Recently signed to This Feeling Records, Fitzroy Holt’s current single ‘Medicine’ has seen the rising newcomer earn comparisons to the likes of Michael Kiwanuka and Scott Walker. His rootsy cocktail of confessional soul and bluesy garage-rock has taken him to festivals including the Isle of Wight, Truck and The Great Escape this summer, while also landing airplay from BBC Music Introducing. Now Fitzroy adds to his growing acclaim by sharing the video for ‘Medicine’. The video places Fitzroy in his home-from-home setting of Norton’s Bar in Digbeth, where he claims you can get the best Guinness in Brum. Shot in a shadowy, introspective monochrome, it shows him alone in the venue - simultaneously performer, punter and barman. Its loneliness is an apt metaphor for the song, which sees Fitzroy bravely revisiting his experiences suffering with substance abuse. Yet as the song steps into a brighter future, his desolation is cut with fiery live footage of Fitzroy and his band performing at the Isle of Wight Festival. The video was directed and edited by two of Fitzroy’s most trusted collaborators: George Morris, the percussionist from his live band and his regular studio engineer, and Patsy Wesson, the muse who inspired the song’s redemptive spirit. Fitzroy says, “Trying to match and create visuals which married the emotions and themes of the song without being overt and cheesy was no easy feat. I think we shot at least five times more footage than we actually used in the video. We then decided to splice footage from our Isle of Wight performance into it. If you were there you’ll know it was full of passion and energy that added the raw edge the video needed. The video turned out like the song, I guess, a dark ode to love, but a real labour of love also." The ‘Medicine’ video comes as Fitzroy prepares to play a London headline show at St. Pancras Old Church on October 28th. Remaining tickets are available HERE. Fitzroy Holt performed in various rock bands around the Wolverhampton area, but the idea of working as a solo artist first gained traction during the initial lockdown. Living in a semi-derelict factory in the city, the relative isolation of the time resulted in a far more introspective approach in his writing. He debuted with the self-financed release ‘Kelly’ in 2021, which was inspired by the struggles he saw women face while working with the local homeless charity Haven. This Feeling came onboard as his personal champions, leading to a deal with their label earlier this year. His music also took on a richer production with the warmth of his live performance with the backing of his band and by working with producer Gavin Monaghan (Paolo Nutini, Robert Plant, Editors). He’s inspired by artists whose lyrical edge finds the grace between personal experience and pure poetry, including Bob Dylan, David Bowie, Damon Albarn and Yves Tumor. Yet an ethos of recognising and understanding other people’s struggles is also a core aspect of his songwriting style. Expect from Fitzroy Holt soon… Follow Fitzroy Holt: Spotify | Apple Music | Instagram | TikTok | Facebook | Twitter
0 Comments
Hozier has released his new EP today, titled ‘Nina Cried Power’. Consisting of four brand new tracks written and performed by Hozier, the EP’s lead single and title track features legendary soul/gospel singer Mavis Staples, with iconic musician Booker T Jones on organ. Single ‘Nina Cried Power’ channels the raw spirit and energy of protest and social activism. In the song, Hozier name-checks several iconic artists, activists and proponents of the civil rights movement whose messages, activism and artistry contributed to change through protest. Those mentioned in the track’s lyrics include (among others) Joni Mitchell, John Lennon, James Brown, the song’s namesake Nina Simone, and Mavis Staples - whose peerless vocals feature on the track too. Of the single, Hozier says:- “The song was written sometime last year, my aim was to credit the actuality of hope, solidarity and love found in the human spirit at a time when their opposites were being given a mainstream platform 24/7. The song started as a tongue-in-cheek inquiry into modern popular language regarding political awareness and grew from there. In many ways the song is a thank you note to the legacy of artists from the 20th Century whose work still inspires us, and whose well we draw from in times of uncertainty. Mavis Staples is one such artist. Getting to work with her on this song was a joy, and nothing short of a dream come true.” Mavis Staples says:- “Oh, Nina is gonna wake the world up. Such a huge sound it could shake the Earth, filled with soul, passion, and fire, and it channels the struggles of some of my contemporaries. I’m telling you when you hear it, it’s going to drive you to rise up.” The ‘Nina Cried Power’ EP continues with second track ‘NFWMB’, a softer song in contrast to the opener, which builds from just a tender acoustic guitar to a full and brooding sound, reminiscent of the song’s assertive lyric. ‘Moment’s Silence’ follows, an up-tempo, blues-inspired number whose lyrics serve as an ode to the peaceful clarity which love can yield, even when surrounded by the chaos and confusion of the wider world. The final track on the EP is ‘Shrike’, an example of Hozier’s astonishing vocal range and poetic lyricism as he urges: “Remember me love when I’m reborn…As the shrike to your sharp and glorious thorn.” Listen to ‘Nina Cried Power’ here: https://Hozier.lnk.to/NCPPR Mavis Staples is a multi-Grammy Award-winning artist and performer, and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1999 as part of The Staples Singers, the enormously influential gospel, soul and R&B group she was a founding member of. Fellow Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee and Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Booker T. Jones also appears on Hozier’s ‘Nina Cried Power EP’ - his inimitable Hammond B3 Organ playing appears on tracks 1, 2 and 3. Booker T. Jones says: “Hozier is a rare artist who remains a wellspring of creativity. Like a baby who never becomes a child, he lingers selflessly at the source, rendering one fresh song after the other.” Hozier will play a special show at prestigious London venue Koko next Tuesday 11th September. All proceeds from the intimate show - which sold out within minutes - will go to War Child, a charity close to Hozier’s heart. He will announce further UK, Ireland & European dates on 17th September. Born Andrew Hozier-Byrne, Hozier is an award-winning musician, singer and songwriter from Ireland. His number one, debut studio album ‘Hozier’ was released in October 2014 and includes the multi-Platinum, Grammy-nominated anthem 'Take Me To Church', which later won ‘Best Song’ for Hozier at the 2015 Ivor Novello Awards. The record also featured the optimistic, up-tempo 'Someone New', the soulful 'Work Song', and early stand out 'From Eden'. In 2016, Hozier released the album’s closing track ‘Cherry Wine’ as a charity single to create awareness of the domestic abuse problems worldwide, with proceeds benefiting a series of international domestic abuse charities. The official video features 3-time Oscar-nominated actress Saoirse Ronan. Hozier followed up the success of his debut LP with the track 'Better Love', taken from the soundtrack of the Warner Bros’ adventure film The Legend Of Tarzan. Hozier’s ‘Nina Cried Power’ EP is out now via Island Records. Listen to the EP and connect with Hozier here: https://hozier.lnk.to/FollowPR |
Mainstream News
Mainstream music news coming from all over the world Archives
April 2022
Categories
All
© 2016-2022 Global Mainstream Arts |