Mason Holiday came to music making a little later than many, but he quickly made up for lost time. The Chicago based singer and songwriter was already in his early thirties when he learned to play an instrument. After teaching himself piano and guitar, he eventually made his way to the stage. All the while Mason was honing his songwriting skills. He completed his first original song in September 2017. Soon he had dozens.
Born in Decatur, Illinois, Mason moved constantly as a child. He attended 12 schools from kindergarten through graduation. He says he was unable to form deep roots anywhere and felt like the, “perpetual new kid.” Songwriting has proven to be a cathartic form of self-therapy.
Holiday’s vibe is a unique fusion of old-school and new. His style is grounded in the classic sound of Soul and Pop from the 1950’s and 1960’s. However, he approaches it from a modern Indie-Folk angle. Mason lists the likes of Bill Withers, Jack Johnson, and Ray LaMontagne as inspirations. Their influence is apparent in his music, but ultimately the sound is all his own.
“Heaven” is Mason Holiday’s debut single and it is an excellent representation of the artist’s soulful, retro-yet-modern style. The tune may be familiar to regular readers. I featured it earlier this week in the Good Vibes for Trying Times Deep Indie Dive update. It’s a beautiful tune. Over an acoustic guitar driven 3/4 waltz beat, Mason’s smooth tenor delivers a love song that hearkens back to simpler times.
I love the clean, understated production on the tune. It starts simply with Mason’s guitar and cool, relaxed vocal. After about a minute he is joined by a full band. The electric piano is a really nice touch. And I love the ambient room sound of the drum kit.
The track was released on February 14th, 2020. Since then it has blown up online, with over three hundred thousand plays in its first month. Impressive, by any standard. You can check it out here, and follow the links below to connect with Mason Holiday. Stay in the loop on all of his current and future projects.