After leading up with three singles and two music videos, indie-folk singer Holly Clausius dropped her debut LP “Rose Garden”. The album mixes genres of folk, country, pop, and Americana with soulful vocals and vulnerable lyrics. Highlights of the album include “Clementine”, a playful folk-pop number about a queer elementary-school infatuation, and “It Will Stay Right Here”, a heartfelt tribute to the live music scene in Toronto that was hit hard during the pandemic, and features multiple local Toronto artists. Holly’s vocals are fervent and sophisticated, blending notes of Adele and Regina Spektor. 

“Rose Garden” was written entirely during isolation in early 2021. Clausius explains “ I think the main thing people should take away from this album is that they’re not alone. Whatever trauma/emotions you’re going through there are others who have walked that path and are here for you. I want my music to sort of be that safety blanket for anyone struggling. It’s actually quite ironic that it was made while isolated because I’ve never felt more connected to myself and others while making it.”  

“Rose Garden” may be easy to listen to, but the subject of the lyrics span a range of issues including mental health, toxic relationships, advocacy for the LGBTQ community, and commentary on an industry that is crawling out of the ashes. The album has a beautiful flow as a whole but also keeps us entertained with different moods and musical styles, from the country-rock of “Strawberry Blonde” to the acoustic indie ballad of “Slow Motion”. Keep tabs on Holly Clausius, she is an artist you do not want to overlook! 

Holly Clausius is a queer artist blazing a trail of her own. Currently based in Toronto, Holly Clausius is a full-time musician mixing the genres of folk, pop, and rock. Her soulful songwriting emulates the ballads of Feist, the honesty of Amy Winehouse, and the emotion of Billie Eilish. Holly has been chosen to perform in this year’s HoneyJam showcase- headlining the famous El Mocambo, she has placed 2nd in the Cross Canada Artists For Social Change competition- being praised and wowing Judge Tegan (from Tegan and Sara), and she’s completed the RBC Music x Launchpad Entrepreneurship all in just the first half of 2021. 

She has been featured in notable publications like Toronto Guardian and Bong Mines Entertainment and radio stations like Pop Can Radio and CBC London and Toronto. Her folk-driven EP “Sunflower” was released in the summer of 2020, and she will be releasing her debut LP “Rose Garden” this October. Above everything, Holly’s mission is to be a voice for the voiceless and for her music to be a safe haven for those who feel alone.

Follow Holly Clausius On: Facebook | Instagram | Website | YouTube | Spotify