Powerful vocals, charismatic laugh, earnest lyrics: an unpretentious songwriter who sings from the heart.

13 MP3 Songs
FOLK: like Ani, FOLK: like Joni



Details:
"Ellis stays true to her folk-influenced ideologies by always telling it like it is, but with a brimming optimism about the goodness of people and common situations that connect us."
-Lavender Magazine

"Ellis continues to win fans with her unique brand of honest, gritty folk music. Borrowing from country, soul and roots-rock influences, the 25-year-old with an old sould plays with an unbridled openness that gives her music a quality as honest as some of her lyrics."
-Long Beach Press-Telegram

Ellis' unpretentious style and charismatic laugh were first showcased on her 1996 CD "Soft Day". She has become well known at coffeehouses and colleges throughout the Upper Midwest since then, as she has maintained a steady schedule of shows, both on her own and as lead singer and songwriter of six-piece rock/funk band Bobby Llama.

In 1998 she released "Blueprint Live," a live follow-up to "Soft Day". In 2000, the members of Bobby Llama parted ways, allowing Ellis to focus on her solo career as a guitar-toting road-ready singer-songwriter. "Everything That's Real" is the first step in this voyage.

On Everything That's Real, Ellis maintains the simplicity and directness of "Soft Day," yet presents her most musically sophisticated songs and performances to date. Ranging from statements of purpose to acerbic commentaries on the music business, Ellis' songs capture the nuances and details of relationships, yet remain open to interpretation.

In Ellis' own words: "I write music because I believe in the power of songs. I believe they can move people on a personal level. Writing songs helps me hold onto moments in my own life that I might have otherwise forgotten."