A rare voice, a rare talent. Holly Macve’s folk sound is incredibly delicate and arresting, producing songs that will live with you for the rest of your life. The first time I heard her music I was utterly spellbound – so was Simon Raymonde (Bella Union boss) who found her performing at an open mic night in a basement bar in Brighton. We are overly excited to have Holly perform in the acoustics of the One Church for our Alternative Escape Showcase, so we put some questions to her to find out more about her and her music.

Where did you grow up?
I grew up in a small village in the north of England.

Is there much of a music scene there?
Not so much. There’s plenty of quiet countryside around which I always found quite conducive to songwriting. I sort of enjoyed being in my own little musical bubble!

Do you think where you lived has influenced your music and how?
I think it’s not so much a place that has influenced me but more the people I have been with and am surrounded by.

What kind of music were you brought up on?
I was raised on a lot of American music – old blues, folk and country such as Big Bill Broonzy, Elvis and Hank Williams. I was lucky to have had songs being played around me that I felt such a strong connection, although perhaps I didn't realise that until I was older. My granddad was a classical composer and I spent a lot of time around him and his music too.

Can you remember the first album you owned?
I believe it was a Jackson 5 compilation and I was totally enamoured by it. I remember listening to it in the car and making my mum rewind certain vocal riffs over and over again.

What was the first instrument you played, and when?
I started playing around on the piano at a pretty young age. Sometimes my granddad would teach me tunes and help me compose little pieces of music. I tried some lessons but I most enjoyed the freedom I had when I was doing my own thing. I started playing guitar when I was around 10 or 11 and saw it mostly as a tool to help me write lyrics and songs at the time. I guess it’s just much easier to carry about than a piano!

What drives you to write music?
I think it’s that magic moment when a song appears out of thin air. It kind of feels like you’re not in control anymore and your being taken over by a gust of creativity. I have always had the urge to write songs and I can feel quite low if I’m going through a time where I’m not doing much of it. It feels like a weight being lifted off my shoulder when it happens.

Has your style/genre of music stayed the same?
I have experimented with a lot of styles over time and have always ended up in a similar place so far. I’m definitely influenced by a verity of genres and I think my songs all end up leaning in slightly different ways to each other. Trying new things and developing your sound is all part of what keeps you inspired and excited, so I'm sure the next album I write will have a new twist to it.

What inspires your lyrics?
People, new places, stories on the news and in books. My emotions and the emotions of the people I'm close to.

Do you prefer writing music or performing live?
I love them both but in very different ways. I guess I wouldn't be performing if it weren't for writing. It’s a wonderful feeling when someone comes up after a gig and tells you that your songs have touched them or made them feel a certain emotion. It makes the whole process feel complete somehow.

Is there an album in the works?
Yes! It’s taken longer than I expected but it’s almost finished now. When I started recording the album I hadn't done any touring with the songs and I pretty much re-recorded the whole thing. I developed the songs and the way I sang them by playing them so many times and it felt right to acknowledge that. Although there has to be a time when you stop fiddling with them as that could go on forever!

What would be your perfect line-up of any three acts for a concert you are putting on and where would it be?
Leonard Cohen, Johnny Cash and Bob Dylan all at my house. There are many others I would wish to invite too though.

If you could work with any artist, who would it be and what would they bring?
It’s quite hard to pick just one. I would very much love to work with Gillian Welch and Dave Rawlings. Singing harmonies with them would be like a dream.

If you could have made any song ever, which one would it be and why?
‘It’s Alright, Ma (I’m Only Bleeding)’ by Bob Dylan. It’s hard to imagine where those words came from. I am still blown away every time I hear them.

Do you get to go to many gigs? Any that have stood out?
Over the past year I have had the opportunity to support some amazing people, I feel like I learned a lot from everyone I played with. I supported Benjamin Clementine in Paris, just getting the chance to watch him was very special – he is a one of a kind.

What are your future plans till the end of the year and after?
I have a lot of festivals to play this summer which I cannot wait for and also my first headline show at St Pancras Church in London next month. After the summer is when I will be starting to focus more on the album release, which is a very exciting thought for me. So far, I have sort of been waiting my whole life to release a record so next year will be a very crucial one for me.

Website: HollyMacve.com
Facebook: facebook.com/HollyMacveMusic
Twitter: twitter.com/HollyMacve