Right now, I am writing in my backyard with my slippers on and I am feeling very relaxed and in the moment. The fact that I decided to review Holly Auna’s music doesn’t really feel like a coincidence at the moment, but it definitely fits into my surroundings.

“I was writing silly little songs when I was 7 years old. When I was in middle school, I started playing guitar and writing poetry. At age 14, I combined guitar and poetry and wrote my first real song for my mom’s birthday” Holly explains. She likes to write about her life experiences, the things that she has gone through, and the people in her life. “Like yesterday I felt sort of anxious, so I rode that feeling and let a song pour out from it” she explains. Holly adores her dedicated online and local fanbase, and says that they are very nice and supportive of what she does. She remarks that “every message I get brightens my day”.

“Meet me at Midnight is about that moment when you meet someone and you instantly know that you want to know everything about them. You’ve just met them and yet you want more. You want to know if they want the same thing as you so you ask them to meet you at midnight. It’s a fun summer love song and I hope it makes you smile when you hear it like it makes me smile when I sing it.”

-Holly Auna (4.21.2019)

I will critique Holly’s music based on the quality, which she doesn’t lack at all. The genres she seems to attract in her music are country, americana, indie pop, and indie rock with a heavy acoustic sound. The ambience in all her songs are relaxing and are rather easy to listen to (except for Holly’s alternative pop song called Witches which she released in October 2018). Holly’s ability to collaborate with other musicians such as Constant Z and Ian McConnell in Where Were We (late June 2018) is something she seems to enjoy and where her talent seems to shine through as well. She has a sophisticated writing style in her songs as well as being simple with a uplifting tone to it. “My favorite part of songwriting is that I get to take the things I’ve gone through and experienced and pour those little parts of my soul into soundbites that may one day help someone else” she tells me. 2019 seems to be a really good year as far as tracks go for Holly, because most of the songs that I really like are from this year. Meet Me at Midnight (April 2019) is my favorite songs she has released this year, which all of her genres (americana, country, and indie pop) seem to be combined in this track. She just released Playing House yesterday, which is a low-key acoustic song that has deep lyrics to it. I know that Holly is working on another full album, which would follow Harmonies for the Heart EP (mid-February 2019). I am eager to hear this album, as I believe the EP was really good. Right now, Holly enjoys the song “Lonely” that she is working on with Lydia Dall, Daniel Kozlowski, and “an entire roll of toilet paper and a trashcan for my tears” Holly says. This emotional song is something she is excited to release soon (date unknown at the moment).

“I’m exploring somewhere between Americana/Pop and Indie Rock. I’ve been loving recording with my full band all real instruments, but in the future, I think I will also do a few pop remixes of the real instrumentation.”

-Holly Auna

Holly is currently working on two projects at the same time, a “stripped down” album that include a new version of Meet Me at Midnight and Starling Darling and she also is recording more songs with a full band. Her first full band singles will come out in early fall and into next year.

I would like to thank Holly for keeping in touch with me over Instagram, if you like her music feel free to like her on Facebook and Instagram. I will be providing updates of Holly’s future tracks on Facebook and Instagram as well. Have a good night!!!

Overall: 4.8/5

Starling Darling: 5/5

Meet Me at Midnight: 5/5

Survivors: 4.5/5

Witches: 5/5

Where Were We: 5/5

Poison: 5/5

Harmonies for the Heart: 5/5

Top Song: Meet Me at Midnight (2019)