Marty

Ella has a new (voice effect) single out with Nathan Dawe soon… Sounds good tbf…

Charted at #8 so at least she made her top 10. Pleased for her. Hope she can focus down and produce a few top quality songs for the next one…

Ella and Becky Hill have gone down the ‘feat dance route’ to earn a living. Maybe Becky will have more freedom now but these are working artist who need to earn a crust.

In the end, Ella is well liked and respected for her voice, her only ‘image’ is herself as a down to earth girl next door northerner. She, in many ways, is ‘older than her years’. I doubt that ‘image’ (although laudable) is particularly highly appealing to the mass music market. Her biggest problem though is lack of clarity on her musical style. She has recorded pretty much everything besides rock and people just don’t know what she stands for musically or what to expect on an album. Sure many really like her voice, but I’m not sure that is enough on its own to generate a wider fan base or sales. She needs a much more focussed approach, probably working only with a small production and writing team. She needs song quality not quantity [obviously not an easy task!] Can she achieve that at this point in her career whilst also earning a decent living as a jobbing artist?

This album has 13 producers on it! She has moved from MOR pop, RnB, Soul in Chapter One to MOR pop, dance, country on this album, with some gospel round the edges! The country oriented stuff was a surprise but I kinda like it. I’m not sure where she’s heading but I think the scattergun approach is a problem. I personally think Chapter One was a better fit, but see what happens. Has this album helped solidify her career?

Ella now #1 on iTunes, holding up well and a sizeable gig on Tuesday to boost sales. Should make a top 5(?)…

She is a really talented artist. You don’t sing with a televised orchestra unless you are damn good. Enjoying this show. Live performance music is a real treat.

On the lyrical content. It’s totally understandable that Ella dwells a reasonable amount on positive body image, especially after the likes of the ghouls at the Daily Mail went after her. But generally I really wish artists would broaden their horizons from (almost now ‘safe’) issues like body image and breakups to other things that are happening in the world and effect lots of people (I mean how about poverty, war, discrimination, the climate, lying politicians to name a few?) I guess they are too frightened to lose sales but things are becoming tiresome lyrically.

Certainly doing better than most of us thought. A few record shop signings coming up and the Prizm gig soon should give a little boost. The biggest help will obv be a price reduction… Still a shame there’s no obvious new singles off this album..,

Interesting that Ella’s team went for a full price album, The Shires and Bryan Adams being £6.99 on iTunes. I guess they will discount it quite quickly if there is a chance of better than expected success and good promo?

Played it a 2nd time. Would probably lift a few scores but still generally think a lot of songs aren’t melodically strong enough. I guess she was so bursting to say things the words came first and the music second. I am pleasantly surprised by the vaguely country thing she’s got going on though. Wasn’t expecting that at all.

Now gone #2 on UK and Ireland iTunes … There’s a lot of goodwill for her out there which will likely get her a top 10 or better.

My track scores are—> 6 Emotions - almost a country music vibe, a bit repetitive and high pitched, strange album starter 6 What About Us - a light pop, scandi dance song, also a little high pitched 5 Ugly - a spoken body image song. A lot seem to like it. I don’t sadly. 9 Let's Go Home Together - Ella Henderson & Tom Grennan. Should be a classic Xmas song. 8 Brave- a strong traditional pop song with great lyric. 6 Out My Head - another largely spoken song about brakeup. Quite repetitive. Unremarkable. 7 Thank You For The Hell - another largely spoken breakup song, some country feel. Pleasant. 7 Sorry That I Miss You - lovely piano ballad. Interesting blend of styles. Unusual. 10 Everything I Didn't Say - old school fantastic Ella piano ballad. 7 Bad News - unusual quite spoken pop song. Pleasant guitar riff. 6 Cry On Me (feat. Mikky Ekko). Gentle not particularly memorable ballad. 7 Good Things Take Time - electro pop dance. Not a very strong melody but a bit of a relief. 8 Northern Lights - guitar ballad almost country vibe. Pleasant. 8 Set In Stone - another guitar ballad almost country vibe. Pleasant. 6 Body - ok pop song, strong vocal. 5 Places - more of a gospel twist. A bit of a weak album ending. Very surprised by the style of this album. Hard to describe. Some country vibe and gentle guitar licks going on. Very few traditional Ella piano ballads or nods to RnB and soul. Quite lyrical and spoken. Not many strong melodies. Can’t really see the next singles. I imagine it will grow but overall quite disappointing.

#7 start in Australia. #5 New Zealand.

The album is now showing #5 on iTunes in New Zealand🙂

Apparently there are some cassettes https://eurostore.warnermusic.com/uk/everyt...y-cassette.html Certainly not advertising them much though…. I’ve absolutely no idea where this will chart. You would think she would have a reasonable base for a 2nd album but there certainly isn’t much buzz. We’ll find out soon enough!

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Go for it! A little bit of a life experience…

What indicators right now, with 3 days until the album drops, would we be looking at to assess whether this is shaping up to do well or not?? If any!’

Well I’ve pre-ordered my copy! I agree that the omens don’t look that great, for instance her ‘intimate’ prizm gig still apparently has 200+ free seats despite multiple social media pushes. But we’ll see how things shape up in the next week - her management team seem relatively good at booking her TV and radio slots. I just hope we get a couple of really strong singles off the album. Not quite good but really stand out good!

I’m sure you’ll enjoy it. She’s a fantastic live performer.

Live acoustic performance. What a talent! yLQAxZyJ93U

The title track is beautiful. Sad, melancholic, absolutely what she does best.

Good spot! Sensible move releasing the title track in the few weeks before album release. I’d be surprised if the album doesn’t do pretty well, but who knows these days. I’ve preordered it anyhows!