2hollis and His Father Sit for First Joint Interview on Popcast

On The New York Times’s Popcast, rising pop artist 2hollis and his father, John Herndon of the post-rock band Tortoise, gave their first joint interview to discuss songwriting, fame and online debates about nepotism. The 22-year-old singer, rapper and producer, who released his major-label debut, "Star," last year, has built a fervent following with music that blends hyperpop, hip-hop and electro and with energetic live shows.

Herndon, 59, a longtime experimental musician who records as A Grape Dope and plays in Tortoise — which recently released "Touch," its first new music in a decade — described a shared interest in mixing dub, techno, jazz and other textures. They talked about creative training and careers: Herndon said he advised Hollis to go to music school, while 2hollis recalled briefly attending Evergreen before leaving after making several core songs.

Herndon said he was moved by Hollis’s video for "Green Spore Valley," and both addressed online "nepo baby" talk — acknowledging Hollis’s musical upbringing and his mother Kathryn Frazier’s work in music publicity but insisting that Hollis built his career through his own uploads on SoundCloud and streaming services.

On fame, 2hollis described recent struggles with the internet and said he has limited his social media use; he also said he feels a renewed clarity and creative energy for a forthcoming project.

Key Topics

Culture, John Herndon, Tortoise, Kathryn Frazier, Popcast, Star