FEATURE: To Watch in 2024: Ego Ella May

FEATURE:

To Watch in 2024

Ego Ella May

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BECAUSE the mighty…

Ego Ella May has been on the scene for a little while now and I already know about her music, rather than include her in Spotlight, I thought it is best to highlight her as someone who will make big steps in 2024. The music she has put out already is absolutely stunning! Her latest E.P., FIELDNOTES PT III, is one of her very best. She is a supreme talent that everyone should know about and listen to. I am going to start with an older interview and come to something more recent. First, here is some biography about Ego Ella May:

“Ego Ella May is a British-Nigerian award winning singer-songwriter and musician. Hailing from South London, the critically acclaimed artist has an all-encompassing love of music, which she channels into her own genre blending R&B, neo-soul and contemporary jazz compositions.

At the heart of Ego’s writing is a deep passion and respect for jazz. Touching on her writing process and her connection to her craft, she explains: “Everyone’s ears are so different, so I let them be the judge, but the root of it all is jazz. I write what’s on my mind, or if I have a burning desire to write. My favourite quote is “you have to read, to write” so I spend a lot of time reading novels, poetry and books about my history”.

Ego Ella May has a high level of admiration for people who show their vulnerabilities through music, and uses this as a source of inspiration; “It’s so easy to lie to yourself and others, so I really admire people who have the audacity to be truthful”. Her songwriting takes influences from equal measures of reflective moments of solitude and conversations with friends which she demonstrates with effortless power in each unique voicing.

The fast rising talent is quickly building a noteworthy catalogue of releases including her impressive debut LP HONEY FOR WOUNDS, a soul-tingling blend of Jazz, R&B and Neo Soul vocal musicality. Incredibly honest self-penned, personal and observational lyrics are laced with tales of self-healing, protest, love and loss, global issues and more. This is all set to a sonic backdrop crafted with some of the most exciting creatives including Alfa Mist, Theo Croker, Eun, Melo-Zed, Oscar Jerome, Joe Armon-Jones (Ezra Collective), Wu-Lu, Eddie Hick (Sons of Kemet), Maralisa (Space Captain), Tom Excell, Andrew Ashong and more.

This release led to her taking home the Best Jazz Act award at the 2020 MOBO Awards, and also made an impressive debut on COLORS TV, performing “In The Morning” and “Girls Don’t Always Sing About Boys”). Tracks from ‘Honey For Wounds’ have been featured in Issa Rae’s ‘Insecure’, Netflix’ ‘Sex Education’ + ‘Dear White People’, Oprah Winfrey’s OWN series ‘Queen Sugar’, BBC comedy ‘Dreaming Whilst Black’ and many more.

Following the release of the deluxe release of her debut album in June 2021, a win at the 2021 JAZZ FM Awards (Best Vocalist), several features + writing credits for the likes of Ari Lennox, Theo Croker, Kojey Radical and many more as well as a sold out headline UK tour, Ego also released 2 parts of her critically acclaimed EP series - FIELDNOTES (FIELDNOTES PT II received a 5 star review in the Telegraph newspaper)”.

Honey for Wounds is one of my favourite albums from 2020. At a time of lockdown and separation, the music of Ego Ella May was very important for so many people. I thought it was worth going back to then and her chat with CLASH. I think it was 2020 when I discovered her music. I was instantly struck by it! A distinct and hugely powerful voice that infuses the senses. Another reason I am featuring her now is I believe that 2024 will be her best year yet. Many still do not know about her music. Honey for Wounds is a good starting play if you are new to Ego Ella May:

“Do you still feel the album is a suitable vessel for your creativity?

100%. It’s a collection of songs, isn’t it? One that focusses on how you’re feeling a certain period of time. I think albums are super-important, still… although I guess that could be argued, given how many people opt for singles! But I do think having an album as that body of work and collection of songs is still super-important, and it can convey who you are… as one thing. This one project can be like: this is me, here you go… please listen to it!

The album itself feels very defined. You used the phrase ‘music to heal to’, in fact.

I think particularly on this project I really had to focus on it. But then again, I’ve found music really healing for me. I’ve always been a fan of music, just an active listener from when I was super-young. I’ve just always known the power that music has – to heal you, to inform you, to make you cry, to make you happy. So many different emotions that music can spark. For my album, I really think it definitely changed me as a person. It definitely contributed to my healing journey, and it’s important for me to say that because – and especially now – a lot of people are looking for an escape or a way of healing, and I think the album may help with that. I’m happy it came out in this time. People have found it calming, and that’s the effect I want.

There’s a number of guests on here – how to do you choose who to bring in?

Well, luckily everyone that helped me with this album are just friends of mine. It’s been an interesting process because some of the songs are actually years old… and it was formed with me going to the studio with one of the producers, and we’d sit there and be like: OK, what do we want to talk about today? It was a really organic process.

Some of the times where I’m starting out on a guitar, they’ll step in and help me to develop it. Sometimes we’re literally jamming… like, there’s a whole band in the room and we’re singing what we can come up with, and we’re topping up the best bits and working with that. Other times, it’s like an actual beat that I’m working with… so I have to stick to the beat! But it just varies.

One of the things I love about this album is that they’re no set way of doing something. Each song has a different story, and a different way of being made… and that was important, as well, it was nice to do things in a different way each time.

Is the process really about being truthful to the song, then?

Oh completely. It’s nice to not exactly have a set way of doing things, it’s more about being true to it. Let’s just make this song happen in the way that it’s supposed to, but we’re not going to force it in any way. It was very free.

Do you think as a creator you’re always tapping into some form of psychic energy?

I do think of it as psychic energy, yes. To be fair, I’m very tapped into what’s going on in the world. Well, sometimes… and sometimes I have to take myself away from it because I do find it overwhelming. I’m an over-thinker, so I tend to think about the state of the world, and also self-care.

All these things that pop up into my mind that then turn into songs… I find that when I release then it really holds weight with a lot of listeners because it’s so honest, and it’s my truth… which isn’t far off from the collective truth, I suppose. It’s always a topic of discussion.

It was the same sort of thing when I wrote ‘Girls Don’t Always Sing About Boys’ or ‘How Long Til My Home’. All of my singles have come at the perfect time! It’s been very strange, but it’s also made me engage in the conversations we’re having right now.

‘Table For One’ feels a little more personal…

It’s the one that’s always going to be closest to my heart… just because of how it came about. And it was just all of us getting into the studio – me, Joe, Oscar, Eddie, and Wu-Lu – and we were just jamming. We just said: let’s go studio, jam, and see what happens. And then afterwards me and Miles chopped up the best bits of the jam, and ‘Table For One’ was this beautiful instrumental right in the middle of the jam, and I wrote around it.

That’s how it came about – it was about trying to find your independence after being forced out of a relationship. Trying to find a way to do all the things that you usually do as a duo, but then doing it by yourself. It’s such a different self. Even ordering for yourself as a restaurant – it’s so daunting, but also a really independent thing to do. It’s about navigating the steps that come after being in a relationship. It’s about being by yourself and being OK with that.

To wrap things up, where do you go from here?

I feel like I can definitely wrap up this chapter in my life. I’ve always wanted to make an album, release it on vinyl… and I’ve accomplished all that. It’s been ticked off my bucket list now!

So now I’m embracing a lot of the feedback and continuing on with more songs, and making a plan down the line once I have more finished songs. I have quite a few that are in demo stage, so it’s hard to say what I’m going to do with them. I’m just taking my time, enjoying make music, and letting people enjoy the album!”.

PHOTO CREDIT: Whistles

I will soon come to her new material and some of the press around that. There have not been that many new interviews from Ego Ella May. Most of them have been from 2020 and 2021. I hope there are more chats with her next year. One of the best artists we have right now. Someone who has many years ahead of her. I was interested in this interview from Whistles. There was an emphasis on Ego Ella May’s style and fashion - though there was some query and curiosity around her phenomenal music:

“How did you get into music?

I have always been a huge fan of music and my dad was really into it – there was always music in our house. I started experimenting with SoundCloud and things naturally progressed from there. I built up a following and then I released an EP – I took it slowly. After the EP, I took a step away from music for three years before returning.

The album that changed your life?

It would have to be Hotter Than July by Stevie Wonder. He’s been my unofficial singing teacher. I used to listen to his music over and over again, taking note of the riffs and everything he does with his vocals.

Have you seen him live?

Yes! It was unbelievable. I saw him in Hyde Park in 2010 and he was headlining this festival. I went to queue up at 6am and tickets were around £50, which would never happen now.

How would you describe your sound?

Alternative, soul and jazz – those are my favourite genres and I think my music dips into them all.

Where does your inspiration for lyrics and melodies come from? Are you influenced by current affairs, literature and culture?

Definitely, all of those things. A lot of my inspiration for lyrics comes from conversations I’ve had with people though, which has been challenging in the past year. I’ve missed those organic and interesting conversations that keep me inspired. I’m also constantly reading and that always influences how I write.

Dream musical collaboration?

I want to say Frank Ocean but I don’t know where he’s gone? He always disappears! I would say him though, if I could find him. He’s very mysterious, isn’t he?

How do you stay motivated and inspired?

Nowadays, mostly, I just try to accept when I’m not feeling motivated or inspired. That helps me much more than trying to force motivation, as that can lead to frustration. I try to just accept those moments and wait for them to pass.

I’ve never heard anyone say that before when I’ve asked about staying inspired and motivated – it’s very refreshing to hear.

Honestly, it’s a game-changing shift of mindset”.

One of my favourite singles from this year has been Undone. Taken from FIELDNOTES PT III, it is a beautiful and wonderful song. We can relate to its lyrics and inspiration. CLASH got the inside track around this brilliant cut. Again, if you are someone unfamiliar with Ego Ella May, then do ensure that she is a priority artist. One that you will keep close to your heart:

“South London musician Ego Ella May marks the end of her ‘FIELDNOTES’ collection with the towering soul of new single ‘Undone’.

Produced by Lvther, ‘Undone’ is a musical safe space gesturing forward to new beginnings. Inspired by the book I May Be Wrong by Bjørn Natthiko Lindeblad – a Swedish business executive who swapped his career to become a Buddhist monk for 17 years – Ego memorialised its core message of lucid living and reinvention.

Ego says: “It’s about letting go of control, ditching the facade that so many of us find ourselves latching onto, the question of what would happen if we simply left it all behind and started again…it’s possible! When I read that book, it opened up so many possibilities and helped me remember that I can start again whenever I choose! This song marks a new beginning for me and simultaneously the closure of FIELDNOTES in a way as I wrap up this chapter, and I knew I wanted to lead with this one”.

I don’t think enough people reviewed FIELDNOTES PT III. An incredible E.P. whose songs should be played across radio, she has been continuingly championed and featured by the likes of BBC Radio 6 Music. I do know that 2024 will be a busy one for touring. Taking this new music to the people. This DJ Mag article highlights some words and personal insight from Ego Ella May about the final FIELDNOTES E.P. It is such a fabulous work that I would recommend to everyone:

“Ego Ella May has released her new EP, ‘FIELDNOTES PT III’.

'FIELDNOTES PT III' was preceded by the 'Higher Self' and 'Undone' singles, and 'Take It Easy (Miles' Song)', produced by Wu-Lu. This new EP marks the final instalment of the British-Nigerian artist's 'FIELDNOTES' series.

“This is the third and final part of the FIELDNOTES project that I started in lockdown, and so much has changed. So many lessons have been learnt and put into this music, but the best part is that I’ve been lucky enough to work with my friends on this project; Dougie Stu, LVTHER, Sam Posener and Wu-Lu.

"I’ve co-produced three out of the four songs and I’m incredibly proud of that. It’s about coming back to yourself time and time again, it’s about love, it’s about growth pains and it’s about listening to your inner voice. God speaks in whispers. I can’t wait for you to hear this!” she says”.

An artist I have liked for a long time now, I feel that next year will be among her most successful. A treasure of an artist that sounds like nobody else. Do follow Ego Ella May. I am looking forward to see what she has in store for 2024. With the incredible talent inside of her and that wonderful music under her belt, this captivating artist will…