From Ballads to Bops, Holly Clausius’ sophomore EP has what music is missing today: Vulnerability
Heartfelt, honest, and bold are only a few of many words to describe the newest EP ‘forget-you-not’ by Toronto-based artist, Holly Clausius.
This EP blends pop and soul with Clausius’ personal and intimate lyrics. The five-track body of work is a story of love, heartbreak and self-discovery. While exploring different styles with a touch of influences by other artists, the EP remains true to Clausius’ own artistic vision.
I Feel You, a powerful and honest piano-led ballad about holding onto a previous relationship, serves as the opening track. Clausius, akin to singers like Adele, Amy Whinehouse, and Demi Lovato, sets a melodious and ethereal setting with the opening line, “Time’s ticking but I’m not moving my feet,” following layers of her powerful vocals. In the second verse, as the music takes a turn with less piano and more drums, it naturally builds up as the song progresses before slowly and exquisitely returning to solely piano in the end.
The title track forget-you-not is “the summary of all the songs,” said Clausius in a virtual interview. “There’s a theme with florals in all of my projects and forget-me-not is the flower that I was referencing, but the reason why I call it forget-you-not is this album is about kind of like forgetting or holding onto a past relationship,” she said. The title track focuses on themes of acceptance and finding peace with oneself, with soft piano chords and horns that only build more throughout the song.
