Holysseus Fly
Holysseus Fly is Bristol based alternative pop singer-songwriter, Holly Wellington. In 2023 she released her debut EP Birthpool after her fight with breast cancer. Last month she released the second chapter to the story with A Red Sea, a 3 song EP that dives bravely into a new journey while not forgetting the past.
A Red Sea includes the songs “Anchors” and “Arms Unfolding.”
Holysseus Fly returned to Glastonbury this summer. She first played it as part of the Ishmael Ensemble. This month she begins a UK Tour.
23rd Oct – The Hope & Ruin – Brighton
24th Oct – Where Else – Margate
25th Oct – The Lower Third – London
29th Oct – Heartbreakers – Southampton
30th Oct – Strange Brew – Bristol
17th Nov – Hyde Park Book Club – Leeds
18th Nov – Yes (basement) – Manchester
19th Nov – Zerox – Newcastle
20th Nov – The Hug & Pint – Glasgow
#holysseusfly
FEMMUSIC: A Red Sea feels deeply personal and cinematic. What was the vision that sparked it – the story you wanted listeners to step into?
HF: I wrote the songs, ‘Arms Unfolding’ and ‘Anchors’ years ago, and when we began performing them live, it was clear musically that they belonged together. They both begin with ‘a’, which I liked as a theme too, so I decided to carry that through the whole EP.
Lyrically, they both deal with change in different ways. “Arms” is about reconnecting with an old friend, finding reconciliation, your heart opening and finding peace within that. ‘Anchors’ came from a more internal place, stepping into a new mindset after my mastectomy. Together, they set the tone for the EP with this idea of letting go, of making peace with grief.
My hope is that people listening can feel seen in those moments, when you’re deep underwater emotionally, but eventually, you start to rise again. A messy and real process.
FEMMUSIC: Both Birthpool and A Red Sea reflect some of the hardest chapters of your life. What part of that journey felt essential to explore this time?
‘Birthpool’ was really about naming what I’d been through, acknowledging that I had cancer and how deeply that changed my creativity and my life. Saying those words out loud on stage felt massive at the time as I was still deep in the process of understanding what had actually happened.
With ‘A Red Sea’, I’ve moved into a different space. It’s less about the weight of the experience, and more about learning to release it, stepping toward freedom, while embracing the whole sticky, complicated journey. There’s still grief of course and I carry the awareness that I’m incredibly lucky to be here when not everyone gets that chance. But holding that truth while also choosing to live fully has been essential.
It’s not always easy to let go, but that’s what this EP became, a kind of release of that chapter and in the process learning to let go of a whole load of other things I’ve been working through this year. It’s been about stepping into a new space and making it glitter.
FEMMUSIC: Every record has its challenges. What was the biggest challenge you faced while bringing this EP to life?
HF: Good question. One of the biggest challenges was finding the balance between where the songs originally came from and the newer sounds I’ve been drawn to lately. I had so much new music and energy building up and I wanted this EP to reflect that shift but still honour the heart of the songs as they were first written.
Also I recorded pretty much everything at home, which was beautiful in some ways but also chaotic. Especially with constant drilling going on next door. So it was a mix of emotional and literal noise to work through.
FEMMUSIC: Tell us about James Vine. How did your paths cross and what unique energy or perspective did he bring to the project?
HF: He’s my partner as well as my co-producer. It’s the most honest energy I have within my music, he’s my right hand man.
FEMMUSIC: You worked with t l k on the EP’s lead single ‘Arms Unfolding’. How did that collaboration come about and how did they help shape the track?
HF: I began writing this song in the heat of summer 2022 with t l k, who at the time was a new friend and is an incredible, one of a kind artist based in Bristol. I’ve always loved T’s lyrics and the way their melodies seem to float, and I felt a strong pull to get into a room with them to see if we could create something together.
We started with some beautiful chords and then workshopped melodies until the song began to take shape. We landed on a meaning that reflected what I was going through at the time: reconciling with an old friend after lockdown. Lyrically, the song begins with noticing change, feeling the loneliness that comes after pushing someone away. Then comes the shift: realising, “time has shown me what you carry”, the moment of reconciling and recognising that we’re all doing our best.
The repeated word “unfolding” captured my heart and mind opening, not only to this old friend, but also to my new friendship with T. It flowed so naturally, as if the song already knew what it wanted to be.
We were on a tight deadline, because I wanted to perform it at my first show in 2022, the ‘Marigold’ single launch. James Vine jumped in with a beat on his new Elektron Cycles, we layered in some synths, and the first version was born. That version stayed with us – we gigged that version for years.
Finally, in 2025, it was time to record the song properly. James engineered as I tracked piano and vocals in our home studio in Bristol. I then recorded T’s backing vocals at The Island Studios, which gave the track the momentum and lift it needed to really take flight. I love the way it builds, carrying all the layers of those friendships and moments with it.
FEMMUSIC: Can you walk us through your songwriting process and how a track begins and grows into its final form?
HF: Every song comes together a bit differently, so it’s hard to pin it down to one set process. But if I had to map it out, it usually starts with chords. That’s almost always the foundation for me. From there, vocal melody tends to come then followed by lyrics, which help shape the story and tone.
FEMMUSIC: Let’s talk about ‘Anchors’. How did that song come to life and what does it mean to you personally?
HF: ‘Anchors’ reflects on my double mastectomy, the title comes from the anchor shaped scars on my chest. It’s a farewell to pain, a letting go of grief, and a quiet hope for the future. It came really quickly, just poured out at the piano one day. Some songs take time but this one just arrived fully formed.
FEMMUSIC: With two EPs now behind you, is a full length album on the horizon? What is the bigger vision for your music going forward?
HF: The full length album is well on its way, and it has been for years. I’m not ready to reveal the bigger vision yet, I must keep that close to my chest for now but she’s on her way.
FEMMUSIC: This summer you brought your solo show to main stages and have previously toured with Ishmael Ensemble and Nick Mulvey. Who else would you love to share a stage or studio with and why?
HF: I’m coming for the big stage at Glastonbury 2027. Watch this space x
FEMMUSIC: If you could change one thing about today’s music industry, what would it be?
HF: Such a great question. The industry is always shifting. Whether it’s around algorithms, money, AI or so many other things. Sometimes it feels totally overwhelming, but if I had to choose one thing it would be more care and respect for smaller artists, more investment into grassroots venues and accessible music education. Also more emphasis on emotional support within bands and labels, having people to confide in, leadership support and guidance or some sort of music HR support system.