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Hollie Smith is one incredibly inspiring woman. She’s collaborated with the likes of Trinity Roots, Fat Freddy’s Drop, Don McGlashan and One Million Dollars.
Her album Long Player hit number one in its first week on the New Zealand chart and is now certified Platinum.
And she’s just been signed to New York’s Manhattan Records, a boutique label aligned with the Blue Note group, which is home to a historic jazz catalogue with artists such as Diana Ross and Norah Jones. Not a bad effort for a 24-year-old!
Hollie sets off on her nationwide tour in July and August to promote Long Player, check out tour info at www.holliesmith.co.nz
Name: Hollie Smith Age: 24 Occupation: Musician
How did you break into the business/get discovered? I didn’t really get discovered. I worked f***ng hard for 10 years! I did a lot of stuff at school. I worked with the Northcote College Big Band, which was really famous, well it was well known at the time for being the best in the country, did some gigs and was writing from when I was about 11. So I've always been doing it for as long as I can remember, then I moved down to Wellington and started working with Trinity Roots. So how did you first get into music then? I’ve just always done it. It wasn’t a choice that I made, it’s just always there…it’s just always what I did.
How hard is it to be a successful musician in NZ? In New Zealand it is very hard. You can’t get into it for the money; I still haven’t made any money! I mean, you could go the completely opposite Britney Spears way, but that’s not music, that’s performance. It’s just lots of hard work and never giving up. But I never really felt like I had a choice, I never created a plan B for myself – it’s always been what I was going to do.
The business involved is also really difficult to get your head around. It becomes a really, really huge part of music, which is not what you’d expect but you’ve just got to be smart and learn about it so you know what you’re doing.
How hard has it been to live on a musician’s wages? Did you have other work as well? I did for a while. In Auckland I ran a café for about three years and then when I moved to Wellington I was on the benefit for a while so I could write some more and then just stretched, got a couple of regular gigs a week and things like that. It’s not easy financially.
What has kept you going then? I don’t know! It’s just music, if music is a part of your life then you can’t get away from it – that’s the thing it’s a lifestyle not a career.
Have your friends and family always been supportive of your decision to be a musician? Yeah they have. Mum always did. Dad was a little bit more wanting me to have a plan B, he’s a musician as well and he was like “It’s too hard you’ve got to have a plan B, you’ve got to make some money one day”. He might not be wrong but he’s really supportive as well.
Has it been hard to stay true to yourself when you have all these commercial imperatives and when it is hard to live as a musician financially? I do enjoy the lifestyle, sometimes it does get a bit much. All the musicians I know are incredibly intelligent, open minded people and you just meet people like that all the time and they always just inspire a different thought in your mind. It’s just doing music, it’s not always easy - a lot of it is the business side, which you get used to, but it doesn’t make it any easier.
Have you ever felt the pressure to go more mainstream? Not really because people know my priorities, so they don’t ever try to mess with that. I mean you end up being seen in that light sometimes anyway because as soon as you get enough coverage you’re a pop artist, so it’s kind of a little bit weird sometimes, a little bit adverse. I don’t enjoy it that much but you’ve gotta do it as well, but I haven’t really been under pressure to change.
Is there an element of who you know in the music industry when you’re trying to break into it? I don’t think so much in New Zealand. If you’re smart and you do it right and you stay committed then you will end up meeting those people anyway. It’s pretty small.
Where do you see yourself in the future? With this deal that’s come through I’ll probably be based in the States for a little while and then travelling, I just want to be travelling… I'd like to travel, like to do work with kids, do a bit of charity stuff.
What should aspiring musicians know about the music industry? What should they prepare for? First thing if you really want to do it as a career, which is hard, it’s not what you expect it to be, but it has its rewards as well. I think just learn about the industry and constantly draw inspiration from things. Never think that you’re above it or don’t get into it if you think you’re going to be cool, because you’re never going to be as cool as other people. And they’re not going to be as cool as other people…you can’t get into it for the wrong reasons. You’ve got to really be in it because you believe in what you do.
What advice do you have for them to get noticed? I think just be persistent. If you really want it make that the only thing that you’re going to do and just do it and be professional. Don’t just be rock n’ roll about it – that’s kind of good in theory but it doesn’t work very well…learn from people, ask for advice, talk to people.
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of Trinity Roots, Fat Freddy’s Drop, Don McGlashan and One Million Dollars. 
I don’t know! It’s just music, if music is a part of your life then you can’t get away from it – that’s the thing it’s a lifestyle not a career.
Is there an element of who you know in the music industry when you’re trying to break into it?
believe in what you do.