January 6, 2021 12.09 pm This story is over 39 months old

Lincolnshire musician comes 2nd in BBC Sound of 2021 list

Holly is putting Lincolnshire on the map
Holly Humberstone has been named as runner-up in the BBC Sound of 2021 list.
By Local Democracy Reporter

A Grantham-based music artist has finished in 2nd place of the BBC’s Sound of 2021 list.

Holly Humberstone, 21, came second in the annual list, which has been won in previous years by the likes of Adele, Sam Smith and Michael Kiwanuka.

Holly follows in the footsteps of hugely successful artists such as James Bay, Frank Ocean and Rex Orange County by finishing 2nd.

The Grantham singer took to social media after hearing she had come runner-up, saying it’s “crazy”.

“Thank you so much to BBC Introducing and those who voted and listened, this really means the whole wide world to me.”

Holly has promised more is to come this year.

It comes after a whirlwind 18 months for the 21-year-old, a former violinist for the Lincolnshire Youth Symphony Orchestra who became an overnight star.

She burst onto the scene after being booked to perform at Glastonbury festival in 2019 without ever officially releasing a song, as well as going on tour with Lewis Capaldi.

She then released her debut EP, Falling Asleep At The Wheel, on August 14, receiving a five-star review from music critics at NME.

She has been given consistent airplay on BBC Radio One and has gained millions of listeners in the last year.

In November, Holly released a short film alongside the release of her Falling Asleep At The Wheel EP, and is now preparing for a sold out UK tour in 2021.

In an interview with the BBC as part of her nomination, Holly said that her dark, wonky pop songs are filled with brutal honesty.

She said: “When we were writing, we said that if a lyric isn’t painfully honest and really brutal, then it can’t be on the song.

“That’s what I aim for: If it doesn’t look like a really dodgy, tattoo-on-the-arm lyric, then it doesn’t go on.”