Holly Miranda: The Future of Folk

In a world where auto-tune and synthesizers reign supreme in music, an artist with a truly skilled voice really stands out. One such musician is Holly Miranda, who last year released a self-titled album which has proved to be a work of genuine musical excellence.

Miranda has been making music professionally for almost 17 years, but she’s been making music on her own almost all her life. She learned to play the piano at 6, and the guitar at 14. Additionally, Miranda says she used to drive her sisters up the wall when she was young because she was constantly singing. All of that long-developed talent comes together in her work, particularly her most recent album.

Holly Miranda’s Strongest Album Yet

Holly Miranda uses mostly acoustic instrumentation, with the exception of a few songs such as “Come On,” which uses a mellow, electronica inspired instrumentation. The highlight of each track, though, is Miranda’s own soothing voice. The songs on the album sound almost like Ingrid Michaelson mixed with folk music, and with highly insightful lyrics.

“Mark My Words” is another slightly different track on the album. It starts off with a reverberating guitar and echoing lyrics, and is somewhat minimalist. The energy picks up towards the end, though, the guitar becomes grungier, and a strong, sporadic drumline kicks in. “All I Want is to Be Your Girl” is a basic but driving acoustic track. It’s a troubled love song, making a plea for the subject to join the singer in a romantic utopia.

Similar in its instrumentation to “All I Want is to Be Your Girl” but different in tone, “Everlasting” hits a more somber note, strengthened by Miranda’s hauntingly beautiful voice. “Until Now” is also acoustic, though it is even more minimalist than the others, using the guitar only as a subtle backdrop to Miranda’s vocals. The guitar picking in the background sounds like soft raindrops, and it picks up slightly towards the end, while still retaining the same, raindrop-patterned picking, giving the song an even more soothing sound.

Legitimate talent is difficult to come by. So, naturally, when someone like Holly Miranda comes up on IBG’s radar, we have to take a look. Miranda’s talent is not only impressive, it inspires a strong, renewed sense of vigor for the music of today and tomorrow.

Hear more of Holly Miranda’s work here or on SoundCloud.