As Queer indie-rock outfit Holly Rees unveil their new release, Lee Allcock caught up with Holly to speak about being stuck in a lift and more.
What is your new single, ‘Careless’, all about?
‘Careless’ is really a song about caring about people – and it’s about listening. ‘Careless’ came from me feeling really frustrated and hurt by what I was seeing around me, and on the news, and seeing large-scale acts of political violence mirror these micro-aggressions in the ways individuals communicate. It’s a song that looks at the core issue of how we communicate with each other, and how important it is to just listen, properly listen to the other person. The chorus “I wish I could care less when you’re careless with your words, but you either don’t care or you don’t hear that it hurts” – that sums up the song really. It’s a backlash against caring so little about people that you’re happy or even determined to continue to act in a way that’s actively damaging people, even when they’re telling you it hurts.
Words are extremely powerful, aren’t they…?
Completely – and on all levels. Words can empower people in amazing ways to do amazing things, but also in really dangerous ways to do really bad things. Some people, like our politicians or our “influencers”, might have bigger platforms, might have more people listening, and might carry more weight in what their words can achieve and how far they can reach, but even stripped right down to individuals talking one-on-one, everyone holds power with the words they use and the ways they communicate.
The track feels more political than your last few releases…
Yeah, it is. I think a lot of the newer stuff I’ve been writing is heading in that direction. I think usually you write (or at least I do) about what’s on your mind, what’s taking up that space. When I was younger, that was probably more about looking inward, figuring myself out, looking at my relationships, my mental health, etc. But you grow and you change – that’s just what people do. I’m happy, I’m settled, I’m looking outwards. Unfortunately, looking outwards at the minute, the view is mostly the hellscape of 2023 Tory Britain. I don’t really know how that wouldn’t sink into your writing when it’s sunk into every other element of everyone’s lives – from wondering how the f*** you’ll pay your heating bill or your rent going up again, or the rise in hate crimes and food banks, or getting p*ssed off at the news and the latest attack on trans rights – the list goes on, you know. We just need to look after each other. But yeah, that’s what’s on my mind these days, so that’s what’s in the songs.
What can we expect musically?
I’m really excited about where we’re headed musically. ‘Careless’ is definitely a representation of that, leaning a bit more into that punk sound but still with a lot of tongue-in-cheek.
And finally, if you were stuck in a lift, what musician would you like to be stuck with? And what would you talk about (other than how to escape)?
I think probably Jen Cloher. She’s an incredible queer folk/rock musician from Australia (if you haven’t listened to her, go do that) and I think I’d just love to chat her ear off about her career. She’s released five studio albums, all different but all class, had this amazing long-lasting career and just keeps getting better. I finally saw her live this year and it was so, so good. Like, if I could be anyone when I grow up, it’d be Jen Cloher. So if I could get stuck in a lift with her and ask her how she does it, that’d be cool.
You can listen to ‘Careless’ now on all major streaming platforms.
