Holysseus Fly, vocalist and pianist from award winning Ishmael Ensemble, steps out as a solo artist for the first time with her debut single Marigold. Detailing the struggle to find her creative identity after surviving cancer, Holysseus Fly’s raw vocal boldly tells a story of hope against a backdrop of dark minimal textures. 

Already known for her evocative performances, Marigold holds the listener in a way few vocalists can, a true statement of intent from an artist with a big future. Produced with Rob Pemberton (The Staves) and mixed by Iain Berryman (Wolf Alice, Beabadoobe, Florence & The Machine).

“Marigold flowers are for my family and I, a symbol of hope. I used them to write the song in March 2021 when I was struggling with PTSD following cancer scans I was having. Marigold describes how my relationship with my creativity and my cancer journey are so entwined, I was fearful of calls from the hospital and that I had lost my creativity. Marigold is about how I needed to realise the truth that I was alive and well - and if I picked up the phone and leant my ear to my creativity - I would realise that it was alive and well too. It had never left, it was just asleep.”

Written by Holysseus Fly
Produced by Holysseus Fly + Rob Pemberton 
Mixed by Iain Berryman
Mastered by Matt Colton at Metropolis Mastering

Artwork credits:
Photo + editing by Giulia Spadafora
MUA Izzy Grigsby
Concept by Holysseus Fly

Marigold

After stepping out as a solo artist with her debut single Marigold, Holysseus Fly vocalist, co-writer and pianist from critically acclaimed Ishmael Ensemble drops her second single Within The Water.   She wrote the song in a few days from an improvised session with Jay-Z sampled Bristol pianist, James Graham. She sampled and then looped a section of the session and wrote a powerful vocal about rebirth into self love. Holysseus Fly’s strong vocal boldly tells a story of hope against a backdrop of watery piano textures. 

Words from Holysseus:  
“I was having a recurring dream that my mouth was full of grit. At the time I was struggling with my emotions after treatment for cancer, not speaking about them. Keeping them to myself. I wrote this song as part of my rebirth. A declaration of my determination to love myself and to speak my truth. The repeating lyric “loving you has been my greatest fear” is an admission that I needed to accept and voice these feelings in order to move forward.

Similarly “I hope one day we will turn around, see what it made of me”, is my intention to look back with pride at how my cancer journey has made me who I am. I had to dig deep and confront these difficult feelings to arise from the depths of the ocean and float in the water.”

Lyrics:
I dream with grit in my mouth
When I try to speak out
There’s something deep within the water here 
Reach backward to scrape it out

God made no mistake here 
But I can’t seem to get out of my head

Loving you has been my greatest fear
And I’d like to go instead

Loving you has been greatest fear, greatest fear
 Loving you has been greatest fear, greatest fear

I hope one day we can turn around 
See what made of it me
Rain fell for years I thought I’d drowned
 Awoke in the sea  God made no mistake here
 But I can’t seem to get out of my head

Loving you has been my greatest fear
And I’d like to go instead

Within The Water

Holysseus Fly releases stunning new single ’Bloom’ featuring B-side ‘Marigold’, taken from forthcoming debut EP ‘Birthpool’. ‘Bloom’ arrives on 7th July via Severn Songs.

The first song written for her debut EP, ‘Bloom’ sees Holysseus Fly taking ownership of her own creativity. Feeling a pressure in lockdown to write again after recovering from treatment for breast cancer, Holysseus sings ‘I’ll bloom when I choose to’, a statement of determination to create for only herself. Powerfully brought to life with a video shot by director Jack Lilley after her double mastectomy surgery, Holysseus Fly challenges negative perceptions of herself, taking ownership of her narrative, claiming her space and adorning her new body in paint like a living work of art.

Sentiments are echoed sonically as ‘Bloom’ progresses from a skeletal beat through to a deep, harmonically-rich drop, driven by Holysseus Fly’s captivating vocal, encompassing both strength and beautiful vulnerability.

‘Bloom’ is a remarkable window into what this stand-out artist has to offer, its breathtaking beauty will be available to all on 7th July and her debut EP ‘Birthpool’ follows later in the year on 3rd November when Holysseus Fly will also be embarking on a UK Tour.

Bloom

Holysseus Fly’s vivacious fourth single from forthcoming EP Birthpool: ‘Teach Me’,  arriving 15th Sept via Severn Songs. 

Building on ‘Bloom's’ exquisite vulnerability, Holysseus Fly expands themes of empowerment with a lightness of touch on ‘Teach Me’. A knowing side-eye and challenge to undermining patriarchal voices, ‘Teach Me’ sees Holysseus Fly step even further into her power as an artist dripping in main character energy. A feminist flag in the sand delivered with signature radiantly soulful vocals and sleek choreography, conjure another spellbinding collaboration with Jack Liley on the visual too, filmed fittingly in a renovated church.

With EP Birthpool due in November, further solo dates across the UK later this year and glowing reviews at every turn, ‘Teach Me’ is further confirmation Holysseus Fly is not an artist to be underestimated or missed.

Vocalist, co-writer and pianist with critically acclaimed collective Ishmael Ensemble, Holysseus Fly has already made a powerful impression as a solo artist. Her most recent single ‘Bloom’, which details her struggle and triumph in finding a new creative identity after surviving cancer, caught the attention of everyone from BBC 6 Music’s Chris Hawkins who described it as ‘absolutely gorgeous’ to ITV News who described ‘Bloom’s’ video as ‘amazing’. With further support from Annie Mac, Jamz Supernova and Huw Stevens, and sold out solo shows in London and Bristol, Holysseus Fly’s star is very much in the ascendant.

LIVE DATES:
- Nov 23rd - The Exchange, Bristol
- Nov 24th - Corsica Studios, London
- Nov 28th - The Carlton Club, Manchester

Teach Me

Vocalist, co-writer and pianist with critically acclaimed collective Ishmael Ensemble, Holysseus Fly has already made a powerful impression as a solo artist. The EP’s singles, 'Marigold', 'Bloom', and BBC 6 Music playlisted - 'Teach Me' have been championed by everyone from BBC 6 Music’s Lauren Laverne, Mary Ann Hobbs, Chris Hawkins, Craig Charles, Jamz Supernova, Huey Morgan to Annie Mac and ITV News, who described Bloom’s video as ‘amazing’. With her first UK tour in November '23 under her belt, received with incredible reception, Holysseus Fly’s star is very much in the ascendant.

A tribute to her grieving process and subsequent creative rediscovery after recovering from breast cancer in 2021, Holysseus Fly’s debut EP Birthpool is a truly special six-tracker that brims with magnetic strength, devastating emotion and heartfelt beauty.

In focus track ‘Under Your Sun’ we see the singer’s jazz roots come to the fore in a mellow soundscape topped with deliciously soulful vox that convey lyrical themes of creative rebirth and strength through adversity with typical aplomb.

“I started writing Birthpool in Spring 2021 when I was feeling low recovering from treatment for Breast Cancer. Just like a seed having been planted in winter, I cared for a growing garden of creative ideas and allowed myself to write what I really wanted. I had been holding myself back with self doubt and fear that expressing my feelings about cancer would make it my identity as an artist. Looking back on the process of making the EP, I see this music as a true and honest reflection of moving through post-cancer grief and nurturing a new creative identity. This is my Birthpool.”

Under Your Sun

Rising artist Holysseus Fly returns with a stirring new single, ‘Out Of This World’, released the 8th of March via Severn Songs, and announces forthcoming UK tour support slot for Nick Mulvey.

Written and produced in her home studio, ‘Out Of This World’ sees Holysseus Fly raise the bar to thrilling levels for her most expansive sound yet. 

Arriving on International Women’s Day, the single’s empowering sentiment of manifesting hope for the future is delivered with immensity, through the lens of an artist adept at delving into the darkness, whilst searching for the light. Lyrics imbued with her trademark self-determination and raw vulnerability brim with emotion, adding tension to the rising soundscape of drums and strings, as Fly’s soaring vocal nods to the scale of her ambition.

This work was made possible by Sound and Music's New Voices programme. New Voices is supported by Arts Council England and PRS Foundation.

Nick Mulvey UK Tour with Support from Holysseus Fly:

16-Mar-24 - Leeds - O2 Academy Leeds
17-Mar-24 - Glasgow - SWG3 TV Studio
18-Mar-24 - Manchester - Albert Hall
20-Mar-24 - Bristol - Beacon
21-Mar-24 - London - Hammersmith Apollo

Out Of This World

Keys and vocals @ishmaelensemble
BIRTHPOOL OUT NOW
https://holysseusfly.com

As the vocalist, co-writer and pianist with critically acclaimed collective Ishmael Ensemble (whose most recent album Visions Of Light has amassed 10 million streams), Holysseus Fly has already made a powerful impression as a solo artist. Last year’s singles, including ‘Marigold’, ‘Bloom’, and ‘Teach Me’ (which was added to the 6 Music playlist) caught the attention of everyone from BBC 6 Music’s Chris Hawkins to Annie Mac, Craig Charles, Huey Morgan, and Jamz Supernova, while her recent UK tour which took in dates in London, Manchester and Bristol to rapturous reception.

With more releases planned across the year, and work currently underway with the teams behind the likes of Madonna, Lorde, Wolf Alice, and Florence & The Machine, 2024 looks set to be another stellar year for Holysseus Fly, as she continues to cement her status as on the UK’s  most exciting new talents.

Line Of Best Fit - “her artistic blend of vulnerability and empowerment is refreshing, both untouchably glossy, yet completely approachable”

BBC 6 Music - "Breathtakingly beautiful"

METAL - “Holysseus Fly has carved her own path, one brimming with hope, and optimism”
holysseusfly@gmail.com

Holysseus Fly

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