Singer-songwriter Holly Lovell guides us through her deeply personal album ‘Hello Chelsea’ track-by-track, offering a heartfelt examination of addiction, loss, grief, and healing all encapsulated within an intimate indie folk style.
Stream: “If I Had It My Way” – Holly Lovell
Chelsea, Manhattan: a name that evokes thoughts of creativity, ambition, and boundless opportunity for many. Yet for Holly Lovell, it’s forever linked to her experience of loss. Her latest album, Hello Chelsea, is a profound exploration of grief, addiction, and the intricate ways we seek to understand absence. Through authentic storytelling and evocative musical landscapes, Lovell faces the anguish of losing her uncle to drug addiction in this neighborhood, transforming her sorrow into something that lingers, resonates, and ultimately heals.
Independently released on February 7th, 2025, Hello Chelsea is not just a tribute; it seeks to bridge the gap between memory and significance. Lovell confronts the pain of addiction and its lingering impact on those who remain, while also refusing to let it dominate the narrative. This album serves as an offering: a recognition of love, loss, and the unexpressed emotions that accompany grief. In this reflective space, Lovell begins to process her experiences, stating in her own words:
“I spent two years writing this record while grappling with the loss of my uncle to drug addiction in Chelsea, Manhattan. Initially, the songs helped me make sense of my feelings and aided a family member's understanding of their own emotions. They eventually evolved into a means to validate his life and to somehow rationalize our lengthy grieving to a world and community that seemed insufficiently understanding.”
“My goal was to portray the significance of a life that mattered,” Lovell adds. “To provide an honest narrative about a man who meant a lot to me, despite the hurt and betrayal. I aimed to capture the complex blend of reaching out and rejecting that is often present in addiction stories. I may have been overly optimistic in thinking this album was solely for me.”
“I believed I was creating it for my family, for my mom, for my grandma, and for others who might connect with my experiences. During the recording of the last track, ‘100 Different Ways,’ I cried and recognized that this record was just as much a gift for myself as for anyone else. Creating and releasing this music has been incredibly healing.”
By allowing herself to grieve through her music, Lovell discovered something unexpected: a deeper insight into her artistry. What began as a tribute turned into a reflection of her creative identity, informing not only the stories she chose to tell but how she articulated them. This realization subsequently shaped the production of Hello Chelsea, which was created with a delicate touch and raw intensity alongside producer Brian Joseph (Bon Iver) in the secluded woods of Eau Claire, Wisconsin.
“Brian Joseph, the producer of this album, helped me finally feel that my authentic self was evident in the work I was sharing,” Lovell states. “He recognized which imperfections to retain in the music, and those became my secret sauce. Recording live with a band brought those human qualities into the music, mirroring the truths we often avoid, yet for healing, we must bring them into the light. This production style allowed the lyrics to shine, which is truly my strength as an artist. Music is my vehicle for words.”
Additional contributions to the album came from musicians such as Courtney Hartman (guitars, vocals), Shane Leonard (drums, percussion), Steve Garrington (bass, synth), Ben Lester (pedal steel, synth), and Sean Carey (piano, vocals) – a talented ensemble whose impact lingers on the album and its listeners.
Lovell openly describes her album as both intimate and expansive. This duality – being at once inviting and haunting, beautiful and devastating – permeates Hello Chelsea. Her songwriting captures the tug of war between memory, place, and loss, examining how environments subtly and significantly shape our lives. The album not only seeks understanding but also aims to preserve what remains, ultimately confronting the spaces that encompass both aspirations and tragedies.
“It often felt like everything would have been different if my uncle had never moved there to pursue Broadway,” she reflects. “On my last trip to NYC to see him, I stayed just two blocks from his apartment and had to walk there each morning. I passed a neon blue sign halfway up a brick building that read, ‘Hello Chelsea!’ in script, on my way to his place.”
“In such a dark mindset regarding the city, feeling as though it was the beast keeping my uncle trapped in his addiction, I would pass that sign and feel ridiculed by it. It seemed so inviting, but didn’t it know what Chelsea was doing to me? To my family?”
Ultimately, the raw emotions flow freely through Hello Chelsea. From the album's heart-wrenching opening to the closing tracks “Family” and “100
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Singer-songwriter Holly Lovell guides us through her deeply personal album 'Hello Chelsea' track by track, offering a heartfelt examination of addiction, loss, grief, and healing viewed through an intimate indie folk perspective.