INTERVIEW:
Ella Poletti
___________
I am squeezing in one more interview…
and speaking with a fantastic talent coming out of Los Angeles. Ella Poletti tells me how she came to work with Out There on the new song, What to Do, and what the track is about; if she is going to bring us more new music before the end of the year – the artists that inspired her when she was growing up.
Poletti chats about her cover versions and getting love/support from streaming sites; whether there are aims/ambitions to cover before the end of this year; a new artist we should listen to carefully – I ask which artist, if she had the chance, she’d like to support on tour.
____________
Hi, Ella. How are you? How has your week been?
I’m well, thank you! My week has been great. I hope yours has been too.
For those new to your music; can you introduce yourself, please?
Of course! I’m Ella Poletti. I am twenty-years-old. I’m originally from Bloomington, Indiana but I currently live in Los Angeles, fulfilling my dreams of becoming a Pop singer-songwriter.
What to Do is out. Can you talk about how the song came together?
I’m super-excited that What to Do is out now. It was such an easy and fun song to create…it kind of just came to us so quickly. I think that, in total, it only took a few hours over a span of two days to write all of the lyrics and melodies.
It sees you work with Out There. How did you two hook up? What did he add to the song?
Out There and I met through a mutual friend and we kind of just hit it off immediately. After chatting and sharing projects that we were both working on, we knew we had to collaborate. He had already started on What to Do and essentially just needed the top-line melodies and lyrics. He showed me the instrumental he had made and I loved it - so we agreed it collaborate on writing it and then release it together.
Do you reckon they’ll be more music coming? Are you in a productive frame of mind right now?
There is lots more music coming! I am working on some great stuff right now that I can’t wait to share with all of you. There will definitely be more music before the end of the year, that’s for sure.
Your cover versions, especially a take on Shawn Mendes’ Mercy, have proved hugely popular. How do you inhabit other people’s music so personally and with such passion?
I love putting my own spin on other people’s music. I have stopped doing so many covers now, to focus more on my original music, but whenever I would cover a song, I would first really listen to the lyrics and see how I relate to it. One of the many great things about pop music is that it can be really easy to connect with what the artist is saying.
You have received lots of streams and amassed fans. Is it a bit crazy seeing how far you have come?!
Honestly, it feels like my dreams are becoming a reality. It is very exciting to see the world enjoying my music and it’s so exciting to see my fanbase grow so even more people can enjoy the music I’ve worked so hard on.
I especially love the flexibility of your voice. Have any particular artists helped shape your vocals/style?
Ever since I first started singing, I was immediately attracted to Pop music. All of the hits of the early-2000s were definitely a big influence on me - especially Beautiful Soul by Jesse McCartney and Leave (Get Out) by JoJo. I also used to listen to Norah Jones on-repeat every night - so I think that was where I got my jazzy/Blues style from, vocally.
What do you hope to achieve by the end of 2018?
There will definitely be more music released before the end of 2018 and, by the end of the year, I should also have a long list of new original music, features and projects I’m working on for 2019.
Have you got a favourite memory from your time in music – the one that sticks in the mind?
Probably, the first time I ever heard my voice recorded on a mixed and mastered original song. The feeling of creating something that didn’t exist before and hearing it back professionally recorded is so inspiring and amazing. It also made me realise that my dream of having a song played on the radio is a lot more reachable than I could ever have imagined.
If you could support any musician alive today, who would it be?
Maroon 5 is my all-time favourite band. I mean, they’ve basically been on top-40 radio and charting for nearly twenty years! That’s almost unheard of for a Pop band nowadays. I am a massive fan of them and admire their music and ability to have such a long career…that would be a dream!
What advice would you give to new artists coming through?
I would just say to never stop doing what you love and to connect with others that have similar dreams. This can be a really difficult path to chase if you don’t have people to do it with you. It is an amazing feeling helping each other grow and coming up together too.
IN THIS PHOTO: Sigrid
Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?
Sigrid is my favourite artist that’s breaking through right now. I’ve listened to her for a while now and I had the pleasure of seeing her live as well. She is amazing!
Do you get much time to chill away from music? How do you unwind?
I’m working on music most of the time; but, when I am not, I honestly do what everyone else does. I love being outdoors and doing things like hiking or going to the beach. But, just spending time laying low with friends is my favourite.
Finally, and for being a good sport; you can choose a song and I’ll play it here (not any of your music - I will do that).
Thank you! Sigrid’s Don’t Kill My Vibe is a fave of mine and a great summer jam.
_____________
Follow Ella Poletti
