Atlanta bred and now Los Angeles based singer/songwriter Ella Collier is a creative visionary who uses her music to help listeners truly express themselves. Her latest single "SECOND ARROW" is off of her highly anticipated EP of the same name. The emotional track features her pristine soulful vocals singing healing melodies over electronic pop beats. Elements of pop, EDM, and soul are effortlessly blended together for a joyous musical moment.
We talked with the singer about her unique sound, love of Taylor Swift and deep roots in both Atlanta and Los Angeles. The result is an honest conversation about what it means to be an artist and how her musical influences shaped who she is today.
Hi Ella, nice to chat with you. Congrats on your single "SECOND ARROW", it is a poignant and important narrative. Can you tell our readers what the song is about?
Hi! Thank you so much for having me & resonating with the gravity of the message in "SECOND ARROW". I’ve been a huge fan of EARMILK forever, so it’s an honor to talk with y’all, especially about a song that is so important to me. I wrote "SECOND ARROW" in my first year of my sobriety. It helped me admit to myself that I am responsible for my own destruction and I feel like the song really reflects my realizations in my recovery. I think it’s the most honest I’ve been with myself ever.
The first arrow represents a painful event, striking us hard, but the second arrow holds the real pain, the suffering caused by our emotional reaction to it. Rumination on our resentments block us from the freedom of living we all deserve, and I’m still learning how to let them go.
How does "SECOND ARROW" relate to the rest of your upcoming EP?
I was always avoidant with this song and putting it out because of the large vulnerability aspect of it, but I really think it’s something someone needs to hear, so much so, that it’s the title track of my upcoming EP. All of the songs on this EP reflect the hard feelings of the Second Arrow in different ways, each with their own narrative, but this song explains them all and it’s the only place on the EP where I take deep accountability for my fears, actions, and pain I’ve caused to myself and others.
How would you describe your sound? Is "SECOND ARROW" indicative of your signature sound or different?
I love this question. As an artist, I have always been working on my “sound” and I finally feel like it satisfies all the neural pathways that fire off in my brain when I’m creating. My sound is under the Pop umbrella with notes of R&B, EDM, & singer/songwriter, cool right? I have always been inspired by Hip-Hop music and as of late I have been enlightened (again) by the genius that is 2000s Pop music, specifically Timbaland’s production, while leaning into my Taylor Swift lyric writing. I love epic, huge production, with sound candy deep in the layers of the music, but also love how my music can be stripped down acoustically and still be a great song. That’s why a lot of my songs start off with only an acoustic guitar or a piano and build into an epic scene, because that’s how my brain works, that’s how my emotions feel. I am very hands on with my production as much as I am with the performance and writing of it.
“SECOND ARROW” definitely reflects my signature sound, although Sam (my producer) had to push me to use that much acoustic guitar, because I felt like I was acoustic guitared out after only using that for my music from ages 11-18. Sam & I have spent countless hours on creating a soundscape that compliments the energy of the storytelling in the lyrics while invoking a feeling of empowerment.
What do you hope listeners take away from this song specifically?
Regardless of the circumstance, pain is an inevitable part of life and how we deal with the pain is up to us. Finding the awareness and making peace with the fact that you play a role in your own self destruction is a huge tool of power. If we have the power to self sabotage in the way we do, then we have the power to change and grow too.
This song helped me discover the importance of my own internal dialogue with the hope of learning how to navigate it better, instead of being controlled by it. I hope the listener can discover the same and know they’re not alone on the journey of self improvement.
You grew up in Atlanta but now are based in Los Angeles. How do both of these places shape you as an artist and influence your music?
Atlanta really shaped my skill set and persistence as an artist. I was playing dive bars (with my acoustic guitar) and open mics from the age of 11 anywhere that people would listen in Atlanta. I really learned my performance skills and confidence there. I was young, persistent, and wide eyed, and people hated and loved me for it and I didn’t care one bit. I always wanted my music to sound like this, but at the time I didn’t have the skillset or exposure to creating soundscapes, and I was frustrated by that.
When I came to LA my creative world opened up, I learned the art of production and genre bending and met my band members and collaborators here. I was never intimidated by the influx of people chasing the dream here, I’ve always been inspired by it. I love a team mentality and I’ve brought that southern togetherness from Atlanta into my work in LA. My dreams came true here and they also died here (& reincarnated into new ones). Los Angeles is a really tough city, but it’s also full of so many pockets of love and creativity, I wouldn’t trade it for the world. Both cities taught me lessons I carry into my music and both cities taught me to protect my peace at all costs. I’m thankful for what both cities have given me and I just hope I can give back to both.
Which artists do you most admire and any dream collaborations?
Taylor Swift is the reason I picked up a guitar and started writing music. Her work ethic and innovative tendencies musically and professionally continue to inspire me. I love Mac Miller, his articulate storytelling and production that tells a story of it’s own while uplifting the music changed my life upon first listen, and still changes my life now. I always find new hints in his music. Same with BROCKHAMPTON, Kaytrana, and The Internet, I listen first for the production, there’s some CRAZY stuff in there. I realize as much as I am a songwriter, the song gets me going back with intense production and melodies.
Currently, I love what Doja Cat and Kim Petras are doing right now. I also consistently love BANKS and I’ve obviously been in my Justin Timberlake era. You can see how my music taste ranges all over the ADD canvas ha. My dream collaborations as of right now are UPSAHL (she rocks), hit me up girl… BANKS, and this super cool artist Hailey Knox. I want to spend a day in their brains.
What's next for Ella Collier?
That’s the question I ask myself every second. I’m playing a show in LA August 15 at the Hotel Cafe, come out LA! Releasing another single after SECOND ARROW, which I have to say is one of my favorites, and then my EP drops! I am having an epic EP release show also in LA October 12, at The Moroccan Lounge, this is the show I’m most excited for. It’s all new music, and I go hard with my shows, so there will be a lot of fanfare, excitement, and tears. See you there!
I’m working on my first ever merch right now, which I’m stoked about while also being neurotic about the quality of the hoodie. Then we got some MOREEEE stuff dropping that we are working on right now, EP related. But basically, I’m not stopping anytime soon, so hop on the ride with me. It’s gonna be wild.
Connect with Ella Collier: INSTAGRAM
