Shelley Segal To Release HOLY EP 3/8

California via Australia's Shelley Segal is set to release her six-song EP, HOLY, in March. Segal's Americana-tinged latest tackles homesickness ("Already Gone"), religion and leaving the strict Jewish upbringing of her youth ("Holy Man"), a true crime story a murder/suicide ("San Antonio"), national tribalism ("Blood"), love and life partnership ("Here") and consent in the time of #MeToo ("No".) Segal will tour North America this spring with stops in Arizona, Florida, Nashville and Philadelphia amongst others.

"Blood" - the first track from HOLY premiered on Americana Highways who cheer, "the song takes pace over urgent dark rhythms, as it asks fundamental questions: "how can something that flows through our veins be used to divide?" The music guides your heartbeat as it demonstrates the unifying humanity underneath perceived divisions."

Listen to "Blood" and check out the premiere here!

After leaving the Judaism of her youth with its strict rules and regulations and contemplating those implications as an adult, Segal sets the tone of her EP with its title: HOLY. "For me this is a very empowering declaration to make. I grew up in a religious community and synagogue where what is HOLY is dictated by others. It has been dictated for centuries by men," Segal explains.

"This way of seeing and living in the world is not for me. Only I get to decide what is Holy for me, what is sacred for me. I believe that is up to each of us to decide for ourselves. And by calling my experiences and my stories HOLY, by calling myself HOLY, by calling my voice HOLY, my voice which is not allowed in my synagogue to be heard unaccompanied, through this I elevate myself. I elevate and honor my femaleness and my humanity. I hope to inspire others to question what is truly HOLY for

themselves."

The EP opens with the sorrowful "Already Gone," a soft, wistful song written after Segal returned to Los Angeles from a visit to her hometown of Melbourne, Australia. "I'm longing for a place that's already been... take me back where I belong." Immediately following is the honky-tonk stomp of "Holy Man," addressing many of the religious ideologies that Segal was raised with and now rejects. She asks, "what makes a holy man? What does he decree?"

"San Antonio" is a true story written about an acquaintance who violently killed his wife and then himself while his children were at school. "A nearby friend went round to their house and started live streaming. We all saw the police cars blocking the street at both ends. We saw the SWAT van. Finally we watched in real time as the police chief came to speak to the press, letting us know about the horrific tragedy that had been carried out, naming the murder weapon as a handgun. It was completely surreal watching this all happen online, sharing the horror of his friends and family. I then watched as the thread descended into raw and furious debates about gun violence, mental illness, domestic abuse, feminism and the politicalizing of tragedy. I sat in my bathroom for the rest of the day writing the song."

"Blood" is a driving, folk rock tune focused on tribalism and Segal's experience moving to the United States at a time when the country was deeply divided due to the 2016 presidential campaign. "Here" is a sweet, Americana ode to Segal's life partner and "No" is a straight ahead rocker about sexual consent in the era of #MeToo.

HOLY was produced by Askold Buk who also plays lead guitar and co-wrote "Here," "Holy Man" and "No" with Segal. Buk is based in NYC and is a frequent collaborator of Segal's - he is also a former editor of Guitar World Magazine. Paul Frasier (David Byrne, Shawn Colvin, St. Vincent, Bonnie Raitt) plays bass and lends his voice for backing vocals and harmonies.

Shelley Segal will embark on a North American tour this spring in support of HOLY.

Don't Miss Shelley Segal on Tour This Spring!

JAN 31 Los Angeles, CA Hotel Café * supporting Radney Foster

FEB 2 Mesa, AZ HSGP Community Center

FEB 4 Tucson, AZ House of Bards

FEB 6 Amarillo, TX IC Gallery

FEB 13 Arlington, TX J Gilligan

FEB 14 Austin, TX Chateau Bellvue

FEB 20 New Orleans, LA The Pinchurch

FEB 24 Tallahassee, FL House Concert

FEB 28 Ft. Lauderdale, FL 3030 Ocean

MAR 1 Miami, FL Mr. Wright's Goldigger Saloon

MAR 2 Ft. Lauderdale, FL Sea Level Restaurant - Ocean Bar

MAR 12 Raleigh, NC The Pour House Music Hall *

MAR 16 Philadelphia, PA House Concert (closed to the public)

MAR 17 Meridan, CT First Unitarian Church of Meridan

APR 7 Nashville, TN Bluebird Café Writers Night

APR 9 Madison, WI Communication - Fierce Females Songwriters Circle

APR 15 Boulder, CO The Laughing Goat

* supporting Clark Beckham

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