Bio

Born in the high desert of Santa Fe, New Mexico and raised in the mountains of Southern New Zealand, Multi Award-Winning Songwriter Holly Arrowsmith is both poet and storyteller. With the conviction that the deeply personal is also the universal, Arrowsmith’s lyrics orbit around what it means to be human, and offer up prayer-like responses to our most intimate struggles.

A leader in New Zealand’s contemporary Folk and Alt-Country movement, Arrowsmith’s sound pays homage to tradition without being too reverential. From driven, glittering 90’s guitars with rich layered vocals reminiscent of Mazzy Star, to her falsetto lilt and stripped back emotive performances (think Joni Mitchell), Holly shape-shifts from powerful to intimate with ease.

She has won the hearts of music lovers close to home and abroad, touring throughout Australia and North America and sharing stages with Sixto Rodriguez, CW Stoneking, Tami Neilson, Jessica Pratt, Nadia Reid, Marlon Williams and Tiny Ruins.

NPR described her music as "Utterly beautiful, anchored by a voice that pulls you close and cancels the noise outside." In 2020 she was awarded the APRA Country Song of The Year, after receiving the Tui Award for Folk Album of the year in 2017.

If a great song can act as a mirror for the listener’s own inner landscape, then this is Songwriting at its finest.


Photo Credit: Naomi Haussman

Links

• Artist Website
• Facebook Page
• Twitter Page
• Youtube Page
• Instagram Page
• Bandcamp Page
• Spotify Page