Photo by Erin Nelson.
Local singer-songwriter Lindsay Holifield in downtown Homewood on Dec. 2.
In 2019, Lindsay Holifield was writing a song with a friend in Nashville, describing Holifield’s struggles with an eating disorder.
“We did what we always do with pain, which is sort of alchemize it and make it into something new,” Holifield said. “Even though it’s a really dark song in a lot of ways, it was turning this story into something beautiful, and to me, that was really cool to see.”
Late last year, Holifield, a Homewood resident, released that single, “Ghost Girl,” across all music platforms, following up on her January 2022 EP, “Fear of God.” It’s the latest step in her music journey, one that has allowed her to not only document but also overcome her personal struggles.
Holifield, 31, moved to the Birmingham area in 2020, spending a year in Hoover before moving to Homewood. Originally from Texas, where she spent most of her life, she’s also spent time in Nashville.
When she was 15 years old, Holifield began struggling with an eating disorder.
“Music was a big source of life to get me through that,” Holifield said.
While spending time in in-patient treatment facilities, music was a reward for meeting goals, she said. About five or six years ago, she was in a facility that allowed her a short time to shower, with a nurse standing outside the door. Those few minutes where she could sing and hear her voice were a boon to her mental health.
Holifield has been in recovery for almost two years now, though she said there are still days and weeks that are hard. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she began writing her own music.
“I’ve always been writing, always been creative,” Holifield said. “There’s just something that pulls me back towards life.”
A therapist once told her if she could write her way out of her struggles, she would.
Holifield cited a line from poet Andrea Gibson as one of her sources of inspiration: “We have to create. It’s the only thing louder than destruction.”
Her writing has now carried her to stages across the Birmingham area. While she’s still relatively new to performing, sharing her songs and her struggles helps both her and others.
“It may sound weird, but it’s a very embodied place for me,” Holifield said. “It actually feels more connected to share that vulnerable stuff.”
Those who struggle with eating disorders or other battles they’re facing have reached out to her to thank her for being so vulnerable, Holifield said. Friends have thanked her, and even strangers have utilized social media to express their gratitude, she said.
As she’s begun her music career, Holifield said she’s been helped by other Birmingham-area artists, who have shown her how to navigate the scene. There is a “collaborative spirit” in this area, she said.
The plan for Holifield now is to write and record more songs in the months ahead and possibly try to raise funds to record. While knowing that making it big in the music industry is hard, Holifield said she has a “clear-eyed hope” of what the future could hold.
“I just need to create,” Holifield said. “We’ll see what happens.”
