Ellie Madeland
... is a singer-songwriter from a small village in the South of Sweden. Demonstrating a passion for creativity from an early age, her father taught her how to play guitar, piano and how to write songs.
After graduating a Film and Music program in Sweden, she moved to London in 2015 to continue studying (this time Acting and Directing) and explore the UK music scene.
Between 2018 and 2019, Ellie became the singer of the synth-pop duo Island Empire and dream-pop band Emergent Minds. Following the release of Island Empire's album "Olympian" in early 2020, as the Covid-19 lockdown forced a live music and band-related hiatus, Ellie began a long-distance writing and production partnership with UK-based producer and multi-instrumentalist, Gentle William.
GW, who is not new to keeping his distance when it comes to collaboration, has previously worked with The Whiskey Priest, novelist/songwriter Sophie MackIntosh and Brighton-based collective Junkboy (whose latest album was described by Mojo Magazine as a "moment of calm in our turbulent world...").
Out of nowhere
Die geschaffene Stimmung, die Atmosphäre die sich langsam aber stetig ändert bzw. weiterentwickelt, das Zusammenspiel der Ambientsounds mit der tadellosen Performance von Ellie Madeland selbst lassen "Out of Nowhere" zu einem Track der Extraklasse werden.
As for this song: It's like Brian Eno once said: "Things come out of nothing... the tiniest seed in the right situation turns into the most beautiful forest...", sagt sie selbst darüber. Quasi aus dem Nichts entsteht hier Wunderbares, Wunderbares das es zu entdecken gilt. Die Melodie des Gesangs zerbrechlich wirkend, beinahe in den letzten Zügen und doch so voller Leben oder zumindest Hoffnung. Die Existenz des Wirkens als treibende Kraft, der Gesang als Lebensader im Vordergrund erschaffen ein "Cure-esques" Szenario. Das Arrangement verspielt und dennoch komplex im Bewusstsein des Themas, leicht verloren und ausweglos in einem Moment, um im nächsten emotional und spannungsgeladen zu erscheinen, einem Labyrinth ähnlich und vom Ziel getrieben. Ein Song der dich vom ersten Takt weg gefangen nimmt und bis zum Ende nicht mehr los lässt. "Out of Nowhere" by Ellie Madeland where sadness echoes like the harmony of life.
Q&A
Ellie Madeland is...?
... a Swedish born singer-songwriter based in London & Berlin. Her music is created through a collaboration with the talented producer & multi-instrumentalist Gentle William. They have worked together through the Covid-19 lockdowns, and have as a result developed a unique sound inspired by trip-hop, electronic, and alternative indie music.
(
This interview is with Ellie Madeland only).
Who inspired you to make music in general?
I have always been very inspired by The Cure. They are definitely the band I have felt the most connected to musically. I go on a little journey every time I hear Robert Smith’s voice, his lyrics and the melody-rich landscapes they create.
Other bands/artist’s that have inspired me massively (and that you will easily spot on my playlists) are; Bon Iver, Emancipator, The Beatles, Bob Dylan, David Bowie, Blondie, This Mortal Coil, Cocteau Twins, Laakso, Marlon Williams, Duvchi, Familjen, Beirut, Bastille Editors, Joy Division, Kent, Depeche Mode, The XX, Kate Bush, Dermot Kennedy, London Grammar, Alt-J, Cinematic Orchestra, Glass Animals, Antony and the Johnsons, Hamilton Leithauser, Band of Horses… The list goes on. But that might give you an idea.
...and especially to the song "Out of nowhere”?
I’m honestly not quite sure. When I wrote “Out of Nowhere”, is was very different to anything I had written before. It kind of felt like the lyrics & vocal melody just appeared to me and flowed into existence, almost as if “out of nowhere” (pun intended…). But I know that I am always inspired by other musicians whether I am aware of it or not. I think a cocktail of all the bands/artist’s mentioned above did the trick.
What is your creative process like?
Sometimes I pick up a guitar or sit by the piano and just let the melody and lyrics come to me. I record myself on my phone whenever I play around, and if something good comes, the recording helps me write the chords and lyrics down. Sometimes I get a sentence in my head that I really like, so I write down on my phone as soon as it appears.
In the collaboration with Gentle William, there has been a mix between me sending him rough demos and him creating an awesome mix from it, and him sending me instrumental demos for me to write lyrics and vocal melodies to. When he sends me demos, I normally just listen to it and try to immerse myself in the mix, whilst recording myself improvising a melody for it. Sometimes lyrics come too, often just a few words at first, that I can then tie together with a story later.
What is the most useful talent you have?
Hm… For me, I think my voice and my lyric writing.
What do you prefer, a live gig or a studio session?
I absolutely love recording music, something comes alive in me when I am in the studio. I am actually quite shy on stage, and sometimes it is a bit of an overwhelming experience for me. But having said that, it is such an incredible feeling to perform in front of a supportive, loving crowd. I love them both, and I’m learning to love the live aspect of performing more and more.
When do you decide that a song is ready for a release?
For me, it’s when I listen to a mix and my head is not interrupting me anymore. In the first few mixes of a song, there’s always the “ah, the bass should be louder”, “the vocals are off there”, “something is missing there”, “that’s too much” etc… But when I listen to a mix and I am just enjoying the experience without those mental interruptions, it's a great sign that the song is finished to me. But it can be really hard to decide - there is always more you can do with a track! Sometimes you just gotta let go and release it!
Who would you most like to collaborate with?
Robert Smith of The Cure, no doubt.
If you could change anything in the past, what would it be?
I wish I had studied/committed to music earlier, and trusted in my creative self more. I always knew music was my biggest passion, but I was extremely scared to give it a go, for a long time. I was very scared of failure, rejection, humiliation. But it’s funny, most of those feelings came from NOT following my passion!
How do you feel the Internet (especially Social Media platforms) has impacted the music business?
I have a bit of a hate/love relationship with social media. I feel like it soaks up my time, gives me more anxiety and is quite draining to navigate… But it has also made it so easy to share my music with people and create my own brand with full control of what goes on there. It has definitely made it easier to be a “DIY” artist, but I also romanticise the “good old days” (yep, before I was born), when things worked very differently.
What’s next for you?
Loads more music! We have another single coming out in early 2022, and we are working on a full album together that will hopefully also release in 2022.
Photo credits: Ellie Madeland
