Cavanagh was born in Liverpool to Lorraine and Peter Cavanagh, hailed from the Liverpudlian suburb Allerton, in England, and moved to the United States in 2002. Cavanagh is a fan of Liverpool F.C., attended St Austin’s Primary School in Aigburth and graduated from McKinney Boyd High School in 2011.
Cavanagh originally auditioned for American Idol Season 10 in Austin, Texas, but was cut in the Green Mile round (Top 40). Jennifer Lopez told her that she thought she could come back and win the whole thing by practicing and improving her singing.
Months later, Cavanagh got a second chance for American Idol Season 11 and auditioned in Houston, Texas. She was only shown in the Green Mile round with fellow American Idol contestants, Shelby Tweten and Ariel Sprague. She sang "Change" by Carrie Underwood in the Sing For Your Life round and was given positive feedback by the judges.
In the semi-finals, she sang "Reflection" by Christina Aguilera and then become one of the top five female vote getters - advancing her to the Top 13. After a rough middle patch in the competition, Hollie made her comeback in the second Top 7 show, performing "Rolling In the Deep" by Adele. She remarked in a later interview that she felt her strongest performances came when she stopped relying so much on the feedback of others and trusted her gut. Following her strongest weeks in the competition, Hollie ended her American Idol journey with a respectable fourth place finish.
Hollie will be joining the other Idols in Season 11's Top 10 for their summer tour, which kicks off on July 6th, 2012 in Detroit, MI.
Girlfriend
Hollie Cavanagh Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hey baby
You make me curious
Those eyes baby
So electric, dangerous
Tryna keep me cool but I can't fool no one
Why baby
So forbidden
It's like I'm sinning
You're making it hard for me
You're making it hard for me
You're making it
Ooh, ooh
You're making it hard for me
You're making it hard for me
You're making it
Ooh, ooh
Hey contagious
You're rubbing off of me
Too bad I'm taken
We could have done some crazy things
Like star ride, kick and take it to the floor
If we go there, you'll be wanting more
So forbidden
It's like I'm sinning
You're making it hard for me
You're making it hard for me
You're making it
Ooh, ooh
You're making it hard for me
You're making it hard for me
You're making it
Ooh, ooh
Hey ladies, yeah
You know exactly what I'm talking about
Sing with me now
Ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh
So forbidden
It's like I'm sinning
You're making it hard for me
You're making it hard for me
You're making it
Ooh, ooh
You're making it hard for me
You're making it hard for me
You're making it
Ooh, ooh
The lyrics of “Hard” by Haley Reinhart describe the tension that arises when she is sexually attracted to someone she shouldn't be. She starts off by acknowledging her curiosity about him and how he is making it difficult for her to remain composed. The singer knows that giving in to these desires would be “forbidden” and cause her to sin, but she is finding it challenging to resist him. Haley highlights how he is charismatic and irresistible, but she is already in a relationship, preventing them from being together.
As the song progresses, Haley continues to describe the seductive nature of her love interest, saying he is rubbing off on her, and they could have done some wild things together, but alas, it's impossible. She calls out to her female audience, acknowledging that they too have felt this kind of attraction and know what she is going through. She ends by reiterating the difficulties she is facing because of her emotions towards him, and how he is making it almost impossible for her to reject him.
In summary, the lyrics to “Hard” are about the struggle of Haley Reinhart trying to resist her attraction to someone she shouldn't be drawn to, as he is making it incredibly hard for her to resist, knowing the consequences of giving in.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey baby
The singer is addressing someone who has caught her attention.
You make me curious
The singer is expressing that she is intrigued by the person she is addressing.
Those eyes baby
The singer is commenting on the attractive features of the person she is addressing.
So electric, dangerous
The singer is describing the allure of the person she is addressing, and how it is exciting but also potentially risky.
Tryna keep me cool but I can't fool no one
The singer is admitting that she is struggling to hide her attraction to the person she is addressing.
Why baby
The singer is questioning why the person she is addressing is making her feel this way.
You wanna make me fall in love
The singer believes that the person she is addressing is intentionally trying to create romantic feelings in her.
So forbidden
The singer recognizes that pursuing a relationship with this person would be taboo or inappropriate in some way.
It's like I'm sinning
The singer feels guilty or immoral for her attraction to the person she is addressing.
You're making it hard for me
The singer is directly telling the person she is addressing that their actions are making it difficult for her to resist falling for them.
Hey contagious
The singer is describing the person she is addressing as having a quality or energy that is easily spread to others.
You're rubbing off of me
The singer is conveying that she is beginning to adopt some of the characteristics or mannerisms of the person she is addressing.
Too bad I'm taken
The singer is acknowledging that she is already in a committed relationship.
We could have done some crazy things
The singer is fantasizing about what could happen if she were available and pursued a relationship with the person she is addressing.
Like star ride, kick and take it to the floor
The singer is suggesting that they could engage in wild or daring activities together, such as dancing or other physical actions.
If we go there, you'll be wanting more
The singer believes that if they were to engage in such activities, the person she is addressing would want to pursue a relationship with her further.
Hey ladies, yeah
The singer is addressing her female audience and suggesting that they can relate to her experiences.
You know exactly what I'm talking about
The singer believes that her female audience will understand and empathize with the struggles she is facing in her attraction to the person she is addressing.
Sing with me now
The singer is inviting her audience to join her in expressing her feelings about this situation.
So forbidden
The singer is reiterating that pursuing a relationship with this person would be inappropriate or forbidden in some way.
It's like I'm sinning
The singer is restating her feelings of guilt and impropriety regarding her attraction to this person.
Contributed by Penelope F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.