Artist: David James Allen
Hometown: Prince Edward County, Ontario, Canada
Song: “Holly”
Album: By The Summertime
Release Date: June 9, 2023
Label: Littleknown Records
In Their Words: “‘Holly’ is a song of drugs, dingey bars, old relationships, and backward priorities. Ultimately, it’s a song about losing an important part of your life to backward priorities, self-destruction, or naiveté, and growing up and confronting yourself in the passage of time. It’s about coming to terms with yourself and what it is you’ve lost, and reflecting on it with regret, sorrow, some nostalgia about it, but also having insight and maturity — a ‘grown-ass-ness’ of realizing things are better off now then they were then.
“In this song, the character is a songwriter who constantly prioritized every relationship they’ve been in after they hit a little success, but it sooner or later backfires. I wanted to write a song about tackling work/life balance and social-party/life balance, and in this case, it’s about a songwriter, because that’s something I know well. I feel like so many different people prioritize and occupy their minds with their work or social lives over personal relationships or family, a decision that may not always be intentional. But it does have a big impact on the ones who are left in the wake of that decision. I’m pretty self-aware of this type of work mindset because I can be a bit of a workaholic with my songwriting and creative work. I get obsessed easily — especially when I’m in the flow. I wear a lot of work hats and now being a new father and family man, I find myself regularly seeking ways to encourage a healthier balance. The social nightlife isn’t as much of a concern to me these days, I tend to enjoy being a bit of a homebody.” – David James Allen
Photo Credit: Dawson Bunnett
