Matt Barnes
Passionate Cornish music journalist in Bristol. Often found making notes whilst crowd surfing.
‘To Love Somebody’ is the first offering from Holly Humberstone’s highly anticipated second album ‘Cruel World’, set to be released on 10 April 2026.
Holly is renowned for her forensic songwriting ability – nominated for an Ivor Novello for her debut EP and winning the BRIT Rising Star in 2022. Holly also recently smashed a live performance of ‘To Love Somebody’ for Jimmy Fallon’s Tonight show. I first saw Holly, unaware of all these accolades as she shone brightly on the main stage at the Indie infused Y Not Festival in 2024 and took note.
‘To Love Somebody’ opens awash with breezy keys, with Holly’s vocal giving an instant soothing feeling, up until a run of stark opening lines including “In the movie of your life, You’re the first to die” this isn’t your average pop song. Lyrically there is an overarching narrative that portrays the conflict and duality between love and loss and the finality of a breakup.
“It All Breaks Down, It Always Does, It Works Out, It always does”. The chorus refrains and has the feeling of a conversation between best friends, with a mixture of positive reframing and realism. It culminates with a line of reasonable reassurance “at least you got to love somebody” reminiscent in sentiment to Alfred, Lord Tennyson’s 1850 poem, “In Memoriam A.H.H.. “‘Tis better to have loved and lost / Than never to have loved at all”
Holly Humberstone hits the road in March to play intimate songs in intimate venues around the UK ahead of the Launch of ‘Cruel World’.
Listen to ‘To Love Somebody‘ here:
Catch Holly Humberstone at the following:
29 March 2026 — Old Fruit Market, Glasgow, UK
30 March 2026 — New Century Hall, Manchester, UK SOLD OUT
01 April 2026 — Electric, Bristol, UK SOLD OUT
02 April 2026 — Shepherd’s Bush Empire, London, UK SOLD OUT
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