HOLLY’S DEBUT ALBUM

After making a splash in 2010 with an EP and a slate of high-profile live performances, Holly now releases her first full-length debut album. Titled TwentyFourSeven, the KZN Music House-released record is a revelation of smart, Afro-rooted pop music - created by an artist who sounds nothing like the all-too-frequently manufactured “popstars” who have surfaced in South Africa over the past few years.

Holly’s debut features a brace of songs mostly written by the 15-year-old herself – an innate gift that her self-released EP, Strawberry Skies first introduced to a now ever-widening circle of fans. Marciano Rebelo Monjane, a highly regarded Mozambican musician who remains part of Holly’s live band, produced that 2010 released record. The songs they worked on for Strawberry Skies - Siyabonga Madiba, As One, Senza Famba, and My Friend as well as Africa and Happy Song – thankfully now remain part of her full-length debut.

Joining Monjane on TwentyFourSeven is renowned South African producer, Mojalefa M’Jakes Thebe who contributes production on the new songs that make their first appearance on Holly’s full-length debut.

“Working with two different producers has been a great learning experience for me,” says Holly. “To see how each one approaches my songs or adds to them has been a really interesting journey. Being able to release my debut album means that I have a platform to introduce music fans to the many undiscovered talents that I’ve been working with or come across over the past year,” she explains.” These include rapper Duane Sin and Johannesburg-based artist Capsolys.

Also helping out on TwentyFourSeven are a number of top musicians including guitarists Daine Francis, Aristides Manique (Aka Harris), Donovan Banks, Brent Quinton, and Milton Chissano; bass guitarists Wonder Jazz Hlubi and Philani Ngidi; drummers Paki Peloeole and Simon Beech; keyboardist Mark Royeppen and pianist Peter Enslin. The album’s two producers also contribute to the playing with Thebe undertaking drum programming and keyboards on several tunes and Monjane handling percussion on a number of tracks.