A British singer-songwriter, Holly Humberstone released her much-anticipated second album Cruel World this week.

Quickly rising into mainstream popularity after her 2020 EP Falling Asleep at the Wheel  and her 2023 debut studio album Paint My Bedroom Black, Humberstone had high expectations to fulfil with her latest release, and if anything, she has excelled far beyond them.

When drawing comparisons to PMBB, which focuses on teenage chaos and angst, CW presents a more reflective and mature version of the artist as she tries to navigate adulthood, love, and being a young woman in the music industry. Whilst still maintaining an underlying tone of raw emotion with lines such as “I click my heels and wish for home, but I'm too young, too sad, too numb to give a damn” (Beauty Pageant), there is a more optimistic message produced by the album in its entirety.

To me, Cruel World is about trying to stay hopeful and optimistic even when everything in the world feels uncertain. It's about feeling every emotion to its maximum, but still choosing to get up each day and try again. I think this theming is most prevalent in what is most likely my favourite track on the album, To Love Somebody. Lyricism such as “it all works out, it always does” and “to lose somebody is to know you're only human” gives a clear message of hope, both to herself and her mostly teenage fanbase.

A memory I will always treasure is being lucky enough to see Holly Humberstone back in 2024, when she opened for Taylor Swift at The Eras Tour. In the days before the show, I lived and breathed Holly's music, specifically Down Swinging, a song which discusses resilience and refusing to give up. Witnessing her sing DS live at Wembley Stadium, I felt an incredible amount of pride for her and her accomplishments. Honestly, every time she releases music or hits another milestone, I truly am proud of her.

I cannot wait to continue to see her grow and, one day, headline Wembley herself.