British Consul General Holly Vare joined The Breakfast Club for a special conversation that gave us the chance to get to know the person behind the diplomatic role.

Holly looked back on her career and shared stories from her past experiences living and working across the Middle East, reflecting on the places she has called home, the people she has met along the way, and some of the experiences that have stayed with her throughout her journey. She also spoke about life in Erbil and gave us a more personal glimpse into her world beyond work.

But this interview came with a soundtrack! We asked Holly to bring along some of her favorite songs, and together we went through the tracks, the memories behind them, and what makes each one special to her.

Her playlist took us through Florence + The Machine’s “All This and Heaven Too,” Duffy’s “Mercy,” Queen & David Bowie’s “Under Pressure,” Hozier’s “Take Me to Church,” CLOVES’ “Hit Me Hard,” Toploader’s “Dancing in the Moonlight,” Simon & Garfunkel’s “The Sound of Silence,” Letters to Cleo’s “I Want You to Want Me,” Paris Paloma’s “Labour,” and Fleetwood Mac’s “Seven Wonders.”

From songs connected to different moments in her life to conversations about love, pressure, memories and the stories behind the music, Holly’s playlist opened up a different side of her and made for a very personal Breakfast Club conversation.

Watch the full interview to hear Holly Vare’s stories from her journey across the Middle East and discover the songs that have accompanied her along the way.

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