Holly Hebe continues to edge out from cult favourite to genuine breakout with the release of her new single ‘Swimsuit’. The Melbourne artist, long admired for piano-led melodies and precise lyricism, sharpens her pop instincts here without sacrificing the intimacy that first drew attention to her work.
‘Swimsuit’ leans into a Y2K pool-party aesthetic — high school crushes, summer flirtation, the glow before the fallout. It’s bright on the surface, buoyed by layered vocals and a driving beat, but threaded with the quiet awareness that desire rarely arrives without consequence. “It’s an upbeat take on impending heartbreak,” Hebe explains, describing the track as an exercise in simplicity and immediacy. Written and produced with Ethan in a single day, the song’s clean construction gives space to its staccato verses and understated tension.
The release arrives at a moment of visible momentum. Backseat Mafia recently saw Hebe supporting Rainbow Kitten Surprise on their national tour, where her poised stage presence and emotional clarity translated convincingly in larger rooms. She is set to continue that trajectory with upcoming support dates for Vera Blue at Taronga Zoo.
Radio support has followed steadily, with triple j first plays and playlist additions across Unearthed and major DSP editorial placements. Previous singles such as ‘Ultra Love’ and ‘Snap Out of It!’ established her as a writer capable of balancing vulnerability and sharp pop framing, while live appearances at festivals including Beyond the Valley, NYE on the Hill and SXSW further broadened her reach.
Comparisons to Oklou, Clairo and Mallrat sit loosely around her work, but Hebe’s voice remains distinct — shaped by a rural seaside upbringing and a knack for pairing nostalgia with forward motion. Across streaming platforms she has surpassed 3.5 million plays, though ‘Swimsuit’ feels less like a statistical milestone and more like a recalibration.
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