Born and raised on a farm in Southern Indiana, Holly Auna learned how to play her guitar around local bonfires.
Years later, she is taking the country world by storm and performing across the country in Louisville, Nashville, and New York City. She has just released a new single labeled “Lonely” that is sure to capture the hearts of her growing fan base.
With a down-home country strum of an acoustic guitar and fluttering keys of a piano at a high octave, Holly Auna immediately lets fans know what they can expect from her recent country single “Lonely.”
Soon joined by a romantic violin, the track tugs at your heartstrings before you even hear her voice. Once she begins to sing she has no problem connecting with her fans on a deeper level. One of the most endearing qualities of Holly Auna is her natural vocal talent. Her ability to seamlessly break her voice between pitches is comparable to the alluring vocals of Shakira.
Holly Auna’s angelic vocals have the unique effect of emitting fragility and confidence at the same time. In addition to the addictive softness that is Holly Auna’s voice, she truly reveals her vulnerability through her thoughtful songwriting.
“Lonely” is a gateway for Holly Auna to be able to bond with her fans based on her life experiences. Inspired by her authentic and honest thoughts, she draws lyrical inspiration from the emotions caused by real-life experiences that people encounter on a day to day basis.
Her lyrics for “Lonely” bring attention to battles with self-esteem, self-love, and interpersonal relationships. She hits home for many listeners with the ever-so-relatable verse “I’m not alone, but I’m lonely.”
For a country song, “Lonely” is more on the romantic and soulful side. What other genres inspired this song? What were your inspirations when creating this track?
It’s funny I’ve never known what genre to call my music. A lot of people have called “Lonely” a country song but I’ve also heard, singer/songwriter, pop, adult alternative, Americana, etc. My bandmates and I all have very different influences. My influences are a mix of 2000s country, 60s folk, John Mayer, Colbie Caillat, and Jason Mraz. I asked my bandmates for their influences in general and for this song and here’s what they said: Dan Kozlowski (drummer/co-writer/producer) Glen Hansard, Ryan Oetken (guitarist/producer) Tom Petty, Matthew Foss (bass/producer) Pino Paladino and Anthony Jackson, John Townsend (guitarist/producer/mixing/mastering) John Mayer and The 1975.
All of us here at BuzzMusic were very impressed with your ability to evoke the emotions of your listeners through your introspective lyrics. Can you tell us more about the message behind the lyrics of "Lonely?"
When I was in high school I wrote down the song idea “I’m not alone, but I’m lonely” and I held onto that idea for years. But I think I had to really live it before I was able to write it. In 2017 I sat down with two of my best friends, Lydia Dall and Dan Kozlowski. We talked, we cried, we wrote. I don’t think I’ve ever been as honest as I was while writing this song, and that’s probably why it is still my favorite song I’ve ever written. Ten years in the making, I’m glad “Lonely” is finally being released into the world. I want people to know you don’t have to be alone to feel lonely and that if you’re ever in a relationship or friendship that makes you feel this way, it’s always okay to leave.
Throughout your journey as an artist, you have reached many highs and, surely, many lows. Can you tell us a bit about your experience as a country singer, and mention any huge accomplishments?
Once again I’m not quite sure what genre to call my music. I write with many other country artists in Nashville and none of them think my music is country. Yet when I leave Nashville and go on tour people often refer to me as a Country artist. But I don’t really care what genre people are calling my music. I'm just glad they’re calling it anything!
I love writing music with other Nashville artists. One of the highlights of my career so far was writing “There’s This Boy” with Tenille Arts and Lydia Dall. “There’s This Boy” was on Tenille Arts’s debut album and in rotation on Radio Disney Country.
This year in particular has been full of highs and lows for me. Canceling my tours, canceling studio time, pushing back the release of my album, and stopping writing with people in person took a toll on me for sure. But this year I learned to branch out in so many new ways. I built my TikTok following from the ground up to over 360k followers. I signed a partnership with TikTok where I go live every day playing my original music to thousands of people. And the highlight of this year so far was watching this new single, “Lonely” go #1 in my genre on iTunes.
You are a verified TikTok creator with over 350k followers! Can you tell us a little bit about this platform and what it's like to engage with your fans through social media?
I love my TikTok family so much! I started TikTok last December and if you would have told me where it would have taken me I wouldn’t have believed you. On September first I actually partnered with TikTok and I now play original music to thousands of people on TikTok LIVE every single day. I love getting to still play shows even if it’s in this unconventional way. I love getting to talk to friends and fans all over the world!
What has been keeping you inspired in 2020?
I have officially been quarantined for 220 days. I’ve been in buildings with people I didn’t live with only five times since March 16th. It’s been difficult, of course. But I know that this is what it takes to keep myself and others safe and that will always be worth it. From the safety of my home, I’ve stayed inspired by re-reading my favorite books, watching good TV, listening to great music, and talking to my loved ones as much as I can.
My online communities of TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook have been so incredibly supportive during this hard time. It has been such a blessing to still get to play my original music to people every single day from the safety of our own homes.