Ella Hayes – Colour Me In (2022)
Addiction, depression, alcoholism – all things that can ruin people’s lives and make it seem as if there is no light in sight. Yet, singer-songwriter Ella Hayes made it through this rain and brings some hope wrapped in a beautiful soul-pop sound. Hailing from the UK, Essex girl Hayes has been described as a “soul-pop sanctuary” (A&R Factory) and having an “ease to carry you…very comfortable and highly recommended” (Info Music). Not only is she receiving features across the globe but made a splash on various playlists reaching international audiences. Come with us as we look at, or rather listen to, her debut EP Colour Me In.
Instead of a few original songs crammed into a six-track EP, Colour Me In is a journey from the deepest lows to the highest highs. Taking you by the hand, Ella Hayes navigates this sonic pool keeping you safe from the darker themes, showing you alternative perspectives and bringing you out on the other side with positive hopefulness. She explains that there is “…definitely…a message in this record. I find my inspiration through my own experiences and this EP is very personal to me. At the beginning of the first lockdown in 2020 I hit an all-time low but I’m glad to say that I’ve found recovery and today I am in a good place. Writing this EP was a great way for me to just get it all out, everything that had been going on, everything that I was feeling at the time…”
Bringing a sense of darkness to her record, Colour Me In opens with ‘White Lies’ offering a bleak overview of what it is like to live with addiction. An immediate reminiscence to Amy Winehouse is heard from the first chord, only to be enhanced with Hayes’ intoxicating vocals. Interestingly enough, while the contemporary pop is slathered in soul, the rock-inspired guitars tinge the song with an old-school bluesy sound. Nostalgic and bleak, ‘White Lies’ has melancholic vibes but there is a sincerity within the pain.
Moving from ‘White Lies’, Hayes picks up the pace with her upbeat, high-powered track ‘Keep On Climbing’. The progression from a slower, deeper single [‘White Lies’] to this blast of positive soul can be a shock to the system; however, it just showcases Hayes’s versatility and evocative sound. Penned as a “recovery song”, Hayes wants to “keep on climbing” becoming the best person she can be.
What I find intriguing about Ella Hayes and Colour Me In is not only the concept of addiction and recovery but how the music takes you on the road from addiction to recovery. Melancholic and aggressive to bright, shiny joviality, Colour Me In is a whirlwind of music while retaining a realistic outlook on things. A glistening gem amidst pebbles, I think I may have found a new favourite artist!
For more from Ella Hayes check out her official website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Spotify.
