Holly Humberstone - Cruel World

In the three years since the release of her 2023 debut proper, singer-songwriter Holly Humberstone has stepped out of the darkness in her bedroom that inspired more than just that record’s name. Physically, she has travelled the world alongside some of the biggest names in pop - not least global powerhouse Taylor Swift - and landed slots on major international stages. With it, she has also rapidly shifted from solo introspection to exploring lived experience, tackling love and loss, and emerging into womanhood with a newfound confidence. “Kiss me like you fucking mean it,” she affirms brightly on ‘Red Chevy’, leaning into her prerogative to drunk dial, and rejecting gendered competition and comparison on ‘Beauty Pageant’.

Nothing on ‘Cruel World’ implies that journey has been easy, instead finding a way accept and to move on from adversity, as pangs of despair are balanced by a palpable lust for life. ‘Make It All Better’, complete with an electronic crescendo, speaks of soothing nightmares and growing old together in matching tracksuits. Among commentary about femininity, the acoustic ‘Lucy’ leans to life’s beauty; “behind every rain cloud there’s a promise that flowers will grow,” Holly offers reassurance to her peers.

It all plays out under her trademark understated pop, yet with added flourishes that mirror her emerging hope. Taking learnings from her heavyweight counterparts, ‘To Love Somebody’ and ‘White Noise’ pair her bittersweet melodies with driving pop, while the beautiful ‘Blue Dream’ pulls the likes of Gracie Abrams or Taylor further into their vulnerability. It is clear Holly Humberstone has spent the last few years expanding her world, and perhaps it has not been so cruel after all.