We sat down with Holly Woods to talk about her new single "Fantasy" (feat. Sofia Camille) - Read the full interview here:
Listen to this song in our official Spotify playlist:
‘Discovering The Undiscovered’
WHAT WE HAVE TO SAY:
This is the first time we’ve covered Holly Woods and we were lucky enough to sit down and ask her a few questions about her new single “Fantasy” (feat. Sofia Camille) and her plans for 2021. For those unfamiliar with Holly Woods and her background; she’s a DJ, producer, and creative director. With her new single, listeners can expect a colorful and vibrant future bass driven instrumental with sultry-like vocals drenched in a hazy, texturized atmosphere. Following the premise of a “Fantasy”… the new single does a wonderful job at highlighting the creative and dream-like energy Holly Woods consistently channels into her music.
While “Fantasy” is setting the tone for what’s to come, we were thrilled to hear that Holly Woods has another single and entire EP coming in early 2021. We’re told that the EP will feature some of her own lyrical writing, singing, and her own performance of the violin. An instrument that she picked up after her Mother.
Check out the interview below and get to know the bubbly producer and wonderful human that we’ve come to respect and admire. Don’t forget to connect with Holly Woods online to stay up to date on her upcoming projects and enjoy!
INTERVIEW:
Zachary Zollinger:
Hi!
Holly Woods:
Oh, hey!
Zachary Zollinger:
How are you?
Holly Woods:
Very good. I didn't see that you called the first time.
Zachary Zollinger:
Actually, I didn't get a notification when you called back…. either? So, it's just kind of set up weird, but, um, I was having a huge headache with Zoom earlier and I gotta figure that out now. So, I appreciate you for being a team player, how are you? I mean, what's up? How is LA treating you?
Holly Woods:
It's pretty good. Um, working a lot, you know? It's all there really is to do nowadays.
Zachary Zollinger:
Where do you work?
Holly Woods:
I work at IKMultimedia. Um, I do like artists relations and stuff.
Zachary Zollinger:
Oh, okay, nice!
Holly Woods:
Yeah, so I have that during the day and the music stuff at night.
Zachary Zollinger:
Lol, so you keep yourself pretty busy then.
Holly Woods:
For sure. I like your plants.
Zachary Zollinger:
Oh yeah, thank you… we have a close bond.
Um, all right. Let’s get started — So, I have some pretty, like, they're not generic questions… but I do have some questions that I think we'll lay out first, but the format is pretty open. I think I mentioned that... So, um, we can stray off and talk about different things, but, um, mostly I think what I'm trying to do and with this new interview series is really just kind of figure out who you are and what you enjoy.
Holly Woods:
Yeah. Sounds good!
Zachary Zollinger:
Okay. All right. So, the first question that I have for you is, when did this whole music journey begin for you and was it something that you knew you were going to do for the rest of your life? Or was it something that you thought you would more like… attempt to do just to see what would happen?
Holly Woods:
Yeah, so I was in college in Florida, I was in school for english and writing... And, um, before that, I never really, like, I always liked music. I was listening to music. I always liked to sing and write lyrics, but I never really put everything together. And then, um, when I was in college, I got introduced to electronic music. And you know, the EDM scene and like going to festivals. Um, and you know, the more that I got into that, the more I just wanted to keep doing more and more and more and more so while I was in school, I just kept finding myself, like writing lyrics and wanting to write songs instead of words, really, but, or just putting it all together. And so when I was at school, I just, you know, like made the decision and started learning how to produce and XYZ. And once I made that decision, I never turned back. So, um, I definitely, you know, like found my passion and just kept running with it.
Zachary Zollinger:
Yeah. So, you were born and raised in Florida, is that right?
Holly Woods:
No, actually I was born and raised in Louisiana, but I've moved actually like all over. I've lived in North Carolina. I lived in Tennessee for a little bit. I lived in Florida and my family lives in Mississippi now.
And now I live in Los Angeles.
Zachary Zollinger:
Oh, so you really have been all over. What was the reasoning behind that?
Holly Woods:
Well, when I was little, we were pretty stationed. Like my whole family's in Louisiana but hurricane Katrina actually came in and like through a whirlwind on everything. So, yeah. After that we were just moving around for my dad's job, like for different projects and stuff, wherever they placed him.
Zachary Zollinger:
Interesting. So, a lot of this stuff did pick up in college. Did you play an instrument growing up?
Holly Woods:
No, not growing up, but I'm pretty, like I kept finding myself like really into the orchestral stuff. Um, when I was starting to produce… my mom always played the violin growing up. So that's when I decided that I wanted to play the violin. So, uh, I just started teaching myself how to play the violin.
Zachary Zollinger:
So your mom played the violin all her life?
Holly Woods:
Uh, she played it mostly in her like kid years, but she was really good when she was younger.
Zachary Zollinger:
If I'm not mistaken, you play that live, like, that’s part of your live setup... right? Are there any other instruments that you play then?
Holly Woods:
Yeah, that's the only instrument. I like dabble with keys for like producing. But I don't like play the piano like professionally. Um, it's going to be… [inaudible] …on my EP and hopefully a lot more in the future.
Zachary Zollinger:
Sorry, what was that? Playing the violin?
Holly Woods:
No, singing.
Zachary Zollinger:
Oh, singing! Okay. Well, wow okay. Um, the song that you sent me, that's a different vocalist then..?
Holly Woods:
Yeah. That's not me. That's Sophia Camille.
Zachary Zollinger:
Okay yeah, that's what I remember then. Um, well, let's talk about your EP then. So this is the first single that's coming out. Right? And you’ve put out some stuff prior to this? This isn’t your first single.
Holly Woods:
Yeah. Um, I just haven't put out any music in about a year because I was going through a lot of changes, both like musically and in life, and all of that. But I have previous songs, um, some originals, some remixes, but these are going to be five new original songs with the first one coming out on the 16th.
Zachary Zollinger:
That's exciting. What's the name of the EP?
Holly Woods:
The name of the EP is “Dark Thoughts in Vibrant Colors”.
Zachary Zollinger:
How'd you come up with that?
Holly Woods:
So, I actually like years and years, like, you know how, like when you see something, it just like sticks in your head forever. Like those random things. I like saw it on something like years ago. And I always thought "that's such a cool concept". Like for some reason, like the contrast, like it, it just stuck with me in my head forever.
Zachary Zollinger:
So it had an impact on you and it resonated with you in some way.
Holly Woods:
Yeah. So, um, then I kind of like formed a whole concept around that, it was relevant with what was going on. Like, even though like, everything is dark…. it was, you know… what was going on with my life at the time. Like, if things are bad, if things are dark, like you have, like, sometimes it doesn't seem like you do, but you have the choice to see things in like different colors and perceive things the way you want to.
Zachary Zollinger:
Well, that's really cool. I mean, in terms of like, I guess the, the, you know, conceptualizing this idea… I guess, did you build your EP around this like “phrase”, like lyrics and your—
Holly Woods:
No. I had already started writing, so like, uh, because of my writing background, I always start with the lyrics first and then I build songs around the lyrics just because it's quick poetry to me. And if you opened up my notes, you would think I was this crazy person… I just have so many random… like poems.
I had been writing in my phone way before I knew how to produce music. I was just writing songs. So, um, there were some that like really stuck with me. And I was like, “when I can produce, I'm going to write this song”. So I already had the songs. Um, and then they all, like, they sort of follow a narrative... and that phrase just kept popping into my head when I was writing the songs and this fit it perfectly.
So I think the songs really developed the concept rather than concept developed the songs.
Zachary Zollinger:
Are there any other features on the EP?
Holly Woods:
Um, no that's the only one where I have a featured vocalist on the EP.
Zachary Zollinger:
Okay. So everything else is your blood, sweat, tears and soul?
Holly Woods:
Indeed. Yes you're frozen.
Zachary Zollinger:
Um —
Holly Woods:
Oh, you're back.. wait… yeah okay you're back. Oh, wait. Okay. No there you go.
Zachary Zollinger:
Lol, sorry. Everything is being finicky for me. I had to like restart all of my devices today. Like nothing has been working. It’s just been a literal uphill battle since I woke up.
Holly Woods:
I feel like everyone's kind of adjusting to this whole new digital thing. So I get it.
Zachary Zollinger:
I have a setup to do things like this in person, which is what I've always enjoyed doing. And I like that kind of, you know, face to face conversation, but like the whole... having to do everything digital is kind of driving me a little mad, like crazy. I'm like, what's real anymore?!
Um, okay. So here's kind of a fun question. How would you describe your music without using a genre?
Holly Woods:
I would describe it as narrative. I tend to always put stories in my music. Um, and honestly you'll, you'll see that on the EP, but every song is very different. Like I wouldn't even… if I had to try, I couldn't put my EP into a genre just because every song is so different. So I would classify it as like storytelling.
Zachary Zollinger:
Do you consider yourself like a storyteller then?
Holly Woods:
I don't know if I can say... I consider myself a writer. I've always been a writer.
So now I'm just putting it into musical form.
Zachary Zollinger:
Yeah. Have you thought about visuals, what are your plans for that?
Holly Woods:
I don't want to spoil it, but, um, the visual element is kind of like what brings it all to life. Um, with the EP, I definitely, I there's going to be a visual element for each song.
Um, that kind of brings life to the story that I see in my head to a more shareable form.
Zachary Zollinger:
Gotcha, I mean... the artwork looks awesome.
Um, was that like your idea too or did you commission someone for that?
Holly Woods:
Yeah. So that specific art is for the song that's coming out called "Fantasy". Yeah. I work with, um, a good friend of mine named Carlos. Um, we actually met online, but I commissioned him for art, and we've just kind of like grown with a vision together. I like write off these crazy emails that are like... “silver, robot, butterflies!!…” and like... he's just taking this all in and making it work.
Zachary Zollinger:
Oh I love that, it sounds like you two have a good connection then. Does he have an Instagram I can credit him for?
Holly Woods:
Um, Carlos, I'll send it to you. I don't want to spell it out, but, uh, Carlos Balarazo.
Zachary Zollinger:
Okay. So the next question was revolving around your creative process and how hands-on you are, but it sounds like you're… like you're pretty hands-on from start to finish— from conceptualizing to emailing keywords... lol so do you do any editing or Photoshopping yourself?
Holly Woods:
Yes. It's a blessing and a curse. It's a blessing because everything comes out the way that I want to be, um, but it's a curse because I am like a bit of a perfectionist. So I drive myself crazy. I'm my manager, I'm my label, I'm my PR person, I'm my graphic designer, I'm my everything. And so when I have that, like perfectionist, like tick… on top of making all the music, it can feel like a lot.
Zachary Zollinger:
You DJ too, right?
Holly Woods:
Yeah lol but I wouldn't have it any other way. I mean, I do hope to have like a team one day, but, um, that's not something that I'm rushing. I think, um, having a team is super, super important, but having the right team is more important than having a team. So, I'm not rushing it.
Zachary Zollinger:
Beautifully said. So we've figured out you play the violin and you like to get jazzy with the keys...
Holly Woods:
Lol yeah. I hope one day I can have a live set where I can incorporate some of the keys in, because I, I don't like play… but I can play like little melodies, like most of the time when I'm producing, like a little bit of inspiration, I'll pull out my keyboard and just start like playing around.
Zachary Zollinger:
No, I think that’s great. So to get back to your project… you have a single coming on the 16th and you have a date set for the EP or...?
Holly Woods:
Yes. Um, so I'm going to release two singles. The one on the 16th, and then there's one, uh, right at the beginning of 2021, and then later I'm going to drop the whole EP, which is five songs total.
Zachary Zollinger:
You said early…. like early in January, early 2021?
Holly Woods:
Yeah, just say early on, I already submitted it, but I don't want to give the date away yet.
Zachary Zollinger:
So, I want to ask you about live performances, despite the fact that live performances are kind of.... what they are right now, but with that, I guess... well, here's a better question... how are you maintaining without? Is the live streaming enough? Do you like it?
Holly Woods:
I miss performing so much... Uh, I have done some live streams. Just here and there, um, which is really awesome because I'm finding new audiences that I wouldn't had otherwise. But for me, I don't know, like, I definitely understand that the industry is doing what we can and doing what we have to to sustain and survive, but it's just not the same. It's not the same.
And, uh, I don't even know. I just miss it so much. Uh, I do appreciate the live shows because they're giving a lot of people opportunity to get new audiences and new eyes to just like stay in the game. But I just, I hope, I hope things come back to normal soon. I have a lot of ideas that I'm thinking to do... Not throwing shows, but just like some sort of way to play live in 2021. Hopefully it just depends on what happens with Corona.
Zachary Zollinger:
You’re looking at an idea of throwing your own show?
Holly Woods:
Um, sort of, it's not my… it wouldn't be technically "shows shows" because of regulations, but I have an idea to sort of follow guidelines, be safe of course, but at the same time, have a taste of live music.
I'll have more info on that in early 2021.
Zachary Zollinger:
So this might seem kind of like a dumb question, but is there any particular meaning behind your artist name? Or is there any, like, how did that come about?
Holly Woods:
Yeah. Well, no question is a dumb question. There's actually a lot of significance. So when I was… so my last name, my real last name is Woods. So like, I was always a crazy, like I was in like choir, show choir, like, as a kid, like, I'm more shy now than I was as a kid.
So as a kid, I always wanted the spotlight or whatever. And I got like, mad at my parents that they didn't name me Holly because I wanted to be Holly Woods. Like they would always joke about it and be like, "Oh, we shoulda named her Holly", because I was just like, I wanted to be like a pop star. I wanted to be Hannah Montana. Like I wanted to be everything. And then, um, I kind of like digressed from that as I got older and like got more into working and back-end creating. And then it just came full circle.
And that's like, right when I knew that I wanted to make music, I knew the name, like in a second. I know a lot of people have like hard times thinking of it, but I knew I like, I need to do it right away. Yeah. It's pretty crazy. Cause I never thought that I would actually live in Hollywood as people are like, Oh, like "Hollywood!"
No, it's not like that.
Zachary Zollinger:
Yeah. Okay. So I didn't know that it was like your last name.
Holly Woods:
Most people don't know that. Yeah.
Zachary Zollinger:
You kind of assume that it's like the persona that someone creates online… but then you're like, “ah, yeah, no, no, this is like me”. — Anyway, here’s a side question. So you, you have a Spotify Wrap, I'm assuming.
Who were your top five this year?
Holly Woods:
My top five... Whoa. Okay. So I actually, I don't know if you want to put this in the interview, but I actually had this issue where my Spotify account got merged with my old manager's. It was pretty funny. Like my number one artist was like, I don't know, it was some rapper that I've never heard of in my life. It was Young Dolph. And I was just like, “huh?” So I emailed Spotify and was like "I've never listened to this artist in my life". And then I realized what had happened. But so it was like some like song, like by him was number one.
And then Sad Machine was number two. And I was like “yeah, that one's me”.
Zachary Zollinger:
Lol yeah okay that makes sense.
Holly Woods:
Um, but what I've been listening to, I've been listening to a lot of hyper-pop lately, which is like a lot of like a 100 gecs, Six Impala... people like that, um, I've also been listening to the new Taylor Swift album and today I like decided to listen to like her entire discography while I was working today.
So that happened. Um, I've been listening to a lot of like, piano meditation. That would probably be my top Spotify Wrapped because I like to have something nice playing in the background pretty much all the time.
Zachary Zollinger:
Yeah. No, I'm the same way. I mean I love lo-fi beats and piano music while I’m working.
Holly Woods:
For sure. I don't listen to like a lot of heavy EDM in my free time really. Like when you're making a certain kind of music so often, like for so many hours a day, like, that's why I feel like, I feel like every young producer that I know, like, low-key, he listens to chill beats and like piano and stuff like that. It gives them like a break.
Zachary Zollinger:
Yeah. That makes sense. — So we have hyper-pop, Taylor Swift, and...
Holly Woods:
Well Taylor Swift wouldn't be in my top.. that was just for today.
Zachary Zollinger:
Oooo.. I don't know about that, that's not what I heard.
Holly Woods:
Lol well we can put Billie Eilish because I'll always love her.
Um, I don't know why I'm blanking on this right now. I really don't....
Zachary Zollinger:
It's probably because we found out that you're actually a Young Dolf fan.
Holly Woods:
Lol yeah! I have like a Young Dolph tattoo right here...
Zachary Zollinger:
Well, if something comes to mind we can circle back.
What would you say is the best thing about being an artist and the worst thing about being an artist?
Holly Woods:
The best thing about being an artist is the way that you translate your feelings to people without actually telling them your feelings. Like it's a release. It's like a release through storytelling. Um, so it's, it's like relatable at the same time. It helps you interpret what you're feeling by putting it into something else.
And my least favorite part about it would be... man, um, social media? I guess I like connecting with my fans. I like, don't get me wrong. I love, I love.... social media is the only medium that we have to connect.... but I guess I dislike that you have to.... like the influencer side of it, that just kind of inherently comes with it.
Zachary Zollinger:
Okay. So you don't like the engaging...?
Holly Woods:
No, I like engaging with my fans. I don't like how social media is really stereotypical and you're expected to be like XYZ, you know, like just like just how, how manufactured social media is now.
I'm trying to find ways to make it more than that.
Zachary Zollinger:
Yeah. No, that makes sense. You, you like the genuine part of the connections, but you don't like....
Holly Woods:
I like the communication. I don't like the manufacturing of it. Like for example, as like, as a DJ or musician. If you post a picture of your new song, your art you'll get like 10% of the engagement it would normally get, like if you were to post a selfie of your face instead.
Zachary Zollinger:
Oh sure.
Holly Woods:
That's, that's kinda what I mean by social media. Like I wish that social media was more of like, "here's my amazing art that I put my whole heart and soul into", but it's, it's just, it's just gotten different over the years.
Zachary Zollinger:
Yeah. I realize how common that is amongst people nowadays. You’re not alone.
But let's see, have you written for other artists… or are you trying to?
Holly Woods:
I really, really want to, um, just cause I have so many songs, um, sometimes the songs that I write are completely opposite of my style. Like I'll get really like sassy, moody girls' songs and like I'd love to write for someone like Billie Eilish or someone like Jessie Reyez, like, but, um, I think that once I start releasing my own original work, like more of my own music… people will start to know that I write music and it'll be much better.
Zachary Zollinger:
Yeah, no, that sounds great. So you want to break into that? And it sounds like you have like the, you know, the mentality and the heart for it. So that sounds awesome. Um, what would you say is your biggest musical challenge then?
Holly Woods:
My biggest musical challenge is writing second drops.
Zachary Zollinger:
Okay. That was quick. You must've had a—
Holly Woods:
I always write the first drop, like seamlessly flawlessly because I can envision, I envision the song and I get through it and then I'm like, wait, I have to do another drop and it has to be different. And I already envisioned the first one so deeply.... that I always struggle with second jobs.
Zachary Zollinger:
Hmm. That's interesting. Do you think, just because it needs to, you feel like it has to be better than the first… or just relatively different… and you don't know how to steer away from your original thought?
Holly Woods:
I think I get so consumed in the original thought that the first drop just like comes out effortlessly.
And then with the second one, I just sit there and stare at it and I'm like, well now what?
Zachary Zollinger:
Yeah. Okay. I like that. Well then, I guess the next question would be how do you deal with that?
Like with writer's block?
Holly Woods:
Oh, man. Um, I definitely had my fair share of writers block.
Mostly on second drops, actually. I always get caught on second drops.
Um, so what I will do is…. I will like, I have to completely just like start from scratch. Um, I can't, uh, like I don't know how to explain it, but like I'll end up.... for example… one of the songs on the EP. My final project file was 97 gigabytes because I wrote this, I think I wrote like over 30 drops for this one song. And the one that actually came, the one that I decided on is amazing and I'm like really happy with it, but it took it, it took a lot.
So like, I guess to, to overcome writer's block, I work on something and put it to the side for, for a few weeks. And then I try again..... And then if that doesn't work, I put it to the side again and try again.
Zachary Zollinger:
Okay. So you let it happen naturally, but you do have.... you're patient with it, which is nice. It doesn't sound like you get over the excitement —
Holly Woods:
It does get frustrating, but, um, it's more rewarding with like that many nodes when it finally gets to the end.
Zachary Zollinger:
Ah, and then you're like *chefs kiss*.
Holly Woods:
Yeah lol exactly.
Zachary Zollinger:
All right. So in terms of equipment and your DAW… what are you using?
Holly Woods:
Ableton, but um, I started on FL studio, like really early. Um, but I switched to Ableton before I was like releasing music, right? Um, as far as equipment, I have a lot of equipment because of my job. Um, because we make music — my speakers are right here. I have the iLoud MTMs, I love them. They're actually really cool.
Um, since I’m in a small apartment, they actually have room correction in them. So they correct to the sound of my room. It was pretty cool. Um, this is my microphone, Audio Technia AT2020. I bought this mic because Billie Eilish recorded Ocean Eyes on this same mic lol.
Um, I have my interface and second little reference speakers. iLoud micro-monitor.
Zachary Zollinger:
What would you do if you didn't work in music? What, like other version of yourself in this alternate reality, what other things are interesting to you that you could see yourself doing?
Holly Woods:
I would probably.... You're going to laugh. I would probably have a van and I would just drive around to national parks. And I would, I hope to do that one day, actually.
Zachary Zollinger:
Yeah, you can do that now!
Holly Woods:
Yeah. I should be doing that now, honestly.... but if it had to be like a profession, maybe I would do like, like maybe a chef. I love cooking. So food. Um, I also maybe like personal training. I've always been really into like health stuff. But anyway. If it didn't have to be a job, I would literally buy an RV and I would just cruise.
Zachary Zollinger:
No, that's relatable lol. Um, well awesome. So to wrap it up, you have an EP coming out... we're all super excited. It's coming out early 2021. You've got your single coming out on the 16th... and another one following that soon. You have Carlos on the visuals.... what else can I, what else can we include here?
Holly Woods:
Yeah, so basically I have such, I have such a massive vision.... And I’m putting it together one by one. Um, and I think that the EP is the first step in that direction—Well, my first original single is the first step but this is the second step… yeah know? This is the more packaged stuff. Personally, 2019 was far worse for me than 2020, but it's just with everything going on. And for 2021, I really feel like I'm ready to hit the ground running with like all this shit that's been in my head for so long. And, um, I think 2021 is when people are going to really start seeing it come to life, which I'm excited for. I'll be releasing more — can hear my dog barking?
Zachary Zollinger:
He just wants to be included! He’s excited about the progress you’re making.
Holly Woods:
Making his cameo. But, uh, I'll be releasing more music than I have in my entire life combined in 2021, which is good. Um, and yeah, I finally have the confidence to just hit the ground running and what I've been envisioning and preparing for a very long time. I'm excited for that.
Zachary Zollinger:
Yeah. No, it sounds like, it sounds like you were testing the waters and getting stuff kind of figured out a little more and—
Holly Woods:
Really like everything. Like, moving, like figuring out myself, figuring out the music, Oh, like really everything. And now I'm at a place where I feel solid with my music.... and my everything.
Zachary Zollinger:
Well, I'm very happy for you. I'm excited to hear everything. Um, obviously I will be paying attention. I appreciate you taking the time to talk with me. I know this is not exactly what we had in mind, but at-least we got everything recorded.
Holly Woods:
Awesome. Thank YOU for taking the time.
Zachary Zollinger:
Yeah, no the pleasure is all mine. It's exciting to see you do all this stuff. So, um, with that, I don't have much else to say, so I think we can wrap it up... This is Holly Woods! Till next time.
Holly Woods:
Yes! Thank you so much!