She emerges from the dark that is stage right. She is dressed to the nines- tall, black high heels, bright red pants. Impeccable style. And in tow, she has her shiny purple electric guitar that if stood on it’s end, could be as tall as she is. The crowd has no idea what to expect. And then she plays. After a moment of silent awe, the crowd erupts as she strums her guitar impressing the crowd with every chord she plays. She is Lindsay Ell. It may have been a cold, snowy night at Boston’s House of Blues, but that was nothing new for the Canada native as she sat down with New England Country Music to talk about the CMT Next Women in Country Tour, her upcoming EP, and more!
Joined by Jennifer Nettles, Brandy Clark and Tara Thompson, Lindsay is one of four women on this year’s CMT Next Women in Country Tour, something that Lindsay calls an honor. “It’s such an honor to be on the road with veterans like Jennifer and Brandy and just to be part of this whole ‘Women in Country’ movement. Everything CMT is doing right now for women in the genre is amazing. So the fact that I can be part of it and be on tour is really cool.” It was just a few nights into the tour when we sat down with Lindsay; but even that early into the experience, she raved about the presence of Jennifer and Brandy by saying, “One of my favorite things about being on the road is getting to watch the headliners do their thing. Just getting to watch Brandy and Jennifer every night. I love seeing the little nuances that they will change from night to night depending on the crowd and the audience. Really I have gotten inspired from watching both of them.”
Lindsay smiles on stage in Boston (Photo: Jessica Crans)
One thing that Lindsay really takes pride in is her social media presence. She is constantly updating her fans and truly letting them into her life via a variety of ways. The night before Boston, their show in Pennsylvania was cancelled due to snow. But that didn’t stop Lindsay from playing… on Periscope! “I think social media has just changed the way the world works, especially for artists. I just love it because I can have that one-on-one relationship with my fans. It makes the world seem so small. The fact that I can hop on Periscope and a few seconds later put out a live link across the world to fans that they can come on and I can either teach them a guitar lesson or I can play a concert from my living room to their living room. It’s crazy to even think that concept would work. But I love it. It lets me keep in touch with fans over in Europe, where we can’t tour all the time or in Canada or different parts of the country that we can’t get to. So I think social media is a very important piece of what I do. And really of my artistry.”
On that aforementioned Periscope session, Lindsay played a few songs and let her fans in on some news that she is working on an EP. “We’ve been in the studio recording for the past 6 months or so. So we’re nearing the end of it. We just have a couple guitar solos and background vocals and stuff to record. So I am hoping we’ll have an EP out in the next few months,” Lindsay tells us. One song that will be on the EP is one called ‘Criminal,’ which Lindsay is excited for her fans to hear. Another song that will definitely be on the release is her current single, ‘By The Way,’ a fun and up-tempo song about not dwelling on failed relationships and moving on quick. The song takes what is generally a bad moment and turns it into a positive, forward-thinking direction. Our take from the song? Don’t waste your time on people that aren’t worth your time! ‘By The Way’ is a great song and one that made it onto our list of the Top 40 Songs of 2015! And many others agree with us on that as,
By The Way’ hit the Top Ten on iTunes on its release date and was the most added song on country radio as well. Additionally, Perez Hilton called the song, ‘Country pop at its best.’ And how did Lindsay exactly celebrate that success? Well, she was a bit busy playing a 24-hour show on Broadway in Nashville! Yes, 24 consecutive hours. Unfortunately the weather did not exactly cooperate with Ell, but luckily she was helped not only be fans who came down and brought Lindsay coffee and donuts, but also threw money in the guitar case for the kids, as the marathon-show was benefitting the Children’s Hospital in Nashville. Lindsay describes, “It just baffled my mind the generosity of fans… That whole day was a pure reminder of why I do what I do.”
Fans were not the only ones to keep Lindsay company during this incredible event. Many of her colleagues and friends in the industry came down to support her cause and mission including Megan and Liz, Charlie Worsham, Lucia Silvas, and the Raging Idiots, who may be best known as Bobby Bones and ‘Producer Eddie.’ Bobby and his team have been a constant source of support for Ell for quite some time. “I cannot thank Bobby and his whole team enough. Bobby specifically champions young artists and new artists so much that may have never had a shot without him. The fact that he is willing to stand up and say, ‘This is something I believe in,’ it says a lot to him and his brand. You watch careers like Chris Janson and Cam and Kelsea Ballerini and there’s so many artists that arguably wouldn’t be where they are at today without Bobby Bones. I honestly cannot thank Bobby enough. He’s a huge advocate for women specifically.”
Lindsay hits the nail on the head with the role that Bobby Bones has had in the lives and careers of these promising artists. But even outside of the syndicated radio icon, it’s great to see the resurgence of females in country music, with Lindsay being one of them. “It’s been amazing to watch over the past year with Kelsea Ballerini doing her thing and Cam, I love that woman so much, she’s such an incredible singer-I am so happy for her. And even Maren Morris just blowing up, it’s awesome.” She continues, “It’s going to be interesting. I feel like a lot of people are asking why we’re seeing more women in country. But I think the quality of music that ladies are singing is so much higher right now and that’s why there’s this resurgence.”
This career has not been simply handed to Lindsay. She has had to work hard from day one and continues to prove herself, build her reputation and fanbase, and gain credibility via her live performances that enables her to show off her impeccable vocals and her even better guitar skills. Lindsay describes, “I kinda love it when it surprises people a lot. Often times when I am walking into a venue with heels and a pink t shirt and a guitar case, they are like ‘Oh my goodness, here we go again.’ But I like earning that credibility with an audience and seeing that look on their faces when they are thinking, ‘She can actually play that thing.’ The guitar is a huge part of me and what I do. I feel fortunate that I can get up there and sing a song, I can write a song, I can perform it. But the fact that I can also play a guitar is another dimension for me to talk to an audience.” The fact is, Lindsay is not just a singer- she’s an artist. And she doesn’t see country music as just a paycheck, but instead a passion. This is what Lindsay Ell was meant to do. To write and perform music that connects with her fans and impacts their lives in the deepest and most meaningful of ways.
Purchase Lindsay’s single, ‘By The Way,’ on iTunes here.
Follow Lindsay on Twitter, Facebook, and her official website.