

Inspired by human connection, perseverance, and diversity, Holly Freeling writes music and lyrics in her studio in Los Angeles, California, to instill a deeper understanding of life, social systems and the universe around us.
Freeling’s personal hardships as well as her experience as a psychotherapist influence her art; exploring the exchange between the pseudo self we present to the world, and the authentic self that hungers for expression and acceptance. Her songs combine electro-alternative, artpop and avant-garde sensibilities along with stories of perseverance to produce multilayered records that leave listeners inspired.
Songwriters can often be therapists, teachers and mentors, as they were for Holly growing up. When working our way up from the bottom, it is often helpful to seek out messages that inspire us to shatter the glass ceiling that someone else has manufactured—challenging the culturally constructed, often impossible, standards that keep us distracted from the more important work of growth and changing the world to a more just and fair place. Music helped Holly make sense of the world and her inner life, and songwriting is a way for her to share what she’s learned with more people than she could possibly do in her psychotherapy practice alone.
Holly has dual degrees from Heidelberg University in music and psychology, and holds masters of arts degrees in Art Therapy and Marriage and Family Therapy. She is the founder of the Upper Arlington Music Academy in Columbus, Ohio, which is still running today, under the direction of Salina Fruth Pabon.
“It’s hard to be a human,” says Freeling. “Music is a catalyst that can help us make sense of the emotional landscape that comes with being a sentient creature. Welcoming the wholeness of a person—in their raw, vulnerable and genuine states—can lead to greater understanding and empathy for others.”