Holliday Howe (Re:)Inventing Hyperpop
I know that I’m not alone in this, but I’m probably the only one to state it unequivocally. Holliday Howe is responsible for the term “hyperpop” being applied to the genre of music associated with it. That’s my opinion, of course, and as opinions go, it’s not an undeniable fact. I only became aware of the genre during the first few months of the pandemic and subsequent quarantine. The reason why I’m calling it for Holliday is that the music seems to reflect her personality and character; sparkling, bubbly, optimistic, and so full of possibilities. The Sydney, Australia native speaks of hyperpop almost as if it were her offspring.
The songwriter, composer, vocalist, and producer works out of her home studio, where each magnum opus is crafted using an array of instruments such as guitars, piano, bass, and synthesizers. Holliday possesses “extensive experience producing, vocal mixing, top-lining, and writing for other artists”. It may be somewhat premature to say, but I believe that she’s a legend in the making. This was truly one of the best interviews I’ve enjoyed doing and I find myself eager to hear more from this amazing artist.
When I first saw your name, it was from a song recorded by another artist. Did you start off working with others before launching into your solo career, or did things just sort of come together at once?
I actually started under a different artist name in 2015 which was “Bubbles.” Bubbles was an alter ego of mine and started off just as some Soundcloud remixes of other people’s songs (Babycakes, Sparks - most are still on my SoundCloud page!). I wanted to be a part of PC Music so badly but I couldn’t be so I started to call what I was making hyperpop - which wasn’t a term I heard anyone else using at the time.
I’d always been a singer so I thought “maybe I should try singing on these beats I’m making” and released my first proper single “Done With You” under Club Late Music. Then I released the “Pure Delight” EP under Palettes!
I went through a breakup and Bubbles stopped feeling authentic to me and the name was too common and a bit of a nightmare! So I switched it to Holliday Howe and laid low for a bit - it took me a little time to grow into the name!
I’ve always collaborated a lot, I love featuring in other people’s work but I’ve learned that you need to have some integrity with your artist name and vision. You can’t (and shouldn’t) say yes to everything!!!
What was preventing you from being a part of PC music?
PC Music started as a bunch of friends releasing stuff on Soundcloud - I was a fresh-faced 18 year old in London who found out about them through my boyfriend at the time. He kinda knew them but more as acquaintances and I thought it'd be kinda embarrassing to call what I was making PC Music if I was a) not really their friend and b) not a part of the label. So that's where hyperpop came from for me
When you started calling your brand of music “hyperpop”, the term was being floated out there already, but you had no idea. What was your response to finding out that you weren’t the first artist to use the term and was your music anything like what they were calling hyperpop at the time?
To be really super honest, earlier uses of the term seem to me to be more descriptive one-offs - not used to categorize an entire genre - which is what I was trying to do when I first started using it. I know that the Cocteau Twins have an article from 1988 where they're described as hyperpop - and that 2011 article on Grimes describes her as making "hyperpop" but not as a genre - it was like "here's Grime's new track that's ethereal-hyper-pop-shimmering alternative bliss".
Both I and Hyperpop (The Internet Record Label) came to the same name at roughly the same time. I started telling friends I made hyperpop in June/July 2015 and have an interview of me from December 2015 where I explicitly state "I make hyperpop". If someone came forward and said "hey here's my wannabe-PC Music-Sophie-inspired track from 2014 that I tagged as hyperpop!" - I'd be stoked!!! We'd finally know for sure if I accidentally copied someone else. (laughter)
The music that would come to be known as "hyperpop" was being called Bubblegum Bass (for a bit) but it didn't stick I guess and didn't encompass all of the others behind all this crazy cool SoundCloud music. I didn't feel like what I was making was Bubblegum Bass - that felt too club-music-focused. It was still pop but extreme.
Why did you start making music to begin with and why did you choose to make the kind of music you make, rather than something else?
Well, I've always, always sung! There's a family VHS tape of us all on holiday when I'm three years old and my dad's looking for me everywhere to say hi to the camera. As we turn the corner, there I am, perched alone on a rock singing a made-up song out to sea like I'm Ariel from The Little Mermaid! I'm not sure why... It might seem very simple but it just feels so good, makes me so happy.
I started producing when I got to London - mainly because of PC Music. It was the first time I'd heard something and thought "this is just so fun! So accessible to anyone with a laptop - maybe I could make it?" And it did well! Up until that point, I'd just had bare-bones piano demos which no one really paid any attention to and suddenly my Bubbles stuff was popping off!!! It filled me with a lot of confidence.
Now I make hyperpop because it still has no rules really, it's still got that vibe of just exploding - expressing as much as possible at 100% all of the time.
In the studio, what would one find you banging on, strumming, or programming?
My music starts as lyrics in "notes" and voice notes on my iPhone - when I start stuff in my home studio it's usually just the old-fashioned mouse and piano scroll... I've got an Akai MPK Mini that I'll sometimes use but I'm pretty intensive on the keyboard - that felts like my instrument now
The single “crushed” sounds like it might be referencing the aforementioned breakup? No? It sounds rather painful, I think.
(Laughter) OMG! I wish! No, this one was about someone so insignificant in my life - honestly, a workplace crush that never amounted to anything but! I truly believe that longing is a very powerful emotion (?) (is it an emotion?) to pine or to yearn for something - it draws from the painful spot in your chest right next to your heart and can often be mistaken for "love".
The breakup I mentioned does have a mixtape in the works that I'm currently finessing!
It looks like you’ve collaborated with AlexZone, is there anything you can tell me about it?
Alex and I worked together on my single “Hush Hush” at the suggestion of the co-producer for that track “Boysim”! One day Alex asked if I wanted to zoom and we spoke for four hours or something crazy and the rest is history! Alex is one of the most likable people around and in the scene and has such a heart of pure solid gold. I'm also a fast worker so whenever he shows me a beat that he's writing to, I can't help but jump on! It's always a delight to write with AlexZone - and even more of a delight to call him a friend!!!
Whose music did you listen to while clubbing or studying at home?
I'm a bigggggg fan of late 90s dance music and pop, so that's usually what I listen to in a club setting. Also UKG. And of course PC Music and Hyperpop! Right now in my playlist rotation is “rom-com 2021” (Soccer Mommy & Kero Kero Bonito), “Another Chance” (Roger Sanchez), “Cleo” (Shygirl), “H20” (TDJ & moistbreezy), and “Be Your USA” (EASYFUN feat. Iiris).
Clubs are still shut for dancing in Sydney and I don't like a lot of the Rave music that I hear here (sorry) so I'm mostly dancing at house parties where I always end up "DJing" either with a mix or Djing the Spotify queue (laughter)!!!
To chill out my two most played albums this year are most definitely and probably Tinashe (“333”) and Kllo (“Maybe We Could”).
Study-wise: Steve Reich, Debussy, Joe Hisaishi, and soundtrack scores by Thomas Newman for Finding Nemo and Yann Tiersen for Amalie.
Is there anyone else with who you would like to eventually collaborate with someday?
There are tonnes!!! Production-wise it's gotta be EASYFUN and William Orbit. Songwriting is easily Max Martin.
Artists: Rina Sawayama is a big one for me, Kylie Minogue (so that my 4-year-old self's dreams can come true), and obvi Charli XCX.
Within the scene - there are so so many amazing artists I'd really like to work with. Zhone is currently mixing a project of mine but I think their production is insane and I'd love to work with them in that capacity. Can't believe moistbreezy and I still haven't worked together and if there's anyone who can bring my 90s trance-pop revivalist vision to life... it's them. And I want to make a pop-punk anthem for the girls, gays, and theys with Kit Major -- watch this space!
Do you plan to release new music for 2022 and are there any other projects ahead?
I have a bunch planned! I want to be very prolific in 2022 - I would like to be everywhere!
I write too much for my own good so it'd be nice to get the anthology of songs I've written over the past four years out into the world (finally).
I want to shout out Kogarashi, Veggie, and Old Pup - the work they've done with and for me for the upcoming projects is just insane... I'm so so so lucky and thankful that they work with me!
Stream Holiday Howe at Spotify, Apple Music, and SoundCloud. Follow her updates on Instagram.
