Biography
Holly Lerski & Angelou

"You'll be hard pressed to find sounds more achingly lovely" - Mojo

Dubbed by Uncut magazine the spiritual sister of Jeff Buckley, Holly Lerski first appeared on the UK music scene in 1997 with the folk rock group Angelou, and their Jeff Buckley inspired E.P., ’Hallelujah’.

Born in London, England, Lerski began playing guitar aged 6. By the age of 9 her family had relocated to rural Norfolk where the budding boho penned songs, painted pictures, and spent her pocket money on 45’s.

After a few years of playing in bands and riding motorbikes, she found herself graduating from art school and taking up songwriting again. After forming Angelou she signed to Boo Hewerdine’s label Haven Records, and released the ’Hallelujah’ e.p., alongside a UK tour supporting Boo and ex-Fairground Attraction songstress Eddi Reader. Angelou made two critically acclaimed albums on the label; 1998’s ’Automiracles’ (produced by Calum MacColl, son of folk legends Peggy Seeger and Ewan MacColl) and 2000’s self produced ’While You Were Sleeping’.

By the summer of 2001, Holly and her band had broken into Europe and were releasing records in Spain with El Diablo Records. On their return from the 2001 Benicassum Tour, Holly was approached by Sanctuary Records and signed to the label at the end of that year. After a further extensive tour of Europe and Scandinavia, supporting blues man John Hiatt, recording began for the poppier third album ’Life is Beautiful’ assisted by Johnny Marr Healers guitarist, James Doviak. Released under her own name almost a year later in June 2003, the album earned her favourable comparisons to fellow singer songwriters Jeff Buckley and Beth Orton. Live dates with the Cranberries, Jason Mraz and Josh Rouse followed, as did BBC Radio’s support of the album, play listing of the first single, the Ben Hillier re-mix of ’My Love’, and a Janice Long session.

2004, and Life Is Beautiful was crossing the Atlantic to feature in the US film ’Fish Without A Bicycle’. By the end of that same year Holly had parted company with Sanctuary and was busy setting up her own DIY label. The first release, the limited edition sampler ’Greetings from N.Y.’, received weekly plays on national radio till the end of that year. 2005, and with news that Starbucks Coffee Company would be featuring her songs on their Herbie Hancock summer compilation, Holly continued to spend her time working towards the next record.

Cut to 2007, and after 2 years in Manchester, Holly returned back to the eerie everglades as a solo artist. With Angelou disbanded, Holly flew to the US to play a first solo date at New York’s ’Living Room’, following on from the news that ’Hallelujah was being featured in the final episode of CBS US TV legal drama ’Close To Home’.

2008 - Holly is taking a break from the road, and is happily at home writing, recording, baking cakes, and drawing


Reviews


"Quietly brilliant folk-pop with a gorgeous voice. For those willing to upturn a stone or two, there are treasures here. This album is a real find"
- The Sunday Times

" Lerski's songs have a deft touch and, like her musical hero Jeff Buckley, an air of spiritual redemption'."
- Q

"You'll be hard pressed to find sounds more achingly lovely"
- Mojo

"Sounds like a cross between those two fine vocalists Sandy Denny and Eddi Reader, with a bittersweet melancholy to her songs, especially on the outstanding 'Little Sister', a moving tribute to Jeff Buckley"."
- Uncut

"One of the sweeter secrets of the late Nineties was Lerski's Angelou. Here she is again with old Angelou mucker Jo Baker - her voice is still lovely, the lyrics observe every-day love through a poetic filter, the guitars swoop and jingle-jangle. It's a proper record"
- The Independent on Sunday

"voice of a resurrected sylph and the kudos of touring with acclaimed storyteller John Hiatt, a combination that, by rights, should see her sitting atop the charts within a week. That she probably won’t be speaks more for the parlous state of the industry than it does for the depth of talent at work here.
- Logo Magazine

"Introspection has rarely sounded stronger"
- FRoots

"Outshines many of her contemporaries"
- Classic Rock

"An emotive, acoustic-based collection of highly personal, folk-tinged songs"
- Billboard "

"A fabulous record, full of summer pop-tunes of the kind that filled Coldplay's 'Parachutes'.
- Play Music

"Accurately described as the 'spiritual sister of Jeff Buckley', Holly is the mistress of wistful, heartfelt masterpieces. Anyone who enjoys Ryan Adams, Gemma Hayes and Beth Orton will dig songs like 'Fools Gold and 'Everyone's Lonely'".
- OK  

"Folksy, dream-filled affair with rich, life-affirming vocals that form the ideal soundtrack to a sunny summer's afternoon".
- Rocksound

"Luminous creations that seem to exist within their own glow, overflowing with such disarming sincerity from a soul whose language can be nothing but music."
- Losing Today

"An assured solo debut album that combines The Smiths' tunefulness and Jeff Buckley's angelic voice with shimmering guitars and brilliantly understated tunes. Those who loved The Sundays will find much to adore." - Red

"A delightfully fresh sounding album, with Holly's voice sounding superb over acoustic lead backing. 'Firefly' sounds like she's sitting in the room with you...if only! Give this one a listen"
- Guitarist