WHO

Photo by Lilly Creightmore

BELLS, led by multi-disciplinary artist Kandice Holmes, expands from solo performance to a sprawling psychedelic-folk and experimental ensemble, based between London and Greek Island Lesvos. Kandice’s prophetic lyricism takes inspiration from the wisdom and poetry of the Psalms, with songs that speak of hope despite the circumstance. Her first release came in February 2020 as a collaboration with friends Kikagaku Moyo, covering the traditional folk song ‘Gypsy Davey’ released by Sub Pop.

The name is at once a nod to the traditional Irish pub ‘The Sandy Bells’ in Edinburgh, where Kandice’s love for folk music began, while also symbolic of her desire for their music to ring out for justice, peace, call people together, and raise up praise, as they draw from the rich textures of church history; from impassioned acapella-drone songs to medieval-inspired compositions.

Another songwriting catalyst came by way of PJ Harvey’s approach of living with and documenting communities first-hand, as with album ‘The Hope Six Demolition Project’, which stirred Kandice’s curiosity to travel and create as a means to serve.

Back in 2016, being briefly drawn to the Berlin and LA art scene, she unraveled from City life to gain new perspectives in the Mojave desert. There, she lived among 11 others in an off-grid community near Joshua Tree. They cared for the land, an array of animals; peacocks, pheasants, abandoned dogs, and grew crops. It’s here she began to see another way is possible, as a rich expression of living in harmony with each other and the land emerged, infusing songs like ‘Sanctuary’ and sparking further Spirit-led adventures…

For over a year her home has been Greek Island Lesvos, a complex place stuck in a justice crisis.

Living in a remote village has opened the opportunity to love her neighbours practically, creatively and through prayer, who daily endure insufferable circumstances while seeking asylum and refuge. Her song ‘No Borders on the Soul’ is a clarion call for the rights of humane migration, which she had the privilege to sing at a vigil for the volunteers on trial in the #FreeHumanitarian campaign - “There are no borders on the soul, it is a truth we all must hold, denial leaves a human hole, the right of all people to find home”.

This period of rural incubation is soon making way for a return to the city, ushering in live shows that create space for reflection and meaningful connection, even transformation.