Zandi Holup at Indianapolis’s Hi-Fi.

Zandi Holup

Indianapolis's Hi-Fi venue, amidst a rescheduled Willow Avalon performance, featured Zandi Holup as the opening act. Holup, whose songwriting has garnered increasing attention, presented a set prioritizing lyrical connection with her audience. In a post-show interview, she articulated her artistic philosophy, emphasizing listener autonomy in interpreting her work. "It is recording perfect," she said, before getting into the interview.

"Well I think that songwriting is kind of special because people can really make their own story based on your song," Holup stated, addressing the question of narrative within her music. "I don't really necessarily want anyone to tell a story per se other than their own in relation to any of my songs. So I just kind of want them to connect themselves. That's kind of the story I'd like to tell I guess how they can connect themselves to a story." This approach, she explained, shifts the focus from prescribed narrative to individual resonance, positioning her songs as prompts for personal reflection.

Zandi Holup

Holup's emphasis on lyrical depth is rooted in her family's background in country and folk music. "Well um both my father and my aunt and she they write traditional country folk type music and I think it definitely shaped the way I wrote songs just because of their influences and kind of having them passed on to me it made me really really care about lyrics," she said. "Lyrics are the number one for me and I think everybody kind of writes with a different thing in mind but I always start out mostly with more of like a poetic metaphorical lyric." This familial influence has fostered a commitment to “poetic metaphorical lyric” as a central component of her songwriting.

The artist attributed her continued drive to create to audience connection. "Well something that really has inspired me to um I guess just keep putting myself out there was once I started sharing my music on the internet and realizing that there were people that really connected to it," Holup shared. "I think a lot of the time when you're writing songs you start out writing for yourself and now I feel like I write them for other people because it gives me joy to know that other people are relating to the stories so I think just yeah knowing that there's people out there that Karen I have to say makes me want to keep saying something you know?" This shift from personal expression to audience engagement highlights a key aspect of her artistic approach.

Zandi Holup

Holup’s journey to this point has been defined by a series of unconventional choices. She bypassed traditional higher education, and chose to move to Nashville, a decision she describes as a God given calling. Holup has said that risk taking is all about perspective, and that not taking a risk, is a risk in itself, to never be fulfilled. She has been writing songs since she was 12, and has been performing from a very young age. She has built a large following online, and attributes her success to hard work, and dedication to her fans.

Holup's interview revealed a clear dedication to creating music that facilitates individual interpretation. Her avoidance of prescriptive narratives and her focus on lyrical connection suggest an artist intent on fostering audience engagement through relatable storytelling. The Hi-Fi performance offered a platform for Holup's approach, presenting her music as a tool for personal connection within a live setting. During her set, Zandi Holup demonstrated a compelling ability to connect with her audience. Her performance was marked by an intimate exchange, with long-time fans singing along to her deeply personal lyrics. The room resonated with their collective voices, a testament to the emotional connection Holup fosters through her songwriting. At one point, a large young admirer in the back of the room professed his admiration, a spontaneous moment that underscored the genuine rapport she established with her listeners. Holup’s stage presence, coupled with the raw honesty of her music, created an environment where audience participation felt less like a performance and more like a shared experience.

Zandi Holup