Q&A: Holden McRae Steps Onto Your Radar with "to forgive"
LIKE A REAL LIFE TROY BOLTON - Holden McRae is brimming with many talents that showcase that he’s a jack of many trades. In both the music world as well as athletics, McRae proves to pour equal passion into all of his interests. Drawing inspiration from Lauv and Julia Michaels, McRae has chosen to include his vulnerability and honesty in his songwriting.
As a listener, you can hear this in his new single, “to forgive,” which he released late summer. In this track, he talks about loving with every ounce of his being, so that the person he dedicates this song to shouldn’t be scared to give in and accept his love. McRae took the aspect of falling for someone, which can sometimes be scary, and turned it into a heartfelt, modern ballad that flows effortlessly. With his new release, I’m sure we can expect the same genuine vibes from Holden McRae himself.
Read below to meet Holden McRae himself, and learn all about his creative process, what it’s like going to USC, and some of his other talents. Make sure to listen to McRae’s new single, “to forgive”, and stay tuned for his upcoming EP.
LUNA: Thank you so much for your time! For starters, can you share with us how you’re feeling about your upcoming song and EP release?
MCRAE: Thank you so much for taking the time to talk to me! I’m super stoked for this next single and the upcoming EP. It’s super gratifying to have written so many songs over the years and finally see some of them come out. For this single in particular, I went back and forth a lot about which song I wanted to come out next, but I couldn’t be happier with my choice.
LUNA: Were there any major influences that clearly stand out on your new track?
MCRAE: Yes, definitely. I’ve been working with a producer who is also in an indie rock band so I got inspired to make my own take on an indie rock/pop tune with hard hitting drums and distorted electric guitars. I’ve been listening to a lot of Lauv and Julia Micheals as well so they definitely inspired me melodically (which I think is more apparent in the verses). The idea that inspired me to write the song is a pretty funny story actually. A few different people had previously written songs about my girlfriend but no one mentioned her by name so I wanted to be the first hahaha.
LUNA: Would you say the university you study at has had some sort of impact on yourself as an artist? Any particular classes that steered you in the direction you hope to be as a musician?
MCRAE: Being in this environment has definitely helped me develop as an artist for sure. Even though the classes have been very helpful, more than anything, being able to meet and collaborate with so many talented people with unique abilities and perspectives has been the most valuable aspect of the USC community for me.
LUNA: When it comes to songwriting, what would you say you mostly resonate with and feel comfortable writing about?
MCRAE: When writing, I feel like I definitely get the most out of the songs that stem from personal experience. I have never really felt uncomfortable with discussing my personal life and there’s nothing more satisfying to me than finding a way to put my real experiences and feelings into songs.
LUNA: What kind of audience do you hope to reach out to with your particular sound?
MCRAE: I think my target audience has always felt like people around my age but if my music mostly resonated with a different group of people then I’d of course accept their support and be just as happy.
LUNA: How do you feel about your first ever single, “to forgive,” being out in the world?
MCRAE: I feel really great about having that song out. I’ve been waiting for so long to release music and I’m really happy that “to forgive” ended up being my first single. I had so much fun making it, and over the course of that time I developed a really great relationship with my producer.
LUNA: Pretty deep question, but what is something, as an artist, that you want to leave behind and impact people with?
MCRAE: I simply wanna leave a positive impact on the people that hear my music, regardless of how significant. If my music resonated with someone so much as to change their life in any way or speak to them on a personal level, then that would be amazing. I also recognize that while I love when my songs carry more significant messages and explore deeper feelings, not every song will be as moving. If people want to listen to my songs solely because they enjoy them or because listening puts them in a good mood, then I’m ok with that being my music’s only effect on them.
LUNA: We’ve heard you’ve got a knack for cooking, what’s a dish you love creating that makes you feel the most fulfilled and rewarded by making?
MCRAE: Hahaha yeah I love cooking almost as much (if not just as much) as I enjoy making music. One dish that I love making is ricotta gnocchi with short rib ragu. There is something about making everything from scratch that I find extremely calming and satisfying. Ideally, I let the short rib ragu sit in the fridge for a day or two so that the flavor intensifies. Even though creating the sauce is largely a hands off process, the level of care and intention that goes into making that dish always gives me something to feel proud of.
LUNA: What are you most excited about doing before 2021 is over? And what do you hope to start for 2022?
MCRAE: As far as the rest of the year goes, I’m really excited to put out this next single and play some more live shows! I’m doing a couple of gigs by school that should be a lot of fun and I’m just excited to gear up for the holidays and for the new year. I’m looking forward to 2022 as a year with lots of shows and lots of new music so stay tuned!
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