Holly Rankin reveals how she came up with her stage name Jack River

HOLLY Ranking, better known as her stage name Jack River, thought pop was a dirty word when she was younger. But that all changed when she ventured into the music industry.

POP is no dirty word for singer on the rise Jack River.

“I really want to make gritty pop that means something,” she told Confidential. “Pop music is actually really hard to write.

“When I was younger I thought pop was a dirty word but realised how special pop songs are — they take a lot of refining like making a very specific intimate sculpture.”

Holly Rankin, better known as her stage name Jack River is a rising Aussie singer. Picture: Supplied

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Jack River’s beautiful music came from family tragedy

Jack River is the stage name of Holly Rankin, who grew up in Forster in NSW and is now touring the country.

“I made up the name Jack River when I was quite young,” she explained.

“Me and my friends, we made up these names one night we’d use when we would go out on the town and we would feel invincible. My ­vision of Jack River is this ­glittery being that is like half space and half wild west.”

Her latest album peaked at number 11 on the ARIA charts. Picture: Supplied

Jack River will perform at Sydney’s Metro Theatre next Friday.

Her debut album Sugar Mountain was released earlier this year and peaked at number 11 on the Aussie ARIA chart.

“I really looked up to the Beatles, Elton John and the Beach Boys and more ­recently Florence and the Machine, people who really craft their music,” she said.

“Even Taylor Swift, I look up to her massively, and Charlie XCX, these are people who craft their songs and put everything into their music.”

Originally published as Holly Rankin reveals how she came up with her stage name Jack River