Jen Ella – I Must Go To The Party Alone (2023)
From her debut single ‘Butterflies’ in 2018 to her track ‘alien’ in 2021, Irish singer-songwriter Jen Ella has been sharing intimate tales in a sublime sonic wrapper. The last time we heard her she dragged us back to the 80s with her nostalgic pop sound. Now she tosses in a soothing folk influence with tinges of blues flitting through her latest single ‘I Must Go To The Party Alone’. One common denominator: her charming vocals and ability to weave an intoxicating spell with personal tales.
Following a very successful 2021 with ‘eyes for you’ and ‘Lipstick Queen’ playing on BBC Radio and reaching an international audience via radio stations, blogs and playlists, Jen Ella returns to the scene with ‘I Must Go To The Party Alone’. Recorded and co-produced with Ethan Garrett, Ella’s personality and strong musicality shines out of the elegant single.
As I mentioned, Ella is skilled at using personal experiences to resonate with audiences, which is evident again in ‘I Must Go To The Party Alone’. In her previous single, ‘alien’, Ella reminisced on “taking responsibility and taking it on the chin after a night out”. In the new single, she continues a personal journey touching on “recognising a newfound freedom which evolves from fears of change and fears of particular events.”
Blending old-school folk with bluesy undertones, ‘I Must Go To The Party Alone’ adopts a simplistic style. The acoustic guitar carries Ella’s sweet vocals before hitting a blues-inspired guitar adding a haunting tone to the track. Proving that a heart-breaking sparseness can be kaleidoscopic in its simplicity, ‘I Must Go To The Party Alone’ tosses you into a sonic swirl while anchoring you with the steady acoustic arrangement.
One aspect I truly enjoy with Jen Ella’s music is how she perfectly expresses the emotion behind the song’s theme in her vocals. Haunting, hushed and skin-tingling with a gut-wrenching chaser, you feel the melancholic poignancy of ‘I Must Go To The Party Alone’. Yet, there is a simultaneous empowerment, optimism and hopefulness floating through the melody.
For more from Jen Ella, check out her Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
