HORSHAM MUSICIAN HOLLIE ROGERS

 

Hollie Rogers releases her new album, Everything’s Fine, on 5 June. The record is the most ambitious yet by the Horsham  singer/songwriter, featuring the Budapest Symphony Orchestra and a track co-written by Grammy winner Beth Nielsen Chapman. AAH met Hollie at Johansson’s Café as she prepares for the launch party…

Tell us about Everything’s Fine…

I really wanted to go for it with this record. I stopped teaching full-time in 2016 to focus solely on music and – in the decade since – have learned a lot about what works and what doesn’t. I know there’s no linear path to success; you can’t do X, Y and Z and expect to things to happen. So, with my new album, I wanted to throw everything at it so that when I’m 80, I can look back and say that – whatever happens – I gave it everything.  I have ensured it’s professionally produced and well marketed. I launched a Crowdfunding campaign which raised £13,000, so I’m hugely grateful for the support I’ve received. This means I was able to record songs with great musicians, while the vocals were engineered by five-time Grammy-nominated producer James McMillan, who has worked with the likes of Whitney Houston and Raye.

What’s the feel of the album?

Some songs have been in development for several years. One was even considered for my last record, Criminal Heart, but didn’t suit its darker, introspective themes. My songs are always personal, but I feel Everything’s Fine is more light-hearted. When you’re young and experiencing love or pain for the first time, emotions are keenly felt. As you become older – perhaps a little jaded – you become more reflective. The album’s title is sarcastic, in that reflects how we try to hold it together while things fall apart around us. But it reflects who I am at this moment in time.

It’s a few years since your last record…

Criminal Heart was released in 2022 with a sell-out launch show at The Capitol. At that time, although I wasn’t teaching full-time, I was regularly covering classes at Heron Way School. I remember nervously pacing the dressing room before the show and hearing lots of young voices in the theatre. After the first song, the children shouted, “We love you, Miss Rogers!” That was wonderful, although I had to be careful not to swear!

You’re not launching your new record in Horsham though…

I would have launched it at The Capitol, but it’s closed. I have played The Harlington in Fleet before, so know it’s the ideal size with great acoustics and lighting. I also feel I’ve progressed over recent years, in terms of my musical journey. Having played venues across the UK, I’ve grown my fan-base. Although I still have great support in Horsham, I can attract reasonable crowds elsewhere too. There are still enough people who support original live music and so I’ve slowly grown a small fan-base through word-of-mouth. At my current rate of progress, I’ll be playing Wembley Stadium in a few hundred years’ time!

The first single, Spaceman, features incredible orchestration…

I was fortunate in that I was able to work with the Budapest Symphony Orchestra on Spaceman. Normally, it wouldn’t have been affordable. However, the orchestra had been booked by the studio for several days, with short sessions organised for various artists. There was a lot of work done beforehand to arrange Spaceman for the orchestra. As I can’t read music, I was literally humming the tune I wanted for different sections of the orchestra and through trial and error – and the talents of an arranger – we got it right. As soon as the orchestra started playing, I burst into tears. They elevated the track to another level. 

It also includes several co-written tracks…

About half of the songs on Everything’s Fine are co-written, which is new for me. When I write, it’s often late at night when emotions are raw. Singing somebody else’s words can be fun, but it’s perhaps not as cathartic and I don’t always connect with the lyrics. Those I’ve recorded are tracks that resonated and the variety they offer is representative of where I am, as a musician. 

There is one notable co-writing credit…

I was on a songwriting camp hosted by Chris Difford (Squeeze), with musicians invited from all over the world. He loves to mix up groups to inspire ideas, so they’re great networking events. I was in a group with acclaimed blues and roots artist Elles Bailey and Grammy winner Beth Nielsen Chapman, who has been inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. We talked about our lives as independent women, which inspired a song, Everything’s Fine. It has a touch of humour, which is reflected in the lyrics (There’s a bagel in the fishbowl, Goldie’s gonna drown; I can’t control my children; and my house is burning down; But Everything’s Fine). I went on to record the song, with Elles and Beth providing backing vocals. 

Has it been well received?

It was named Classic Rock Magazine’s ‘Track Of The Week’ and was added to Spotify’s Editorial ‘Blues Roots’ playlist with 1.1m followers. It certainly helped having these two great artists on the track, as it’s unlikely it would have been put on an editorial playlist otherwise, and has helped me increase my own monthly listeners to 27,000. By the time the album is out, I will have released four singles, also including Spaceman, Some Kinda Lover and Bad Woman.  

You like to record with a full band…    

Although I occasionally perform acoustic sets or as a duo with a keyboardist, I love performing with a full band and write most of my songs with them in mind, with electric guitar, drums, bass, keys, and me on acoustic guitar. While some tracks suit a stripped-back sound, I often incorporate guitar solos or drum-breaks, reflecting my blues and roots influences. My bassist and co-producer, Stefan Redtenbacher, loves funk music and often gives me great ideas for individual parts. We’ve worked together for years and when it comes to musical direction, our ideas align. 

Do you think the current country music boom will help you?

Country music is becoming popular, to the point that I’ve seen British singers putting on American accents. I’ve never felt that I belonged to one particular genre, which can be a curse. I’ve met country music fans who think I’m rooted in blues, and blues fans who say I’m a country singer! This works against me on Spotify, which generates genre-specific playlists. However, these songs are my own and I wouldn’t feel comfortable pretending to be someone or something that I’m not.

You’re not currently signed with a label?

A&R representatives used to scour the country seeking out talent, but they don’t need to anymore. They just look at social media and work with acts with lots of followers. Why take a financial risk in investing in someone when you can work with somebody who already has tens of thousands of followers? For that reason, it’s perhaps no coincidence that a lot of emerging artists are very attractive. Social media is a double-edged sword, as it’s essential when promoting your music, but I hate having to post things at certain times. I’ll be out with friends and suddenly have to stop and post a picture of what I’m eating. It’s the pits, but I do want to do everything properly this time around and that’s all part of it.

What are your hopes for the record?

When I started out in 2016, I wanted to sign to a label and play big venues. I have re-framed what success looks like. I’m happy doing what I’m doing. I’m paying my bills by performing live and selling records on CD and vinyl. I feel like I’ve made it, to some degree, in that I’m enjoying life. There is a chance that the record could make the Official UK Charts, based on pre-orders and launch night sales, which would be an achievement as an independent act. That would be lovely. 

Further information: Hollie’s album launch is at The Harlington, Fleet, on 7 June, with a full-band show planned for Cranleigh Arts Centre on 13 November. You can find Hollie on Spotify. For a snapshot of her music, AAH recommends readers to check out the videos for Some Kinda Lover and Spaceman and YouTube. Everything’s Fine is out on 5 June. To purchase, visit: www.hollierogers.com/store

Published 1st June 2026. Interview: Ben Morris/ Photos: Scott Chalmers