Alt-Pop Artist DEE HOLT Teams Up With CHRIS JAMES To Create a Kodak Moment on New Song + Video “Picture”
March 25, 2022 BY Jason Currell
Today, Montreal, bedroom-pop artist dee holt is heating things up with her sunny new single, “Picture,” featuring German-American songwriter-producer Chris James.The 18-year-old artist has made waves with her warm melodies and buttery vocal delivery, drawing comparisons to Billie Eilish and BENEE. Together, dee and Chris create the perfect “Kodak moment,” with fun-loving lyrics exploring the excitement of a newfound relationship. Listen to “Picture” on all digital retailers (here).
Alongside “Picture,” the Quebecoise artist is releasing a French version featuring her producer and frequent collaborator Benji Nadeau providing vocals on the bridge verse. Listen to “Picture” (French Version) on all digital retailers (here).
“It’s easy-going, summery, and fun to listen to with a deeper meaning hidden behind it,” explains dee. “It’s about opening up to someone and finally letting your guard down.”
The accompanying video opens up dee’s world to audiences, as we get a glimpse into a day in the life with dee. She shows us her favorite thrift stores, goofs off in her room, and galivants around her hometown.
“Picture” follows breakout singles “Olivia,” “Drive Around,” and “Nobody Like You”from her upcoming debut EP When I Close My Eyes due out May 5th via Nettwerk.
ABOUT DEE HOLT:
From singing to her dad’s guitar in VHS home videos and performing at family gatherings, to studying music and art in high school, dee holt’s life has been saturated with creativity from the very beginning. But despite all the external affirmation of her musical talent, she never thought about making a career out of it. As dee says, “Of course your mom’s going to tell you you can sing, right?”
It’s fitting then, that the performance that started her career wasn’t an audition or in front of a label, but an intimate gathering for her and her boyfriend’s parents to meet. When, on cue, dee’s mother suggested that she sing, dee turned to face the wall so that she could play the guitar without laughing. After she had finished, she turned around to see tears in her boyfriend’s eyes, the eyes of both his parents, and his little brother, too.
It was impossible to ignore any longer. dee doesn’t just have a good voice; she has a gift.
Leaning into uncertainty and the idea of music as more than just a hobby, dee connected with local producer Benjamin Nadeau. The two quickly formed a creative partnership that has evolved her musical style and pushed her out of personal comfort zones. With Benjamin, dee released her first two singles, “Hardest Part” and “Olivia.” dee, who is studying animation in college, directed and animated the music video for “Olivia” herself. With a musical father and a mother who paints, the project is a perfect meeting of her two artistic influences: music and art. Fittingly, and almost as a nod to that dually artistic upbringing, it’s the song that launched her into the public eye. “Olivia” landed her on Spotify’s LOREM playlist, among countless others, and the momentum didn’t stop.
“A month later people were still reaching out,” explains dee,” I had so many people commenting on the “Olivia” video. It touches you. Each and every comment I take to heart. It lets me know, ‘Hey, this could work.’”
With creative input in both the music and visual elements, the project translates that much more of dee’s singular and magnetic sensibility. “With my cover art and visuals, I like to say that it’s fully me. It’s more authentic. It pushes me to learn new things and push myself.”
ABOUT CHRIS JAMES:
Chris James is a German-American songwriter-producer based in Berlin. Picking up the guitar at an early age, he amassed a large following through his YouTube cover channel. After 4 years of being on and off various major labels in Germany, Chris decided to leave the world of advances, product managers, and A&Rs behind to become independent as an artist.
Recently co-writing RIAA Gold-certified Billboard Hot 100 #1 (and Global 200 #1) song, “Life Goes On” by BTS, Chris’ melodies have found their way into the biggest charts in the world. His track, “Not Angry,” has been gaining momentum on Chinese platform, Douyin, garnering over 1.8B+ uses of the song and entering the ‘Taiwan Viral 50’ as well as ‘Trending Hits’ on Spotify. Chris has released several songs under his own name, totaling 20MM+ streams.
DEE HOLT IN THE PRESS…
“Dee has crafted an infectious plucky guitar-driven, bedroom-pop track centred about openly admitting to her new lover that she is going to ‘fuck’ up this relationship, so if anything you might as well enjoy the ride. Dee lures you in with her delicate and vulnerable vocal tone at times reminiscent of Billie Eilish’s typical whisper-vocal delivery.” – A1234
“…keep tabs on this remarkable upcoming artist – she will be a superstar…” – Early Rising
“I think we’re fan-girling… big, big, big, fan… along that alt-pop vibe, great lyrics…” – Bops n Bangers: A GRRRL Music Podcast
“It’s hard not to hear a resemblance in tonal similarities with the great Billie Eilish – which is the highest of compliments – yet dee has her own demeanor, soaked in banter and youthful bliss… dee holt is simply Canada’s next artist to keep close tabs on in 2022.” –SHEESH Media
“Heralding from Montreal is the ascent of dee holt who contributes to the modern day new chamber pop pastoral canon… Daphné Holt’s collaborations with Benji Nadeau distill the character of pop novellas into concise and catchy compositions.” – Week In Pop
