What did she say about breakfast?

On the slow-tempo, blues song “Keep On” off her latest album, Slowly But Surely, Holly Golightly’s languid voice defiantly proclaims, “Let people talk until they don’t / Let’s me and you keep on.” Golightly’s assertion, though, is more than an affirmation of commitment to the song’s subject, it also illustrates her casual yet independent approach to making music.

The London-born Golightly has become an underground favorite during her 13-year career by releasing ageless music that defies categorization. Like many independently-minded artists, she rejects specific labels, refusing to characterize her music as garage rock. Yet her sound features traces of ‘60s rock, blues-y folk rock and country music all offset by contemporary, universal lyrics. Although she admits that she listens to "a lot of pre-electronic music," which is evident in her intentionally poor production value, she claims to draw most of her inspiration from "strong songwriting... more than a specific time period."

Indeed, Golightly’s consistent focus on her own songwriting may be what has given her music this timeless quality. Before she ever wanted to be a musician, Golightly simply wrote songs for her own enjoyment. It wasn’t until she was in her early ‘20s, when she became involved with the Billy-Childish produced group Thee Headcoatees, that she first began to sing. Even then, Golightly notes that she didn’t think of herself as a singer. “We just [started the group] as sort of a tongue-in-cheek thing with backing vocals,” she said.

Four years later, she ventured out on her own to start a solo career. Since then she has released 13 albums and collaborated with Mudhoney, Rocket from the Crypt and, most famously, with Jack White of the White Stripes on the group’s “It’s True that We Love One Another” off the White Stripes’ latest album, Elephant. Golightly’s guest appearance on this track may have increased the fanbase for her 2003 album, Truly She is None Other, which received rave reviews in Entertainment Weekly, Rolling Stone and Spin, among other publications. She remains modest, however, about the implications of this collaboration. “More people probably read my name,” she offered. Nonetheless, she noted, “I’m still putting out records the way I want, and nothing has really changed.”

Throughout her prolific career, in fact, her approach to songwriting has remained the same. Even now, she says she doesn’t follow a specific process for writing music. “I sometimes make up songs on a stand up basis,” she said. “Sometimes I make up a riff, sometimes I’ll have lyrics sitting around, [but there] isn’t a specific process.” One thing that has changed, however, is her confidence in her own musical ability. Referring to her new album, she said, “There’s a couple songs on this record that I didn’t have the confidence to attack before, particularly those relying on my ability as a vocalist.”

On Slowly But Surely, Golightly offers plaintive ruminations on lost love over older-sounding blues melodies with a country twang and occasionally ventures into the more staccato sound of ‘60s rock. Her more polished musical ability is evident in her meticulous guitar work and her vocals, which are at times reminiscent of Patsy Cline.

Golightly’s experience is also reflected in her live performances. Although she says she still gets nervous before each show, she has an increased appreciation for playing live. "I didn’t used to enjoy playing live,” she said. “And now, I get something out of it...the interest has grown and the confidence has grown." Through her casual but defiant approach, Golightly’s persistence in writing and playing has produced accomplished results.