Photos and Words by Erin Christie
Adorning her signature double braids and a Harley Davidson tank, London singer-songwriter Holly Humberstone commanded the room as she opened for girl in red at Paradise Rock Club in Boston, MA on Friday, March 18.
Since rising to prominence in 2020 with singles such as "Deep End," "Drop Dead," and "Vanilla," Humberstone has been on an upward trajectory, further confirmed with her recent signing to Interscope, the release of her sophomore EP The Walls Are Way Too Thin, and her massive BRIT Rising Star win. Besides her ability to tug at the heartstrings with her vulnerable and emotively entrancing music, Humberstone is clearly a tastemaker, even in the early stages of her career.
On the evening of the 18th, Humberstone took center-stage alone, accompanied by her guitar, keyboard, and looping station, enabling her to be the sole commander of her set. While poised below her in the photo pit, camera in hand, it was impossible not to be drawn in by her effortless ability to transition between acoustic and delicate tones and powerful, bouncy melodies, tinged with electronic bliss. As I glanced behind the barricade from time to time, I wasn't surprised to see the audience eating up every word she sang.
Closing the set with her 2021 smash hit "The Walls Are Way Too Thin," Humberstone got the crowd amped up one more time, and she boasted how genuinely grateful she was to be received with such kindness and support. In truth, I didn't expect the crowd to react any other way, and I wouldn't be surprised to see her performing her own sold-out headliner at Paradise in the near future.