Interview: ella ruby

Interview by Isabel Dowell

Seattle-born indie-folk singer, songwriter Ella Ruby has just released her latest single titled “last year”, which celebrates queer angst. The perfect track for Pride Month, eh?

PHOTO CREDIT: MIRA HOROWITZ

Inspired by the emotional longing of past lovers, “last year” is a mellow, sultry tune that pays homage to the people, places, and things we dream about at night. This single is only Ella’s second release, following the delicate and soft “baths”, both set to be featured on her debut EP, baby blue

“I kind of had it in my head for a while and when I sat down to write it, it just all came out. It’s very much about the frustration of getting over someone - as I’m sure most of us have experienced, unfortunately enough - we have a hard time remembering the details of past relationships or loves, but some stick around relentlessly. This song is kind of about that, the details that just play over and over again in your mind, especially in the dreamscape.” - Ella Ruby for Tongue Tied Magazine

As a queer artist, Ella leans towards using pronouns in the second-person narration, such as ‘you’, in order to create a more direct emotion in her lyrics. Thus allowing her music to open up to an entirely new audience, letting any person of any gender to enjoy her words and relate them to their own life experiences. If you listen closely, there are some clues that might be read one way or another, but you’d have to really listen and identify with them in order to understand. 

Still finding her footing in the music world, Ella’s two latest singles sound very different in terms of emotion and sounds. There’s still time for her to find a specific category that defines her sound, but for now she is happy to be experimenting and collaborating with other artists that are helping her find her way. While most of the songs off of baby blue came to Ella quite quickly, some of her earlier tracks are stuck in their earliest forms. Hopefully, we will be able to hear these songs later in Ella’s career. 

A common theme within all musicians lately is finding their footing with COVID and understanding how it has and will continue to impact their careers. Ella has been interested in music her entire life, even teaching herself guitar about five years ago, and uses this as a way to express herself. Finding herself in intense stages of creativity, immense lulls, moving around, and everything else in the world, Ella’s creative structure has always been strong since graduating college, doing internships in music business, teaching ceramics classes, and soon to be returning to graduate school. 

PHOTO CREDIT: MIRA HOROWITZ

“What was helpful was thinking, if I’m lucky enough to make it to 75 or 80, what will I look back on and wish I had done? One of those things that kept coming up again and again was sharing my music.” - Ella Ruby for Tongue Tied Magazine

Her upcoming EP, baby blue, will consist of five songs, including “baths” and “last year”. Conceptually, it focuses on growing up through a relationship lens - friends, family, and the like. It is a timely project for Ella as an individual and hopes that with so many changes happening in the world, or in our personal lives, others will be able to relate on a similar level. Each song tells a very specific story, but helps paint an overall picture to what baby blue is all about. Choosing “baths” and “last year” to be the first two tracks to represent her career resemble what Ella calls “two sides of the same coin”, showing off her range of storytelling and emotion.

“The love of my life is Brandi Carlile, I think she is magnificent and everything she does I am in love with. Although our styles are a little different, in terms of energy and how I want to lead my life it would resemble her. In terms of sound, it would be Billy Martin, Maya Hawke, Shannon Lay, kind of that soft, but a little grungy.”  - Ella Ruby for Tongue Tied Magazine

Soon, Ella will be starting a graduate program in Chicago, Illinois. She’s crossing her fingers that her music career, going back to school, and anything else life throws her way will simply fall into place - a hope I can definitely relate to. She also hopes to break into more live performances soon. Along with collaborating and playing with friends and getting over bouts of stage fright, Ella Ruby’s music career is so close to taking off and if you haven’t heard of Ella or her music - you are truly missing out on something incredible. 

Listen to “last year” here, and follow Ella on Instagram!

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