EXCLUSIVE: Cyndi Thomson and Ashley Monroe Partner Up on 'Black Celica' from forthcoming Acres of Diamonds EP

Back in 2001 when Holler was just a twinkle in an eye, Cyndi Thomson was absolutely everywhere with her debut album, My World, and its accompanying radio hits 'What I Really Meant To Say' and 'I Always Liked That Best.' Then, then she just seemed to disappear.

Beneath all success, Cyndi had always struggled with fierce anxiety, and ultimately chose to step away from the limelight. Over the next several years she discovered a love for jewellery design and launched her very own collection. In March 2024 however, she started to tease new songs and over the last year or so she's released a string of brilliant country pop singles, including 'Liar' and 'Five More Minutes.'

As she prepares to release the 6-track Acres of Diamonds EP the spotlight beckons once more, and Holler is honoured to be premiering one of the new songs from the EP a day early.

Written and performed with Ashley Monroe, 'Black Celica' is a deliciously dark and dreamy slice of pop-tinged Americana about wishing the best for a lover that you've grown apart from and trying to let go of something that still has a hold over you.

"I tried to outrun it but I didn’t get far / You’ve always had the keys to my heart," the sing, as the chorus swells beneath them and they almost disappear into the deep longing of the lyrics. "My world was you riding ‘round in that car / I hope your happy wherever you are I hope your happy wherever you are"

“Ashley Monroe’s voice on 'Black Celica' reminds me of a butterfly," says Thompson. "Delicate, striking, and impossible to ignore. Writing this song with her felt like catching lightning in a bottle. It’s a song about first love, seen through the rearview mirror of time."

"I’ve been a fan of Ashley Monroe’s writing for years, so getting to write ‘Black Celica’ with her was surreal," she adds. "From the moment we finished it, I knew this song carried something timeless - like a memory that won’t let go."

“Cyndi came in with the title 'Black Celica,' and we instantly loved the idea," adds Ashley Monroe. "I’ve always been a fan of giving a song a title that doesn’t appear in the lyrics. There’s a part of all of us that remembers young love - the butterflies, the driving around with nowhere to go - and Cyndi’s music has always taken me right back to that feeling. I’ve loved and respected her for so long, and it was an honor to write this and sing on it with her.”

“I’m such a sucker for bittersweet songs," she says. "I’ve always preferred to sing and write about longing, so this one is right up my alley.”

Listen to 'Black Celica (feat. Ashley Monroe)' exclusively on Holler below

The Acres of Diamonds EP is released on Friday 23 May