Florida-born artist Holdan Sutton has truly developed a sound unlike any other. Part nostalgic folk, part comforting soul, and part eerie modern production, he blends his vast influences into an intimate indie offering that lures you into his world, desperate to discover more. Now based in LA, with co-signs from the likes of Omar Apollo and Deb Never and a supporting slot on The Marias’ US tour, he unveils his latest album: Vagabond.

The follow-up to 2022’s Swan, which introduced us to Sutton and his craft, Vagabond tackles topics of belonging, loneliness, and healing — with sonics that reflect the lyrical compositions through melancholic instrumentals and atmospheric, bittersweet synth-leaning production that feels hopeful and heartbreaking all at once.

“I was very much creatively and personally lost but making this record was like walking through a fog to get through that season and find peace on the other side,” the artist shares. “The whole journey of Vagabond was one of the hardest processes I’ve been through creatively and I’m very proud of everything that it came to be.”

Sutton walks us through the project track by track, unpacking his creative process and intent behind each song. Keep reading…

“What this song represents to me, in a way, is foreboding words of advice that are a little too late. It’s sung by one of the most talented humans, Hannah Dobson.”

“‘Mood’ is about realising someone you love doesn’t love you for the person you are but more for what you represent — or, as the chorus says, what you do. When making it, we knew it was half way there, but adding my amazing friend Sara King to the end of the song really brought it home to express the idea of a relationship that just goes in circles, for better or worse.”

“I was focused on lyrical imagery and trying to be out of the box with the images I paint, but grounding it in a chorus that is just about love that isn’t good for you. The outro has one of my favourite lyrics: any ol’ bulldog would smile at you. I just feel like no one else would ever write a lyric like that.”

“I wrote this one alone in my apartment at 2 in the morning back in 2021. It was the first song that was written for this record. The lyrics perfectly describe what my life was for most of that season — that person that I loved and lost constantly on my mind, missing constantly.”

“I was home and friends were on their way to watch a movie, and I was sitting there waiting. I didn’t feel up to being around people and I was playing guitar and I just kept thinking about how I want to lock my door and hide from the world. The chorus is the fear I have of not being strong enough or being too slow and life and opportunities are slipping from me.”

“Munn Park is a park in my hometown, Lakeland, Florida. I have had so many pivotal moments in that park. To me, it represents this limbo space of reflection which is kind of what the spirit of the song represents to me as well.”

“This was the last song to be written and I think it’s the most emotional, especially lyrically. I had a pit in my stomach writing this one. I wanted to show that no one is perfect in relationships. The chorus talks about the fact that just because you know a relationship isn’t good for you, doesn’t make you want it any less, and kind of coming to terms with the fact it’s going to break you.”

“It was hard to be in a relationship that never felt like we were on smooth waters. I think back and the happiest times were always the mornings — right when you wake up.”

“This is my favourite song I have ever written. It feels like the most authentic thing I’ve made up to this point. This song is about 2022 and struggling through a relationship while being on the road. The fiddle was played by the best fiddle player in Florida — “cornbread” aka Jason Baker. And it was written with my good friend Eli Weinberg.

“This is my second favourite song I have written. This one pretty much talks about knowing someone has moved on and not being able to do the same for yourself.”

“Whenever I was around my friend Omar, he would always play Ryuichi Sakamoto. For the record we had this huge epic outro, but it just felt exhausting, and also didn’t feel like the right end to the project. I went back to the studio and told [producer] Evan [Eliason], ‘I think it just needs to be the same chords but alone on a piano.’ I had him set up mics to breathe with the piano movements like you hear in Ryuichi’s song “Leta” and in that found the perfect ending to Vagabond.”