Ten years as an independent artist, and Låpsley has more to reflect on than most. She saw a rapid rise to fame as a teenager, with debut album Long Way Home producing instant-classics in the likes of ‘Hurt Me’ and ‘Operator’. Its followup, Through Water, marked Låpsley’s shift towards a more confident, conscious artist: despite dropping days before the UK’s first lockdown, it proudly asserted Holly’s queer identity and won an award for its engagement with climate issues. In 2023 Låpsley returned with third album Cautionary Tales of Youth, chronicling such turbulent coming-of-age experiences in her most cathartic, eclectic work thus far. Her love of Pop also found a natural outlet as a songwriter for others (Holly secured her first platinum disc for the hit single ‘Out Out’ and has recent collaborations ranging from Barry Can’t Swim or hotly-tipped UK girl-band Say Now to Paloma Faith).

At 27 years old, today Låpsley is that still-rare thing in the mainstream: an artist determined to use their platform to make a difference. Outspoken on topics ranging from politics and the queer kink scene to mental health, sustainability, and a decade of music industry chaos, she approaches her craft and her culture with unusual clarity. It’s the sort of lived-experience that makes A Guilty Heart Can Never Rest a compelling but, ultimately, liberating listen, and leaves the door wide open for new music from Låpsley to follow.

‍