Unplugged Lounge Conversations with HOLYMAMI

We sat down with boundary-breaking artist HOLYMAMI in our latest Unplugged Lounge Conversations to dive into the mind behind her powerful new EP TRAP THERESA. Known for fusing raw rock energy with deeply personal reflections, HOLYMAMI is carving out a space where sound, identity, and bold storytelling collide. From her early inspirations in the alternative scene to channelling heartbreak and global unrest into fearless anthems, HOLYMAMI is proving that music can be both a sanctuary and a rebellion. We kick things off by asking her how it all began…

Thanks for chatting with us at Sonic Sisters Magazine! Can you share a bit about how your journey into music began?

My journey into music began when I got close to a friend who played the bass for a great rock band a few years ago. His passion to express himself sonically in rock has always been inspiring to me, and he truly gave me the confidence to navigate in the alternative space and have confidence in it because he had been doing it for so long and encouraged me that it wasn’t as serious as I’m making it in my head.

Who have been some of the most significant influences on your musical style?

My biggest musical influences are definitely Betty Davis, System of a Down, Rage Against the Machine, Limp Bizkit, Skin, Skunk Anansie, X Ray Spex and PJ Harvey. There's much more, but I would say these are the people that made me go "huh, so you can sound like however you want to and people that need to find you will find you." I also just enjoy people who scream in a melodic way.

And which female musicians or women in the music industry have inspired your journey?

Betty Davis because she was a pioneer for female rock in my opinion, Blondie because she said I'm rock, I'm punk, but I'm still a girly girl and Santigold because she created music that was alternative but completely new, different, and still succeeded despite the odds.

How do your personal experiences shape your songwriting, and what do you hope listeners take away from those connections?

My personal experiences shape my music in a very inspiring way. For instance, if I go through something life-changing, it makes me want to create. It makes me want to turn the experience into something tangible, like music or art. But with me, I always want to transform it into something positive, so when I was heartbroken, I didn't wanna write a heartbreak song. I wanted to write something that explained how I felt love should actually feel like. And then when I'm feeling sad about the current state of the world, I don't wanna make a sad song. I still wanna make something uplifting and motivating, like a confidence boost for myself and others.

Congratulations on your brand-new release, TRAP THERESA - what inspired this particular release?

Thank you, thank you. This release was just me trying to offer the world a taste of the sounds. I enjoy the music I wanna make in the future. 'TRAP THERESA' Is an alter ego to HOLYMAMI because I do enjoy playing with moral, religious, urban and dark themes. I feel like my EP is a mix of different themes, and also just an announcement of myself as a music artist.

What song (not your own) has had the biggest influence on you and why?

Barracuda by Heart was the first song I heard with a female rock lead that really got me excited when I was a kid, so every music app I've ever had, that's usually the first song I download. It's just stuck with me ever since Guitar Hero.

Is there a song in your catalog that holds a special personal meaning for you? We'd love to hear the story or inspiration behind it.

'Fading' Is definitely my most introspective song because it goes into a storyline of how I am expecting love to feel like with someone who truly understands what love is themselves. I feel like with falling in love, you turn into each other and fade into each other, and all the outside noise just dissipates. I really enjoyed writing that song, and when I was finished writing, I couldn't believe it was five minutes long. So I would say that's a song I feel like I really zoned out and poured into, and it was really fun to create.

What are some of the aspirations you have for your music moving forward?

I aspire to be able to continue creating quality things consistently. I feel like nothing in the world would make me happier than just being able to pour myself into my creative projects and for it to be well-received. A goal that could be considered an aspiration, too, is to be an incredible performer. That would also make me happy.

What advice would you give to emerging female artists who are just starting out in the music world?

I would tell emerging female artists to be true to themselves, no matter what that is. Don't fit an aesthetic for a crowd, no matter what genre you're in; stay true to you, and if you're really happy with yourself, then that will be enough.

Before we wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to say to our readers?

I wanna say thank you so much for reading all the way to the last question, and also thank you for reading music articles and being intrigued with the artist's backstory music journalism is so important and thanks for caring.