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| A Love Letter to the Wanderers - al andar - New Album Release by Holly Holden British singer with international focus, Holly Holden, is set to release the 8-track album "al andar" on 11th July 2025. The album launch concert will take place at Folklore in London on 17th July 2025. This Spanish and English album includes collaborations with some of the absolute top musicians from London's Latin American music scene: Greg Sanders (Teotima), Luzmira Zerpa (Family Atlántica), Nando Arias (Carlos Vives), Yelfris Valdés (Chucho Valdés), Ernesto Marichales (Jordan Rakei), Fabio De Olivera (Babo Moreno) and Will Fry (Jungle). Album title, "al andar" symbolically translates as "on our way" / "while walking" / "in motion". Inspired by the rich musical landscape of Latin America, the songs chart a trail of self-discovery by English musician Holly Holden. Although her roots are English, her heart belongs to Latin America. In Holly's words, "The music is a collage of sonic references which pays tribute to sounds that have inspired and informed my songwriting including Cuban son, Peruvian festejo, Mexican son jarocho, Colombian Vallenato and Brazilian samba." The original songs were written by Holly during her nomadic music-making years travelling Latin America. She was gifted a 4 -string cuatro during her first trip to Colombia. The cuatro became her companion and the instrument on which the songs on this album were created. Each song tells a story of Holly's transformation, both as a person and musician. Holly states: "This album is a journey. It's a story about being in motion, wandering, getting lost and starting again. It's also an emotional journey, in which I explore the ways in which I connect - with places, with other people and with myself. 'al andar' is for anyone who has loved and lost. For anyone who has felt broken and taken bold steps to show up lovingly for themselves. It's a love letter to the wanderers, the curious explorers, the joyful kitchen party dancers and anyone who has felt the fear and done it anyway. Las que cantamos al andar - we who sing as we go - this is for us!" LOS ÁNGELES "Los Ángeles" is a song encapsulating the spirit of the album. Inspired by Los Ángeles, a beautiful beach to the north of Santa Marta on the Caribbean coast of Colombia, this track features the incredible Venezuelan musician and singer Luzmira Zerpa (Family Atlántica). The accordion is played by Nando Arias - a Londoner of Colombian heritage and child prodigy, who studied under Egidio Cuadrado in Colombia, thanks to the BBC World Routes Academy. "Los Ángeles" embodies hope through challenge with the message to not give up: The sky was stormy, so desperate to rain Everything grey, blue, purple with distant thunder coming towards us And when the water finally falls, I understand that it's a blessing And the storm ends just in time to give way to the sun And I am grateful to return to that paradise beside the sea - Los Ángeles Yes, how good it is to be back in the place where angels sing. (Excerpt from Los Ángeles, al andar) The song started as a poem written in Los Ángeles in 2018, when Johnny Flynn and Holly Holden were taken to Colombia by BBC radio programme 'Sound Odyssey' to collaborate with the great accordion player, Carmelo Torres. On that trip, Holly Holden was immersed in the rich cumbia and vallenato sound world that is reflected in the feeling and instrumentation of this song. LEONA The upbeat Latin American vibe and lyrics emphasise the message of "al andar": to keep on walking. This was a personal note from Holly to herself - lest she forgot the lioness within. Holly wrote the track sitting on a rock in the middle of a river in Xilitla, Mexico, where she went to see the incredible surrealist sculpture gardens of Edward James - las pozas. "Leona" is inspired by the work of great Argentine poet Alfonsina Storni, a poem called "así" in which she lists all the different, contrasting versions of herself and how difficult it is to remember other ways of being and feeling when dazed in a particular state. Holly describes: "I was afraid that in my year of teacher-training in the UK I would lose touch with the creative, brave, adventurous, Leo part of myself - leona. This song is an attempt to stay connected with that creative part of myself, not to forget or lose touch with it, during that period of hard work and study. It was quite an astute moment of self-awareness too, because I did get lost, I did need that reminder!" Yes lioness, we are one and the same Of river and mountain and sea We who throw ourselves into the water We who sing as we go As we go… (Excerpt from Leona, al andar) THIS BODY LIQUID An English track with a haunting melody, the poeticism confides a tale of unrequited love and longing. Holly declares that when her heart broke, she felt alive: "This song is a stubborn declaration of unrequited love and a longing to be listened to. Inspired by a bright and lonely lockdown moon, I use a lot of stellar imagery to represent the tidal pull that my body felt in the presence of one particularly powerful being, the object of a years-long crush. In the chorus I admit that I feel alive when my heart breaks." When my heart cracks open I feel so alive When it's broken I can see what's inside Take all the time you need But don't turn your back on me When all that I want are your words (Excerpt from This Body Liquid, al andar) A RICH MUSICAL CAREER Album 'al andar' celebrates Holly Holden's already rich musical career. In 2024, the young musician supported Johnny Flynn on his UK tour, playing venues including Alexandra Palace Theatre, Brighton Dome and Bristol Beacon. She opened multi-Latin Grammy-winning Dominican singer Vicente García's concert in London, sung on albums by Cosmo Sheldrake and The Wave Pictures. Holly toured with pioneering DJ and producer Mala as a vocalist on Mala in Cuba tour (2013) and with the Outlook Orchestra (2019). Holly is also a member of non-binary all female Deep Throat Choir since 2012. An upcoming project includes an EP with DJ Jigüe (Cuban producer who released Súbelo Cuba with Gilles Peterson) to be released through Guampara Records in 2026. "al andar" is a heartfelt musical journey full of Latin American soul, the sound of which is a road map back home. "al andar" releases independently through Audiomaze on 11 July 2025 write your comments about the article :: © 2025 Jazz News :: home page |