Greg Holden is an accomplished musician with a myriad of talents, but his unending perseverance, selflessness, and sincerity stand out.
The British-raised, Los Angeles-based singer/songwriter has garnered recognition as an independent artist for the past several years and is likely best known for writing American Idol winner Phillip Phillips’ hit debut single, “Home,” which sold over five million copies in the U.S. and earned Holden an ASCAP Pop Award. His music has also been featured on notable television shows including Sons of Anarchy, Private Practice, and One Tree Hill. In addition to receiving praise from industry staples such as Cher, Tom Hanks, Josh Groban, Sara Bareilles, Michael Bublé, Zane Lowe, TIME, NPR, and more, Holden has racked up critical acclaim in the press, with BuzzFeed hailing his “soaring, purpose-filled songs that carry real emotional weight,” Paste lauding his “clear vocals” and “expressive lyrics,” and Nylon applauding his unique ability to “actually touch the lives of another person with raw, emotional lyrical poetry.”
Despite his impressive accolades, Holden nearly gave up on the music business in the early days of his career. After self-funding his Tony Berg-produced sophomore album, I Don’t Believe You (2011), the label due to release it folded, thus the promotional efforts for the record. He then went into debt during a sold-out tour of Europe, so much so that he basically called it quits while on the road. Most artists would have thrown in the towel at this juncture, but Holden persisted through these setbacks, leading to the well-deserved, massive success of “Home.” From there, he self-funded his third studio album, the critically acclaimed Chase The Sun (produced by Greg Wells, 2015), later licensing the record through Warner Brothers Records.
After nearly three years, Holden jumped back in the ring with his impressive new single, “On The Run,” produced by the iconic Butch Walker (Katy Perry, Panic! At The Disco, Weezer). The uplifting anthem is complete with catchy hooks that seamlessly mesh with Holden’s strong, heartfelt vocals. “ ‘On The Run’ is one of a few songs that was bouncing around in my head when it came to the question of what to lead with after several years on the dark side of the moon,” says Holden. “Ultimately, this song felt like the most authentic, whilst at the same time not being so typically subject heavy that I would scare my listeners away. I’ll save that for the second single...”
Additionally, Holden has not taken his success in the music industry for granted and at times has worked to prioritize philanthropy and establish his profile as a socially conscious artist. Standout track, “The Lost Boy,” (from I Don’t Believe You), inspired by a Dave Eggers’ novel about a Sudanese refugee, was the theme for a Red Cross campaign in The Netherlands that raised over $50,000 for the organization. His hit single from Chase the Sun, “Boys In The Street,” an acceptance anthem that discusses a gay son’s strained relationship with his father, directly benefited LGBTQ youth by raising money for the Everyone Is Gay organization’s 2014 fundraiser, The Gayest Compilation Ever Made II.