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Holly Hebe wanted her new project Mood Ring to stretch far beyond the music. \u201cI really like consuming EPs and albums that aren\u2019t just isolated to one medium,\u201d she says over Zoom. \u201cWhen I was putting together the concepts for this EP, I wanted it to be this whole world. \u201d<\/p>\n
When she heads out on a national tour this month, the Melbourne pop artist will even bring her own range of mood rings in tow. \u201cI\u2019ve got these little booklets I\u2019ve made because I think the most nostalgic thing about a mood ring is that little paper slip you get that has all the colours and emotions,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n
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With her poignant songwriting and tender vocals, Holly Hebe has become one of Australia\u2019s strongest pop artists.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve made my own Hebe-ified version of that with all the songs that\u2019ll come with the mood rings that people buy, which I\u2019m really excited about because I think it gives the songs a little bit more context.\u201d For those playing at home, her track Nineteen is the colour green while Babypickyourphoneup is purple.<\/p>\n
Built out further through music videos and social media moments \u2013 she also released a tattoo flash sheet<\/a> for the EP \u2013 Mood Ring\u2019s world is vast and inviting. Across its seven songs, Hebe explores feelings of euphoria and heartbreak that appear during young adulthood, with her poignant songwriting and tender vocals at the fore.<\/p>\n Swimsuit is shimmering and propulsive, while the comparatively unpolished Maybe I\u2019m Growing leans on raw acoustic guitar and Hebe\u2019s crystalline vocals. Her strongest musical offering to date, Mood Ring is set to act as a salve for many a broken heart \u2013 including her own.<\/p>\n \u201cMy deepest, darkest feelings are in some of these songs, and there\u2019s no way I would vocalise those if I was to properly say them verbatim,\u201d Hebe admits.<\/p>\n Now regarded as one of Australia\u2019s strongest pop artists, Hebe has come a long way since growing up on the Mornington Peninsula where she took piano lessons throughout her school years. After a string of pandemic-era singles, her 2022 EP Party Mix gave a glimpse of her songwriting potential and her 2024 EP Ruby (named after her pet dog) reached straight for the heartstrings. Ruby\u2019s highlight Bottle Blonde, a gentle ode to the identity crises present within young adulthood, held its potency in its restraint.<\/p>\n Hebe\u2019s relationship with the piano has ebbed and flowed in the years since, but \u2013 following a recent stint in the US (including showcasing at SXSW Austin) \u2013 she\u2019s spending more time focusing on her production and her first instrument. \u201cI\u2019ve been getting back into it and trying to find new and weird ways to produce that sound,\u201d she says. \u201cI\u2019ve been buying a lot of new plug-ins and diving really nerdily into the production space. I\u2019m excited to start pairing that with the songwriting I\u2019ve been doing and seeing where I can stretch that. I think it\u2019s a really exciting time of experimentation.\u201d<\/p>\n If you search for Hebe on Instagram, not only will you find her own account but a range of fan accounts, too. It may be a common occurrence for overseas pop artists but the fandom she\u2019s created around herself stands out in Australia, and it\u2019s something she\u2019s particularly proud of fostering. \u201cIt feels healing for me in a way,\u201d she says of her fan interactions, especially with younger girls. \u201cI just feel so grateful for their support. They fully drive the industry here.\u201d<\/p>\n Certain aspects of the local music scene are less wholesome. As someone who requires a cane in her own life, Hebe is bemused by a trend that\u2019s become a common sight at Australian music festivals: attendees using walking canes as a fashion accessory. She notes that it\u2019s made it more difficult for people like herself to use them confidently.<\/p>\n Related Article \u201cWhen I played Beyond the Valley festival a couple of years ago, I was noticing canes and it was just as I was starting to use my cane a little bit more. It was weird to witness because I was seeing a lot of people using canes for reasons that I wouldn\u2019t be using mine for,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n \u201cIt made me feel like I had to try and hide the fact that I needed to use a cane. It set back my confidence a little bit in wanting to accept help in that way. But I\u2019m lucky that I have great team members around me and amazing friends who have really encouraged me to just do what\u2019s best for me, and it has been so life-changing using my cane when I really need it.\u201d<\/p>\n When you live the fast life of a burgeoning pop star, sometimes having a comparatively slower-moving interest to ground you keeps things in perspective. I\u2019ve been given the tip that Hebe\u2019s an avid fan of cricket, which she confirms. \u201cThere\u2019s something sacred about sitting in front of the TV for five days and watching a chess match,\u201d she says. And if you were wondering what she bowls? Leg spin, she says. Some people really have good taste in all areas of life.<\/p>\n Holly Hebe\u2019s Mood Ring is out now. Her national tour includes shows at Sydney\u2019s Metro Social on July 24 and Melbourne\u2019s Espy Gershwin on August 8.<\/p>\n Make the most of your health, relationships, fitness and nutrition with our Live Well newsletter. Get it in your inbox<\/a> every Monday.<\/p>\n Save<\/p>\n You have reached your maximum number of saved items.<\/p>\n Remove items from your saved list<\/a> to add more.<\/p>\n From our partners![\"Abrams,](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/c1b398a2f6391f563d50ee5d8a22e9ec8fb2ffae.jpeg\")
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