Between Holly Humberstone’s debut album, Paint My Bedroom Black, and her newly released sophomore album, Cruel World, a lot has shifted. “This past year and a half, I’ve rediscovered bits of me that used to be so integral to who I am,” shares the musician. “I feel like I’m gaining agency as an artist, but also as just a person.”

When it comes to songwriting, her creative world has expanded. For Cruel World, Humberstone approached the process “with an open mind” and “learned to take it less seriously.” She follows her instincts and admits that “the best creativity comes from when you’re not thinking so hard about stuff being released and how people are going to receive it.” Between albums, the 26-year-old artist moved to South-East London—and fell in love. But the shifts over the years have revealed themselves in more visual ways, extending well beyond the studio.

In creating the visual aesthetic for the new album, Humberstone collaborated with her sister, Eleri, and Creative Director Silken Weinberg. “I wanted it to feel like this fantasy world inspired by everything that I used to love as a kid,” she explains. “It’s very girly, Victorian, and kind of ballet core, but also showgirly.” Her personal style channels those romantic worlds with a touch of grunge, and she views fashion as a creative extension of herself beyond the music. She admits to a “bit of an addiction to vintage,” savoring the stories that live on in pre-loved pieces with past lives. These looks that tell tales sets her style apart—and is sure to be evident throughout her upcoming appearances.

With performances at major festivals penciled in for this year, such as Coachella, Bonnaroo, and Governor’s Ball, with a North American tour while she’s at it, there seems to be no slowing down in sight for Humberstone—and she prefers it that way. “It’s exciting to be able to promote an album that I am obsessed with,” she gushes. “I’m excited to see people physically in front of me again, because there’s no feeling in the world that I’ve experienced that comes close. I feel like the novelty of it will never really wear off.”

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Photography Alessandro Burzigotti
Fashion Nilo Akbari
Makeup Mee Kee using Armani Beauty
Hair James Catalano (The Wall Group)
Casting Kev Ponce
Production Locals Worldwide
Hair Assistant Rogerio da Silva
Photo Assistant Luke Regan
Styling Assistant Roksi
Production Assistants Elwood Rainey, Simão Nogueira
Makeup Assistant Natsu Tomonaga