Her music and her ability to express these things in melody and easy flowing lyrics was outstanding. People laughed, became silent and reflective, they understood her empathy for life situations and entered into her music and her narrative in between the songs. You had the feeling that whenever Hollie Smith repeated a song, it would be different – adding and moving the melody and even some of the lyrics each time.
The Monkey House was packed with a very appreciative audience for this amazing artist. Hollie is actually a painter as well as a nationally acclaimed soul music performer and one of the best. The concert was a part of Hollie’s ‘Bones’ Tour of New Zealand and Whitianga was her first night of the tour. So well done to the artist and the Monkey House! To have Hollie for Matariki was a coup!
