“You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.” The wise words of Maya Angelou, and words that dee holt seems to live by. Two years after her last single, “i’ll be there,” holt makes a stunning return with her hypnotic, slow-burning new single, “figure it out,” via Nettwerk.
Holt uses creativity on the go. The new single was written on a soul-searching trip through Europe, creating a perfect teen-drama, beautiful, chaotic montage soundtrack that we immediately add to our playlist after watching the protagonist and her lover find their way back to each other.
But this hit doesn’t just cater to the film fanatics. It is the perfect addition to a bedroom/lo-fi pop playlist that finds you staring out the window. It feels instantly magnetic yet refreshingly present. And collaborating with longtime Montreal-based producer Benjamin Nadeau, holt leans deeply into a textured, patient sonic landscape.
The track opens with an echoing piano melody, allowing her signature confident vocal style to take center stage. Rather than hitting hard at first like most pop songs nowadays, it takes its time to hit you in the feels. It builds, like the tide slowly coming in on a warm summer sunset: wandering, curious, and hesitant.
At its core, “figure it out” is an anthem for anyone navigating the dizzying path of adult life and the heart-wrenching romance that comes with it. It’s raw, honest, and bubbly in a way that is entirely authentic to holt’s songwriting signature approach. She reflects on the inspiration for the single:
“I wrote this song during a time in my life where I was feeling unsure about my path and where I wanted to go. Wondering if I was putting my time and attention into the right things. Questioning everything I was and wasn’t doing. Looking for signs on where to go. Asking to help me figure it out. But the thing is no one is there to truly help you figure it out… that’s on you. And that’s the beauty of it.”
Her song is a testament to this reflection. It’s the track that plays when you sit in your room, scrolling through old photos, taking a walk down memory lane, letting the answers fly through your mind. It’s never easy, but you find peace in the uncertainty of what comes next.
Ever since landing on Spotify’s Lorem playlist at just 18 years old and earning a “one to watch” title from Teen Vogue, dee holt has earned her place in the softcore hall of fame. Her discography thus far establishes her as an artist fully in control of her craft and narrative. It’s patient, mature and relatable; things many artists struggle to find and convey. If this single is any indication of what’s to come, holt’s next era has already nailed this goal and will be her most compelling one yet.
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