances, all of this comes into consideration right now, and we're also in the works on everything just laid out. It's a busy winter and spring, but it's fun!

Brandon: We've been busy writing and recording, and there's still a lot of work we need to do, but I'm excited for people to hear what we've been working on.

Fans recently had the chance to see you play a live studio session with Audiotree. How did all of you feel leading up to the stream? Were you nervous, and if so, what did you do to stay centered and show ready?

Tanner: Playing an Audiotree session has always been a dream, especially being a band from Chicago, so I guess there was a tad bit of added pressure, but overall it just felt so good to unleash and play an energetic live set. It was exciting to get into a rehearsal schedule again leading up to the set since we haven't consistently been able to do that much over the past year. In terms of dealing with nerves in our band, we pick up each other when we recognize someone is nervous or anxious before a performance. We try to keep things light and make sure that at the end of the day, we're all having fun!

Brandon: I was nervous! It's been a while since we were able to play together, and I felt the pressure of putting on an excellent performance after months of not being able to practice.

Do you feel more or less able to be vulnerable nowadays?

Brandon: I've been trying to open up more this last year and broaden my perspective on the world and what matters to me. I've always been very introspective, but lately, I've been trying to understand different perspectives and how I can relate.

Pete: I think a sense of vulnerability comes and goes. The everyday drudgery of bad news sometimes gets to me, and I sort of go numb for a week or a two just trying to process everything. Usually, it's new music or a good movie that brings me back down to earth and helps me feel more human.

What are the best parts/worst parts of your day?

Tanner: *laughs* Reading the news for sure.

Brandon: Honestly, the days have just been blending together for a while. Meeting a few days a week, even if it's online, to work on new music or the next project has kept me sane and focused.

Pete: The best part is usually finally being able to focus on music in some way, shape or form, pretty much the only thing to look forward to, haha.

I saw recently on the band's Instagram that Pete recently refreshed the "Songs For Hollyy" playlist on your Spotify artist page! In your opinion, what makes a great playlist, and which song on it is your favorite?

Tanner: We certainly don't refresh that playlist as much as we bounce new songs and suggestions over to each other on text or Slack, but these playlists are fun because they usually really are reflective of who our most recent inspirations are.

Pete: I know many people get wrapped up in playlist making like artists making a setlist, but for me, playlists are more like a record of the time they were created. Mostly they're songs that stick out to me and grab me in the moment, but I find in retrospect that usually those songs were indicative of the mood I was in and what was going on in my life.

"Hesitate," produced with the help of Nixon Boyd (Royal Mountain Records & Hollerado), and "Sailing," are now both available for streaming and with a 45 vinyl in the works!

Photo By: Tess Graham

Chicago alt-soul band Hollyy warms our hearts with their passionate vocals and retro-inspired grooves in their latest EP Miss The Feeling. The release is a skillful blend of something old and something new, embodying a vibrant Memphis soul sound full of heartache and visceral emotion that cannot help but transmit that feeling out into the world for others to see, hear, and feel. Although this isn't the band's first EP, Miss the Feeling is their unyielding introduction into a world that needs unapologetically honest music.

Formed in summer 2018, Hollyy consists of Tanner Bednar (vocals), Brandon Couture (guitar), Peter Giere (keyboard), Rafe Soto (drums), and Dominic Zeier (bass). Ones To Watch was able to chat with the band about Miss The Feeling's creation process amid a global pandemic.

Ones to Watch: With this being the first EP the band has released since your debut "Letters From Lawndale," what are some things you all have learned about the production and creative process that made this an easier release?

Tanner: I think we've mostly just all grown as musicians and songwriters during that span between projects, which is great. We've also changed our process quite a bit for the better. Rafe has really souped-up our basement studio into a magic music-making space, which we love and hold super dear to us. This EP was also the first time we worked with a producer, and it was truly the most incredible experience. We owe a lot to our friend/producer Nick Boyd for this work.

Brandon: This EP was a much more collaborative songwriting process than our first EP as Holly,. We all contributed songs and helped shape each other's ideas. Once someone brings an idea forward, it becomes all of ours, and we all put in a lot of care to make each song the best we can make it. It takes a willingness to feel exposed and accepting of how someone else is going to hear what you write.

Rafael: I think we've all learned a thing or two about collaboration and how we can change certain aspects of a song and get something brand new out of it that plays to our strengths.

This EP is full of retro, warm tones that still touch on themes and feelings of loneliness, lost love, and more. To you, what is this EP about?

Brandon: It's a reflection on times past that you once longed for and trying to find your way forward.

Tanner: Miss the Feeling is kind of a perfect literary send-off for acknowledging you've been stuck in a rut for a while as well as just not feeling yourself and getting back to that point of being internally content again. It could translate to human relationships or emotional struggles not involving human relationships, and I like that.

Rafael: I agree with Brandon. It's about being able to let go of moments in your life.

What was your favorite song from the EP? Why?

Tanner: I love all my children equally hehe. But I have found that rocking out to the end of Turn it Around has been rather therapeutic during quarantine. So I guess that??

Brandon: Beach is one of my favorites to play live, we've been playing it back to back with Miss the Feeling, and it's really fun.

Rafe: I also enjoy the miss the feeling/beach medley because it's super fun to play.

Pete: Like anything, it depends on the mood. The ending of "Beach" has a very dreamy/jazzy vibe and has been fun to expand and jam on musical ideas.

How do you feel Hollyy has evolved not only as a band during the pandemic, not only in regards to your sound but overall?

Brandon: This time has really affected my writing for sure. This year has been challenging on many people, and the future is so uncertain for so many. People need something to look forward to, and I've found myself trying to write about that pain and confusion of not knowing which way forward is.

Rafael: I think it's helped us really streamline our process and figure out what we absolutely have to do in person and the things we can collaborate remotely on. Our writing process usually takes place in person but it has found its way to a million different messaging and document apps, I think this gives us the chance to reflect multiple on what we're writing.

What have been the biggest struggles of trying to record this EP during a pandemic?

Brandon: Luckily, we finished a lot of the recording for this project before the lockdown, but it's forced us to find other ways to push our new music while not having the ability to promote it live. It's also changed how we've had to work on our next project, moving to virtual meetings and writing from our respective homes.

Tanner: Yeah, it's honestly been super cool to see how we've adapted to essentially being a virtual rock band these past seven months while still being very efficient and productive with our tunes, writing, and releases. Personally, I have really enjoyed the challenge of needing to get creative to find different outlets of marketing and content pushing during the Covid-era, and we have a super supportive and talented team that helps us out along the way as well, so that's been great.

What would be a dream collab or feature for a future Hollyy track?

Tanner: We're ready to get down in the writing trenches with Stevie Wonder or Anderson .Paak at ANY point!

Brandon: Kevin Parker from Tame Impala would be incredible, as would the Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio.

Rafael: Probably Gwenno or Dex Romweber.

Pete: I think we've talked about having a rapper put down a verse on a song before. I've been listening to a lot of Action Bronson lately, so I would have to put him.

The EP not only goes on a sonic journey but a visually artistic one as well. In all the music videos, fans have seen a mysterious driver in a vintage car driving into the sunset and towards an unknown destination. Who is the artist, and how did this concept come to be? Is there a deeper meaning, or was it just something the band thought looked cool?

Brandon: The artwork is meant to elude themes of escapism and finding your own way forward, which I think are some of the more subtle themes in our music. When I drive alone, I often find myself having intense internal conversations with myself, often to reflect on something that might be bothering me.

Tanner: Yeah, the artwork is definitely super purposeful with some underlying meanings and symbolism, and that's something that I'm glad came together for us in the end, and people are catching on to and deriving their own ideas of what it may mean. We had talked about using the car and the geographic locations to help depict escaping and longing for new and better days. We played with the concept of colors and backdrop settings to allude to what lyric meanings may be included in that single as well. All in all, our friends Lucas and Ariel from Brazil (two super talented artists, by the way) helped us out with these images, and we're super happy we got to use our friends' work for these.

In a time when touring and live shows are on pause, what does Hollyy plan to do from here? Live stream concerts? Do y'all plan on pulling a Flaming Lips move and encourage people to go to shows in bubbles?

Brandon: Giant bubbles would be incredibly fun! We've been finding ways to get together, make some videos and live stream, and certainly plan on continuing, but our big focus now has been writing and working on the next project. The one benefit to the pandemic is it's given us a lot more time to write, and we have a good number of songs that have piled up now. It's helped give us something to look forward to and work towards.

Tanner: Yes, I think nothing says giant bubble mosh pit quite like the intro to Miss the Feeling. I would love to try that out one day. But to piggyback off of Brandon, we're absolutely just enjoying the writing process right now, staying safe + healthy, and looking forward to creating more and more music with each other while we're stuck in the dystopian universe. One day we'll play a normal, carefree live show again :)

Who are some "Ones To Watch" you would recommend people to check out?

Brandon: Chicago is an incredible hub for local bands. Ratboys, Divino Nino, and Sen Morimoto are some really incredible artists that have been crushing it lately.

Tanner: I think some of these artists are going to start/continue to make some noise over the next year: Neal Francis, Fat Night, MICHELLE, and Qari.

Rafael: Lately, I've just been listening to a ton of roots reggae, so checkout Desmond Dekker. I am stoked about the new Fuzz album though.

Pete: I think right now, everyone should check out Wyatt Waddell. He has an absolutely incredible mix of RnB, soul, and hip-hop to his sound. He's also from Chicago, so that helps too!