Hollie Smith
Hollie Smith (born 17 November 1982) is a New Zealand soul singer-songwriter based in Wellington.[1] Her debut album Long Player reached number one on the RIANZ albums chart in 2007, and certified double platinum.
Hollie Smith | |
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Background information | |
Born | 17 November 1982 |
Origin | Auckland, New Zealand |
Genres | Soul, pop |
Instruments | Vocals, guitar |
Years active | 1999–present |
Labels | Soundsmith Records EMI Records (NZ) Manhattan Records Warner Music Group (NZ) |
Associated acts | TrinityRoots |
Website | holliesmith.co.nz |
Early years
Smith attended Auckland's Willow Park Primary School, Takapuna Normal Intermediate and Northcote College.[2][3] In 1999, as a 16-year-old, Smith made the album Light From a Distant Shore after winning Best Female Vocalist at the National Jazz Festival of NZ.[4] This album of Celtic music was produced by her stepfather, Steve McDonald (Celtic music), a well-known musician in New Zealand.[5]
Career
In 2003, Smith moved to Wellington singing with TrinityRoots. She recorded an album Home, Land and Sea and toured with the band.[5] In 2005, the 5-track Hollie Smith EP was released, featuring her own compositions. In 2006, she released her debut full-length album, Long Player. Also in 2006, the single "Bathe in the River", written by Don McGlashan, was released. The song, from the soundtrack of the New Zealand feature film, No. 2, was a significant hit for Smith, spending 22 weeks in the NZ Top 10.[5]
In May 2007, Smith signed a multi-album record deal with Manhattan Records, part of the Blue Note Label Group.[6] This deal then collapsed which forced the singer to use the profits of Long Player to get out of the deal with Blue Note.
After a forced two-year absence from the music industry, Hollie Smith released the album Humour and the Misfortune of Others on 15 March 2010,[1] and toured New Zealand. She followed this soon after with the "Hollie and The Last S.O.S Tour" in New Zealand.[7]
2011 saw the release of a collaborative album Smith produced with Electric Wire Hustle member Mara TK titled "Band of Brothers Vol. 1", which received a 4 star review from the NZ Herald's Russell Baillie, describing it as "a sideways step but still highly approachable".[8]
In 2012, Smith along with fellow singer/songwriters Anika Moa and Boh Runga embarked on a sold-out national acoustic church tour of New Zealand.[9] Later that year Smith, Anika Moa, and Boh Runga starred in an online video campaign supporting gay marriage, alongside other New Zealand singers Anika Moa and Boh Runga, as well as Olympian Danyon Loader and former Governor-General Dame Catherine Tizard.[10]
In 2013 Smith, Anika Moa, and Boh Runga released a collaborative album titled "Anika Boh Hollie".[11] Following this they embarked on a national tour of concerts at wineries around New Zealand with the internationally acclaimed New Zealand group Fat Freddy's Drop.[12]
Later in 2013, Smith was selected to perform at the Australasian World Music Expo in Melbourne,[13] which resulted in an invitation to perform at the prestigious Montreal Jazz Festival in July 2014.[14] There with her band she headlined her stage as part of the Les Soirees jazzy series of free outdoor concerts, performing two concurrent sets in front of an estimated audience of over 50,000. Reviewer Sharonne Cohen from US jazz magazine JazzTimes, went on to describe Smith's performance as "...powerhouse outdoor performance captivated thousands".[15] From there Smith's northern hemisphere tour continued with a concert in New York at the Rockwood Music Hall and further concerts throughout UK/Europe including several for the New Zealand Commonwealth Games team in Glasgow.
In July 2015, Smith signed a licensing deal with Warner Music Group (NZ) and then in September of that year released the single "Lady Dee",[16] followed by the 2016 release of her album "Water Or Gold" and released the singles "Helena", "Lead The Way" and "Water Or Gold". In 2016, Smith completed two tours of New Zealand[17] and a tour of Australia[18] to promote the release of the album.
Personal life
In 2010 her "intense" relationship with C4 presenter Clark Gayford ended.[19]
Discography
Studio albums
Year | Title | Details | Peak chart positions |
Certifications |
---|---|---|---|---|
NZ [20][21] | ||||
1999 | Light From a Distant Shore |
|
— | |
2007 | Long Player |
|
1 |
|
2010 | Humour and the Misfortune of Others |
|
1 |
|
2011 | Band of Brothers Vol. 1 |
|
8 | |
2013 | Peace of Mind | 2 | ||
2016 | Water or Gold |
|
1 [22] |
|
As featured artist
- Home, Land and Sea (2004) Trinity Roots
- Hiatus on the Horizon (2005) Recloose
- Chaos by Design (2006) Concord Dawn
- Steps in Time (2006) Solaa
- Based on a True Story (2007) Fat Freddy's Drop
Singles
Year | Title | Peak chart positions | Album |
---|---|---|---|
NZ [20] | |||
2006 | "Bathe in the River" (Mt Raskil Preservation Society featuring Hollie Smith) |
2 | Non-album single |
2008 | "Sensitive to a Smile" | 33 | Lights of the Pacific: The Very Best of Herbs |
2015 | "Team, Ball, Player, Thing" (#KiwisCureBatten featuring Lorde, Kimbra, Brooke Fraser, et al.) |
2 | Non-album single |
2015 | "Lady Dee" | – | Single |
2016 | "Helena" | – | Single |
2016 | "Lead The Way" | – | Single |
2016 | "Water Or Gold" | – | Single |
2016 | "Please" (New Zealand White Ribbon Campaign) |
– | Non-album Single |
Awards
Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
---|---|---|---|
1996 | Hollie Smith | Tauranga Jazz Festival – Best Vocalist | Won |
2007 | Long Player | New Zealand Music Awards – Album of the Year | Nominated |
2007 | Hollie Smith – Long Player | New Zealand Music Awards – Best Female Solo Artist | Won |
2007 | Hollie Smith – Long Player | New Zealand Music Awards – Breakthrough Artist of the Year | Won |
2007 | Hollie Smith | New Zealand Music Awards – Best Aotearoa Roots Album | Won |
2007 | Jeremy Toy & Hollie Smith – Long Player (Hollie Smith) | New Zealand Music Awards – Best Producer | Won |
2010 | Hollie Smith – Humour and the Misfortune of Others | New Zealand Music Awards – Best Female Artist | Nominated |
2010 | Hollie Smith – Humour and the Misfortune of Others | New Zealand Music Awards – Best Aotearoa Roots Album | Nominated |
2012 | Hollie Smith – Band of Brothers Vol.1 (Hollie Smith & Mara TK) | New Zealand Music Awards – Best Roots Album | Nominated |
2016 | Hollie Smith – Water Or Gold (Hollie Smith) | New Zealand Music Awards – Best Album | Nominated |
2016 | Hollie Smith – Water Or Gold (Hollie Smith) | New Zealand Music Awards – Best Female Vocalist | Nominated |
References
- Leary, Ingrid (26 May 2007). "Hollie Smith – doing her own thing". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 24 March 2010.
- "Hollie Smith – musician". AIMES Award winners 2007. North Harbour Club. 2008. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 6 January 2011.
- "Alumni". Northcote College. Retrieved 6 January 2011.
- Hollie Smith
- Kara, Scott (20 July 2006). "Hollie Smith – soul sister". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 24 March 2010.
- Brown, Russell (11 July 2007). "Good golly, Miss Hollie". Idealog No. 10. Idealog. Archived from the original on 23 November 2010. Retrieved 6 January 2011.
- NEWS: Hollie Smith Announces The Last SOS Tour Archived 14 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine Rip It Up Magazine Retrieved 9 July 2010
- NZ Herald Retrieved 8 April 2011
- NZ Herald Retrieved 13 October 2012
- "Marriage equality 'about love'". 3 News NZ. 6 December 2012.
- NZ Herald Retrieved 7 February 2013
- Official Winery Tour Website
- NZ@ AWME 2013
- Archived 4 February 2015 at the Wayback Machine Official Montreal Jazz Festival Website
- ["http://jazztimes.com/articles/134540-the-montreal-international-jazz-festival-at-35-a-look-back]JazzTimes Retrieved 9 July 2014
- "Hollie Smith: Single & broke". Women's Weekly.
- "HOLLIE SMITH IN NEW ZEALAND CHARTS". charts.nz. Hung Medien. Retrieved 24 February 2015.
- "Team, Ball, Player, Thing": "charts.nz – #KiwisCureBatten – Team Ball Player Thing". Hung Medien. Retrieved 25 September 2015.
- "ANIKA, BOH AND HOLLIE IN NEW ZEALAND CHARTS". charts.nz. Hung Medien. Retrieved 24 February 2015.
- "NZ Top 40 Albums Chart". Recorded Music NZ. 11 April 2016. Retrieved 8 April 2016.
- "WHENUA PATUWAI IN NEW ZEALAND CHARTS". charts.nz. Hung Medien. Retrieved 18 July 2014.