The London artist talked about Fifth Sister Swap Shop, her new EP and more.

Holly Humberstone's merchandise booth at The Roxy Theatre in Los Angeles looked slightly different from usual. This was the first stop of her US tour in early October. Surrounding the London singer-songwriter’s black graphic T-shirt and patch is a series of casual clothing and accessories: a pair of camouflage pants, a trucker hat, a few T-shirts with cats, and other artists’ merchandise, such as Rock boy and Bon Jovi. The hodgepodge of second-hand items is part of Humberstone’s Fifth Sister Swap Shop, which she launched in September 2020 with the goal of connecting with fans during the lock-up period.

"I found that I was doing a lot of different shootings or interviews, and I needed to put on new clothes for all these people. But it is meaningless to get a piece of clothing, and then wear it for something, and then never wear it again. ," Humberstone recalled. "I just think this is a very good way for me to get the new clothes I need. Then, two, interact with my fans and have some kind of system, we can all have a new Items, but you don’t have to go out and buy a fresh new dress."

The name Fifth Sister Swap Shop was inspired by the three sisters of Humberstone and their collective wardrobe. "We share everything, and we like sustainable shopping," she added. “Almost all of my clothes are purchased from eBay or charity stores.” She raised the idea on social media and posted photos of items she was willing to trade on her Instagram. After getting some quotes through DM, Humberstone will pick her favorite items. Her first exchange was a zippered black hoodie with a dragon, and she exchanged a large and loose white hoodie with a fan from Italy.

"I wore it in several interviews afterwards," Humberstone recalled. "I have exchanged many times with different people from all over the world." Once she starts performing live again in London around August 2021, she will hold the fifth sister exchange outside the venue-car trunk sales style. Now she has brought it to the United States, and this store coexists with her own merchandise. But what is more special than the black cat T-shirt with bat wings you grabbed at Humberstone's first Los Angeles show? Or, in typical Los Angeles fashion, Ed Hardy's hoodie.

“It’s too weird for me, I can connect with people here, and there are actual people who are willing to pay to see me,” Humberstone said of the tour in the United States. “It’s really very similar. A strange concept, I may not have thought about it yet. But I love it. Everyone here is very cute."

Humberstone grew up in a small British town called Grantham, and she gained early attention during the 2019 Glastonbury "BBC Introducing" performance. At the beginning of 2020, her first two songs-"Deep End" and "Falling Asleep At The Wheel"-became an instant hit and compared with artists such as Phoebe Bridgers and Lorde. With the timing of her success, Humberstone joined a special group of artists who experienced their breakthrough moments at home and online. Even the debut performance may be pre-recorded or completed without an actual live audience.

"When I released my first song, we were blocked in the UK for about a month, so when I had music, I didn't really experience a lot of [live performance]," Humberstone said. "I think I have always been lucky...because I can still work from home, I can still release music, I have work and I am very busy." She later gave up her first EP Falling Asleep At The Wheel in August 2020, " The New York Times described it as a "fascinating thing", "full of haunted pianos and dry indie rock guitars."

Now, Humberstone is preparing to release her six sophomore EPs called The Walls Are Way Too Thin on November 12, and plans to return to the United States in the spring of 2022 to tour with the girls in red. "I think the first EP and the second EP are very specific time frames for me. They are a bit like time capsules," Humberstone said. Falling asleep on wheels, capturing the memories of growing up in her childhood home, the walls are too thin, reflecting the next transitional stage in her life.

"I left home, and then I lived in London alone. I don’t have friends and family by my side, and I don’t know the area at all. This is just a very strange intermediate stage in my life. I think many people might resonate. She explained. "Between being a child and feeling a bit immature; you are not really ready to take on the many responsibilities that come with early adulthood."

The relevance of Humberstone's work is what attracts her fans the most. In The Roxy's performance, she will introduce each song with some short descriptions-when your best friend is dating a very bad man, or helping a relative who is going through a difficult time. With every cue, the crowd will cheer in anticipation, know exactly what Humberstone will perform next, and sing every word along with it.

"I feel very lucky and excited," Humberstone reflected. "And it's inspiring to see people singing these words. Even if it's just in a room full of people who are happy to be there, it's great."

Holly Humberstone's sophomore EP The Walls Are Way Too Thin will be released on Friday, November 12.