01. Holly Rankin on Using Your Creative Voice For Social Change.

Today’s guest is Holly Rankin an ARIA nominated artist and strategist, but you might know her best as the musician and songwriter - Jack River. The magic of Holly’s work is that she uses  the power of pop culture to make political change. 

With a track record boasting over 100 million streams, Platinum and Gold singles, and a debut album, Sugar Mountain, that garnered 3 ARIA Award nominations, Holly's impact extends far beyond the realms of music. She has collaborated with Senator David Pocock, Climate 200 and The Australian Recording Industry Association, Holly's influence resonates in the corridors of power and pop culture alike.

In 2023, Holly found her stride as new role as a mother to her daughter Maggie while passionately contributing to the referendum campaign for a Voice to Parliament with The Uluru Dialogues. Amidst it all, she managed to release her compelling album, 'Endless Summer'.

Our conversation today is set to uncover the many layers of Holly's creativity, from her sparkly, apocalyptic pop to her unwavering activism and profound ideas that shape our cultural landscape. Join us as we delve into topics of grief, navigating the music industry, and Holly's evolution into the realm of politics—a multidimensional journey that challenges norms and inspires change.

A rebel, mother, writer, musician, promoter, activist, changemaker, and a cherished friend—Holly Rankin has been a true inspiration to me over the years and I’m excited to share this captivating insight into a true visionary's mind.

In this episode you'll hear from Holly on -

- Her early days of writing and her creative upbringing
- What arises from Holly's writing practice
- The transformational impact of grief and how it has shaped Holly's world view
- Her intimate relationship with songwriting
- The story behind the track "Palo Alto"
- Breaking into the music industry
- The power of having a vision
- Holly shares her role bringing sustainability into the festival world
- The tug and pull between our polarising identities
- Not feeling enough when we stretch into new territories
- The challenges that come with a public facing personality
- The personal growth that partners sharing our truth publicly
- Holly details her work with The Voice to Parliament Campaign
- The necessity of truth telling
- How motherhood has shifted Holly's relationship to her creativity

Show Links -

Holly's instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jack_river/
Jack River's website - https://www.jackrivermusic.com/

You can follow The World Needs Creatives on Instagram HERE.

Explore working or collaborating with Rachael at rachael@rachaelsardelich.com and learn more about her work HERE.

You can join the wider conversation and our community over on Substack via THIS LINK.

The original painted work in the show design was hand painted by artist Sarah Darling.

The creation of our original musical score was created by Camilla Rose Sullivan.