I have beef with streaming platforms, says Ella - INTERVIEW
“Maybe I’m losing out in the recorded music sector but in all honesty I don’t care. So don’t listen to my music online. I can personally send it to people or come and see me live in my element. It will always be better live anyway.. haha ”
Photo by Rony Thilakan, (A)VOID gallery
Marie: Ella, how did you get to writing songs, playing music and since when have you been performing?
Ella: I used to write poems when I was in school. When I was 8 my school got asked to come up with a song for a CD. My class was chosen. We sang and I helped write the rap part of it. It was called the Ragged School based on the fact my primary school in London was the first school poor people could attend. I performed as a dancer for many years and then did some live improv theater at this place near my house. It wasn't until I got to college when I picked performing arts that I was kinda forced into music. The first lesson everyone had to sing and I remember being so nervous cause I never sang before really just for fun. I tried to get out of it by telling the teacher I don't sing, I just dance and act and he said yes but this is part of the course so I need to hear what you sound like. So I got up with people watching me and sang a song. I can't remember what it was, but I do remember the silence and the people's faces as I sang and the claps after. My teacher turned and said for someone who doesn't sing your tone is so nice. That whole day was spent singing for people. My friends told the whole collage it seemed like. For a week people asked me to sing. I had no idea haha. We then did group performances where I sang backup for my friends who sang more confidently than I did. I really loved it.
I would say that in my second year of college it was my first performance by myself. I left that college and tried music elsewhere. They gave us a show at the end of the year and I performed something I made up from scratch. I got so nervous that I forgot the lyrics on stage and just made the whole thing up. My thought was don't just stand there your here now and if anything if they don't like it at least you tried. haha My sister came and she was so proud of me because she is a singer too, and i remember her saying this is it for you now, you have to keep going. She is one of my inspirations in music.
I worked on my craft for years before I sang again. I went back to college to study Sound Engineering and Music production because I didn't just want to be a singer. Then I got a degree in Sound design and Sound Art and really worked on the production side and improvisation within music and sound. So I guess I started pretty late in that it’s not something I wanted to do as a kid, I wanted to be a pilot. I loved planes.
Marie: Are you new to Prague, or do you already have a footprint in the scene in Prague? How would you describe the music scene here?
Ella: I would say I'm trying to be part of the community here and I'm trying to help shape it. I do think I'm known for my live performing. I've been to random places and people come to me and tell me where they first heard me or saw me live which is so awesome to hear and I'm so humbled by that cause I'm so unaware of how I affect people I guess. I started some events at the brix hostel, kinda like a safe space for musicians and listeners of live music to participate free for judgment and free to explore creativity with a live audience. It's growing every week. I'm really enjoying it. Being around these talented people every week it's an awesome feeling.
I've been playing in different countries for the last 6 years but here is by far the best. The community here is so welcoming to anyone who does any type of art. Here is where I discovered myself as a live performer. Musicians here are playing at such a high level they elevate you much. So much encouragement for people and collaboration are happening all the time it's non-stop. I never experienced anything like it anywhere else. Stars are created in Prague for sure. Some of my friends are superstars in my eyes and I admire them so much. I can go to them with questions or my ideas and there right with you helping you or just simply jamming with you. The music jams that happen, just wow i can't put it into words really apart from the words magic, spontaneous and leaves you with this glowing feeling of being heard and acceptance. If i didn't come here i wouldn't be the artist i am today basically. Lama was where I became a real artist. Spending hours with my friends singing, I even learnt how to play the drums.
Marie: You are releasing new music soon. What is the story behind the song and what was your inspiration for this?
Ella: A year before covid i met an amazing producer I call Professor haze, Ricard is his name, from Rovinj records a label/studio he created. He found me at Mosaic house. There was a stage there and they used to host this event, Live band and you pick the song to sing and you sing it with them. He saw me and came up to me after and said would you allow me to make a recording with him and see how it goes. I agreed and went to his studio. My first time recording with a professional producer. He really went above and beyond for me and my friends. We created this project with different musicians from my band, who were either my friend or his friend and we got 4 songs and 4 videos out of it. I was so proud of the work that I held on to it till I found a way I could get it released by someone who would know what to do with them. I'm always performing them live and I did a recording of one of the songs for a youtube channel called Cube project. The Song is called ‘When they see us’ . I wrote it after watching the documentary called When they see us about the central park boys who were wrongly convicted of a crime they did time for and have spent most of their lives proving their innocence. I was so angry and sad after watching it all i could do was sing. I wrote in about half an hour and felt so relieved that I was able to capture my frustration so well. When the youtube video came out the response I got was incredible and led to a friend asking if he could release it on his label. This friend, Daddy Skitz is my cousin's boyfriend and a pioneer in hip hop music in the uk and im such a huge fan of his, such a dope person too. anything i record i send it to him so when he saw this video he called me and asked if he could release it for us so it gets heard by people who probably would never hear my thoughts or music. We turned in the project to him and that song will be released next month. Skitz has been working hard even got a remix done by another legend in the drum and bass world and that will come out too.
I can't wait for it to be heard. I'm really proud of that project and all the musicians who helped me make it. I'm so thankful and lucky I'm around these folks.
Marie: Are your songs autobiographical or do they come from your imagination, or both? What is the motivation behind your freestyle approach?
Ella: All my songs written and recorded are based on situations I've seen or been in. I don't do love songs cause everyone sings about love so i stay from that. Some are political because it is important to document in some way how you feel about what is happening around the world as well as fun songs. I'm inspired by sounds and conversations I would say. I sing what I see.
My freestyle approach was created because i suck at remembering lyrics, my own included. I found it easier to improvise and I got so good at it that people think that it's a song I wrote beforehand. It's a cool trick and it makes me different from other singers I guess. I would rather make up a song on the spot and perform live than go into a studio. The studio scares me sometimes. Recorded music is scary to me, working on that perfect take to mix into the music. I see that it becomes about recording the perfect take instead of just living through the music and expressing yourself. When it's live you only have that time. At that moment you can't see it again, it can't be replicated or packaged and sold for the masses, it's personal and you get to see people's reactions live in front of you, nothing beats the stage.
Marie: Are you planning any new releases this year? Tell us about your plans.
Ella: I would like to do a live album and a sound installation this year. I'm also helping people record their music too, which I love. I get to use my skills in sound engineering. My friends play me their music and ask me ways they can improve the sound or quality of their tracks which I am so honored to do. They really value my time and input so humbled that they allow me to be part of their creative process.
I will be doing some festivals this year and putting on my own to showcase my artist homie here. I'm so proud of them and I just want other people to know who we are and support the art here. As i mentioned i host events at Brix hostel every week so will continue to do so. I worked on a few songs with some czech artists and a project recorded at the studios in Crossclub, my favorite club by the way. I love it when some of the Dj’s see me in the crowd and they call me on stage to freestyle over drum and bass or jungle. Mikim, a legend here, is releasing some music that I'm featured on this year also. Then I'm slowly finishing a project with Exile records. There is a lot of music that I have done that needs to come out but it's all about timing. I can't stress enough how much this place has done for me. I owe Prague a lot so I'm trying to give back to the city as much as possible. I think most artists here think this way.
Marie: You’ve been influenced by artists some people may not be that familiar with such as (please fill out). How would you identify your conscious and unconscious influences in your music?
Ella: Alyssa Dillard, Rene Much, Andy EWL, Fyha Son Bantu, Marley Wildthing, Fiaschi.loic, David Wolter, Noah, Ochi, Bugzy, Barbora, Mr B and M Bresky to name a few. Romel and Kaobi from the uk there are so many, the list is long. I would be here for another hour writing names down. Then the producers and studios I use here also provided me a safe space and outlet to be me.
I don't really listen to music often unless it's my friends' music really. I know too many talented people to search on the internet for music haha.
I would say my life experiences and Mary Jane haha are what drives me and the stage. Any stage with a mic I wanna be on it. I feel at home in the moment with musicians. I would say I prefer to do music with others rather than me being the main focus. Music is better shared.
Marie: Do you listen to much music on Spotify, and if so, what are the top releases we should check out?
Ella: I have beef with Spotify and streaming platforms. They are not fair to artists. they don't pay and the CEO of spotify thinks that he doesn't need to pay us. Well I don't agree considering how much they are making off the backs independent artists as well as the ones who are signed to a label. I think it's wrong so I don't promote them in any way. I'm taking a stand, well trying to. I have my first album on these platforms but I didn't like the fact that paypal takes a percentage of your money and you have no say in that. It's the payout system these platforms have chosen simply because they don't want to pay us what we are worth. Until they change their attitude I won't give them any credit. Maybe I'm losing out in the recorded music sector but in all honesty I don't care. So don't listen to my music online. I can personally send it to people or come and see me live in my element. It will always be better live anyway.. haha
Marie: And finally, what are your plans for life after the pandemic?
Ella: I don't really have plans, No expectation No disappointments is my life motto. I just go with the flow and let the sun and the universe guide me. I'm always doing events and performing that I really can't ask for more. I feel so blessed to be able to perform and really appreciate everything that comes my way. I guess I will continue to be positive and have fun at all times.
