01Profile
A Holly Walker Photo
Holly Walker
Musician — London
03Interview
Name, where are you from?
Holly Walker, London.
Describe your style in three words?
Red and blue.
What’s the best gig you’ve ever been to?
For sentimental reasons, No Doubt at Scala when I was 16. Think this was the first proper gig I ever went to. Couldn’t believe they were real human beings
If you could be on the line up with any two bands in history?
How about The Supremes and Nirvana. For the singalong value.
Which Subcultures have influenced you?
I spent my youth trying not to like mainstream things but have now accepted that pop culture is my inescapable destiny.
If you could spend an hour with anyone from history?
I want to meet Maya Angelou - writer and civil rights activist. Among a million other things she worked for Martin Luther King and Malcolm X and toured the world as a singer and met Billie Holiday… she’d know what’s what.
Of all the venues you’ve been to, which is your favourite?
Koko in Camden means a lot to me. I used to live around the corner when I was an impoverished open-mic-night-botherer, and then years later played there with Maribou State. I stood in the dressing room looking out the window at my old laundrette thinking "I’ve done it". And also "I need to put a wash on".
Your greatest unsung hero or heroine in music?
She’s not quite unsung but Bobbie Gentry didn’t get enough of a go. 'Fancy' is a perfect song. Ironically it was one of the only ones on her album she wrote herself and by far the best.
Holly Walker may be familiar as co-writer and vocalist with Maribou State. Now the London singer-songwriter steps into the spotlight with new solo single ‘Ballerine’. The single premiered as Lauren Laverne’s ‘While You Were Sleeping’ track on 6 Music and was added to Spotify’s New Music Friday playlist upon its release in May 2019.
02Playlist
04Playlist Notes
The first track you played on repeat?
It was East 17. Let’s leave it off the playlist for all our sakes.
A song that defines the teenage you?
No Doubt - 'Get On The Ball'
Everyone else was listening to angry guitar bands and this had that rare thing in pop music - a sense of humour.
One record you would keep forever?
Missy Elliot - 'Work It'
Gadonkadonkdonk
A song lyric that has inspired you?
"It’s hard to hold the hand of anyone who is reaching for the sky just to surrender"
Leonard Cohen - 'The Stranger Song'
A song you wished you had written?
Casisdead - 'Pat Earrings'
Genius storytelling
Best song to turn up loud?
Azaelia Banks - '212' usually works
A song people wouldn’t expect you to like?
Giggs - 'Linguo'
He’s a cheeky man
The song to get you straight on the dance floor?
Recently remembered this little gem - DJ Zinc, Ms Dynamite - 'Wile Out'.
Best song to end an all-nighter?
Frank Ocean - 'Super Rich Kids'.
All your mates singing in the kitchen.
Any new bands you are into at the moment?
Sault - 'Don’t Waste My Time'
I don’t know anything about them. But they’re succeeding in sounding classic and fresh at the same time.
03Interview
Name, where are you from?
Holly Walker, London.
Describe your style in three words?
Red and blue.
What’s the best gig you’ve ever been to?
For sentimental reasons, No Doubt at Scala when I was 16. Think this was the first proper gig I ever went to. Couldn’t believe they were real human beings
If you could be on the line up with any two bands in history?
How about The Supremes and Nirvana. For the singalong value.
Which Subcultures have influenced you?
I spent my youth trying not to like mainstream things but have now accepted that pop culture is my inescapable destiny.
If you could spend an hour with anyone from history?
I want to meet Maya Angelou - writer and civil rights activist. Among a million other things she worked for Martin Luther King and Malcolm X and toured the world as a singer and met Billie Holiday… she’d know what’s what.
Of all the venues you’ve been to, which is your favourite?
Koko in Camden means a lot to me. I used to live around the corner when I was an impoverished open-mic-night-botherer, and then years later played there with Maribou State. I stood in the dressing room looking out the window at my old laundrette thinking "I’ve done it". And also "I need to put a wash on".
Your greatest unsung hero or heroine in music?
She’s not quite unsung but Bobbie Gentry didn’t get enough of a go. 'Fancy' is a perfect song. Ironically it was one of the only ones on her album she wrote herself and by far the best.
Holly Walker may be familiar as co-writer and vocalist with Maribou State. Now the London singer-songwriter steps into the spotlight with new solo single ‘Ballerine’. The single premiered as Lauren Laverne’s ‘While You Were Sleeping’ track on 6 Music and was added to Spotify’s New Music Friday playlist upon its release in May 2019.
04Playlist Notes
The first track you played on repeat?
It was East 17. Let’s leave it off the playlist for all our sakes.
A song that defines the teenage you?
No Doubt - 'Get On The Ball'
Everyone else was listening to angry guitar bands and this had that rare thing in pop music - a sense of humour.
One record you would keep forever?
Missy Elliot - 'Work It'
Gadonkadonkdonk
A song lyric that has inspired you?
"It’s hard to hold the hand of anyone who is reaching for the sky just to surrender"
Leonard Cohen - 'The Stranger Song'
A song you wished you had written?
Casisdead - 'Pat Earrings'
Genius storytelling
Best song to turn up loud?
Azaelia Banks - '212' usually works
A song people wouldn’t expect you to like?
Giggs - 'Linguo'
He’s a cheeky man
The song to get you straight on the dance floor?
Recently remembered this little gem - DJ Zinc, Ms Dynamite - 'Wile Out'.
Best song to end an all-nighter?
Frank Ocean - 'Super Rich Kids'.
All your mates singing in the kitchen.
Any new bands you are into at the moment?
Sault - 'Don’t Waste My Time'
I don’t know anything about them. But they’re succeeding in sounding classic and fresh at the same time.
Holly Walker - 'Ballerine'
Holly Walker - 'Straight Line'
Maribou State - 'Nervous Tics (feat. Holly Walker)' [Official Video]
Maribou State - Nervous Tics feat. Holly Walker (6 Music Live Room)