The Emotive Neo-Soul Sound Behind Jed Holland's 'Shelter'

Singer/songwriter Jed Holland returns with his new single ‘Shelter’, teasing the release of his upcoming debut EP 'No More Talking'. Accompanying his soft, emotive vocals with neo-soul production as well as a range of instruments, listeners are introduced to Jed’s soulful sound.

His upbringing in rural Essex always felt the presence of music, with the artist expressing a passion for creative arts from a young age. Being immersed in the folk sounds of Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan and Nick Cave was part of the catalyst for his interest: at age six, he had begun learning the violin and was writing his own songs at age 13. ‘Music was always a really big part of life in our house’, Jed explains.

Speaking on the subject matter behind ‘Shelter’, Jed details how the song was written six years ago during his time at the University of Leeds ‘during periods where I felt particularly anxious or unstable in my mood.

My natural self-protection response when I felt like this would often be to shut myself away from others.’ Consequently, he acknowledges that this perpetuated the cycle of feeling lonely and enhanced his willingness to break the pattern.

The introspection and soulful feeling behind the song speak to Jed’s self-awareness and ability to express his feelings during the period of time in which it was written. With haunting melodies that merge neo-soul with folk, similar to that of James Blake, fans of Jordan Rakei and Chet Faker would certainly appreciate Jed’s unique sound.

Jed Holland’s EP No More Talking is scheduled for release in early 2024.